Address: Main Office: John Gorton Building

Effective management of Commonwealth marine reserves

Management actions were conducted for programs covering compliance (education and enforcement), research and monitoring and cooperative management, including the following:

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  650 authorisations (permits or approvals) were administered (issued and monitored) for commercial activities in Commonwealth marine reserves, including commercial tourism and commercial fishing activities
  
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  29 authorisations (permits or approvals) were issued for scientific research activities
  
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  cooperative management programs and contracts were developed with state agencies for service delivery in the South-east Network, Solitary Islands Marine Reserve, Cod Grounds Marine Reserve, Mermaid Marine Reserve, Ningaloo Marine Reserve, Lord Howe Marine Reserve and the Great Australian Bight Marine Park
  
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  a two-year tropical fire ant control program at Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve commenced in March 2011, and research is also being undertaken on the nesting success of seabirds
  
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  a marine survey was undertaken in the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve which provided key results on live coral cover and condition; abundance of small endemic reef fishes, black cod, Galapagos sharks and invertebrates; long-term monitoring data from data loggers installed in 2006, and a visual census of shipwrecks at the reefs
  
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  research was conducted at the Solitary Islands Marine Reserve to provide valuable mapping data on fish habitats near to reefs using a baited underwater video system.
  

Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs. (Director of National Parks)

Progressing the government’s anti-whaling agenda

Australia has worked closely with other member countries to progress International Whaling Commission conservation and governance initiatives.

Australia has been an active and constructive participant in the IWC itself, as well as its various committees, sub-committees and working groups such as the IWC Small Advisory Group on Conservation Management Plans, the IWC Working Group on Whalewatching and the Southern Ocean Research Partnership Scientific Steering Group.

Australia’s collaboration and cooperation with other IWC member countries has in turn strengthened support for Australia’s position in the IWC and the development and implementation of important conservation and governance initiatives.

Australia’s legal action against Japan’s program of ‘scientific’ whaling is being led by the Attorney-General’s Department. The department has assisted Attorney General’s by providing resources, policy support and technical advice.

The department continues to ensure research projects funded under the $32 million six-year International Whaling and Marine Mammal Conservation and Initiatives Grants Program remain of the highest standard and are aligned with the government’s overarching policy objectives.

Environmental biosecurity

A review of the National Electric Ant Eradication Program was undertaken in November 2010. The key finding of the review was that eradication remains technically feasible. Continued investment is worthwhile and highly cost-effective because of the potential for electric ants to cause very significant, but unquantified, environmental and social impacts should the electric ants be allowed to spread without control.

A review of the National Four Tropical Weeds Eradication Program led to the agreement in June 2011, by the national management group for weeds, that the eradication program remains feasible, nationally significant and cost beneficial. The program targets six species: Koster’s curse (Clidemia hirta), limnocharis or yellow bur-head (Limnocharis flava), miconia (Miconia calvescens), Miconia nervosa, Miconia racemosa and mikania vine (Mikania micrantha).

The national management group for weeds agreed to continue the National Siam Weed Eradication Program into the 2011–12 financial year, and to undertake an independent review of the program before deciding whether to continue the program beyond this time frame. In February 2011, Cyclone Yasi crossed the far north Queensland coast, impacting on Siam weed program sites. The independent review found that the cyclone did not coincide with seed production and the negative impacts on the program have been principally as a result of debris restricting access to sites and hindering ground survey and control activities.

Migratory and marine species

A total of 20 fisheries were assessed under the EPBC Act in 2010–11, with five being considered by the minister, and the remainder considered under delegation by departmental officials. All assessments were completed within agreed time frames.

The department worked closely with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to revise and redraft the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks, which provides guidance to fisheries, conservation managers and the general public to improve conservation and management of sharks. The revised plan was released for public comment on 13 May 2011 and should be finalised by the end of 2011.

An intergovernmental dugong taskforce between the Australian and Queensland governments was established to address the ongoing sustainability of dugong populations in the waters off Queensland. The primary role of the taskforce was to establish a comprehensive understanding of the existing programs of dugong conservation and management and associated community engagement for the waters off Queensland, and to identify areas for improvement.

Australia was represented at the first official signatory state meeting of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and Their Habitats throughout Their Range, under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species, which was held in United Arab Emirates from 4–6 October 2010. Australia provided a voluntary contribution of $20 000 to support 2011 Pacific Year of the Dugong, the aim of which was to undertake awareness-raising activities to ensure the long-term conservation of dugong populations in the Pacific.

Approvals and Wildlife Division

Main responsibilities for this outcome

Administering relevant provisions of the EPBC Act to ensure the protection of the environment, especially matters of national environmental significance, through assessment of environmental impacts of activities, strategic assessments, and compliance, investigation and enforcement activities. Forming partnerships with states and territories, stakeholders, and the Australian community, to promote cooperative environmental management and protection. Enhancing Australia’s capacity to ensure the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and wildlife, both domestically and internationally. Supporting the Threatened Species Scientific Committee in providing advice to the minister on listing of species, ecological communities and key threatening processes under the EPBC Act, and developing recovery plans and conservation advices for listed species and ecological communities. Protecting the marine environment through management of sea dumping in accordance with the London Convention and London Protocol through the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981. Providing information and tools to raise awareness of, and compliance with, environment protection law.