Marine Park Advisory Committee Meeting #5 Communique 8 June 2021, MS Teams

The Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP) Advisory Attendees Committee held a virtual meeting on Tuesday Russell Gueho (Chair) 8 June 2021. Andrew Hoey Clive Wilkinson The Committee was briefed by Dr Barbara Col McKenzie Musso (Acting Assistant Secretary, Marine and Craig Stephen Doug Sanderson Island Parks Branch) on key issues. Michelle Grady • The Ocean Leadership Package, Apologies announced by the Prime Minister on Chrissy Warren Russ Babcock 23 April 2021 is an additional $100 million Ryan Donnelly investment towards managing ocean Larissa Hale (resigned) habitat and coastal environments, and Observers contributing to the global task of reducing Chris Cochrane (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park emissions. Authority) • The Government has appointed a Senior Tina Alderson ( Parks and Wildlife Service) Advisory Group on Joint Management Melinda McLean (Torres Strait Regional Arrangements to provide independent Authority) advice on the governance, structure and Darci Wallis, Steve Bolton and Saiful Marbun (Australian Fisheries Management Authority) culture of the management of jointly managed National Parks. Guests Barbara Musso (Assistant Secretary, Marine and The Committee was given an overview of Island Parks Branch, Parks ) fisheries managed by the Queensland Kimberly Foster and Tony Ham (Fisheries Queensland) Government in the CSMP by Fisheries Queensland. Sea cucumber, coral, aquarium Assessments and Authorisations Program fish, trawl, charter and recreational fisheries Nine authorisations have been issued since are to be managed under harvest strategies. Meeting 4: research and monitoring (4), use Parks Australia provided an update on key of a drone or other non-commercial remote management program activities. A summary piloted aircraft (1), commercial tourism (3), of these actions is provided: and commercial media (1). Since July 2018, 55 authorisations have been issued.

parksaustralia.gov.au/marine

The Committee was presented the draft Indigenous Engagement Program (AMP) Authorisations Parks Australia is taking a co-design approach and Assessments Policy. The policy is a to developing an Indigenous engagement and guidance tool for assessment of proposed cultural heritage strategy for Australian activities in AMPs. Marine Parks. The strategy aims to improve understanding of cultural heritage in the Compliance Program Three compliance incidents were recorded in parks, link management with sea country the CSMP since November 2020. The plans, and maximise employment and incidents related to commercial tourism and enterprise opportunities for Traditional charter operations occurring without Owners. authorisation. Quarterly reports documenting Parks Protection and Management Program incidence of non-compliance observed across The Australian Marine Parks Guideline for the the Australian Marine Parks network are authorisation of commercial tourism and available on the Compliance webpage. general use activities on islands in the Coral Sea, Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island Marine Marine Science Program Coral Sea Coral Reef Health: 2020-2021 Parks is available on the website. project Communication, Education and Awareness In response to the 2020 severe coral Program bleaching event in the CSMP, Parks Australia The fourth Australia-New Caledonia Coral Sea contracted Newsletter is available at: Coral Sea - discover. James Cook University to undertake a Tourism and Visitor Experience Program comprehensive assessment of the condition The draft Australian Marine Parks Tourism of coral and fish communities. A report is Strategy was shared with the Committee for expected in August 2021. comment. The Strategy will be finalised later in 2021. Coral Sea Island Health Project Parks Australia is working closely with the Next Meeting Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, The next Committee meeting will be held in researchers, and volunteer botanists to assess November 2021. For more information about the health of islands in the Coral Sea. the Coral Sea Marine Park or the Committee: Reports from two Coral Sea Island Health Visit parksaustralia.gov.au/coralsea assessment voyages are now available on the Email [email protected] Parks Australia website: Environmental Assessment of the Coringa Islets and Herald Cays in the Coral Sea Marine Park Vegetation Assessment and Mapping of South Islet (Willis Islets), Coral Sea Marine Park The next voyage is planned for mid-2021 to survey 25 islands and cays in the central region of the CSMP.