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The way ahead for Australia's North-west Oceans
Marine Bioregional Planning in Commonwealth Waters
Department of the Environment and Water Resources, April 2007
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Introduction
The North-west Marine Region will be one of the first to benefit from the Government’s world-leading programme of marine bioregional planning. When complete, this Plan will deliver certainty for industry, protection for this remarkable marine environment and conservation of its biodiversity.
What are Marine Bioregional Plans?
Australia is leading the world in sustainable oceans management.
Through the marine bioregional planning program, the Australian Government will:
- Prepare Marine Bioregional Plans for Commonwealth waters under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
- Establish networks of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as the Commonwealth contribution to the National Representative System of MPAs.
Marine Bioregional Plans are being developed across five marine regions – the North-west, North, North-west, East and South-east. While we know little about our oceans compared to the terrestrial environment, Marine Bioregional Plans will consolidate available knowledge to provide us with the best possible basis for decision-making about the conservation of the marine environment.
More about: Marine Bioregional Planning in the North-west