Tasmanian Marine Protected Areas Strategy Background Report Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment April 2000 Published by: Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, Tasmania. Citation: Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, Tasmania 2000. Tasmanian Marine Protected Areas Strategy: Background Report. Available from: Executive Officer, Marine and Marine Industries Council Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment 5th Floor, Marine Board Building 1 Franklin Wharf Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Ph: 03 6233 3470 Acknowledgements Prepared by Dr Karen Edyvane with advice and comments from Peter Bosworth and other members of the DPIWE Tasmanian Marine Protected Areas Strategy Project Team (Sally Chambers, Alex Schaap, Doug Nicol, Fionna Bourne and Dennis Witt) and also Professor Colin Buxton and Dr. Graham Edgar and other members of the Marine and Marine Industries Council. The report was edited by Vivienne Mawson with final production by Sylvia Outridge. Administrative support was also provided by Sam Parkinson and Mark Johnson. Research and collection of information presented in this report was assisted with funding provided by Environment Australia under the Marine Protected Areas Program. Page ii Tasmanian Marine Protected Areas Strategy: Background Report © 2000 Crown in Right of the State of Tasmania This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. Inquiries should be directed to the General Manager, Resource Management and Conservation, Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, GPO Box 44A, Hobart TAS 7001. ISBN No: 0 7246 21148 DISCLAIMER Any representation, statement opinion or advice expressed or implied in this publication is made in good faith but on the basis that the Crown in Right of the State of Tasmania, its agents and employees are not liable (whether by reason of negligence, lack of care or otherwise) to any person for any damage or loss whatsoever which has occurred or may occur in relation to that person taking or not taking (as the case may be) action in respect of any representation, statement or advice referred to above. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not reflect those of the Commonwealth Government, the Commonwealth Minister for Environment and Heritage or the Commonwealth Director of National Parks and Wildlife. PREFACE This Background Report has been prepared by the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment in consultation with the Marine and Marine Industries Council to provide background material for the development of a Tasmanian Marine Protected Areas Strategy. The report describes the marine ecosystems and biodiversity and the marine management systems in Tasmania and then outlines the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas which has been endorsed by all States and Territories as well as the Commonwealth. The fundamental concept of a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of Marine Protected Areas is explored before the status of marine conservation in Tasmania is described. The latter part of the report then identifies possible goals, outcomes and principles for a Representative Marine Protected Areas System in Tasmania, proposed guidelines for identifying and selecting a system and how it would be established and managed. Reference throughout the report is made where relevant to other State, Territory, national and international approaches and experiences. CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 MARINE ECOSYSTEMS & BIODIVERSITY OF TASMANIA .............. 1 1.1 EVOLUTION OF TASMANIA’S MARINE ECOSYSTEMS ........................................................... 1 1.2 PHYSICAL SETTING ............................................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Climate ....................................................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Bathymetry (water depth) ............................................................................................ 2 1.2.3 Ocean Currents ........................................................................................................... 3 1.2.4 Wave Energy ............................................................................................................... 4 1.2.5 Productivity ................................................................................................................ 4 1.3 MARINE BIODIVERSITY ...................................................................................................... 5 1.3.1 Flora........................................................................................................................... 5 1.3.2 Invertebrates ............................................................................................................... 7 1.3.3 Fish ........................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.4 Reptiles ..................................................................................................................... 10 1.3.5 Seabirds .................................................................................................................... 11 1.3.6 Marine Mammals ...................................................................................................... 11 1.4 MARINE ECOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 13 1.4.1 Estuaries, Inlets and Wetlands ................................................................................... 13 1.4.2 Soft Sediments ........................................................................................................... 14 1.4.3 Reefs ......................................................................................................................... 15 1.4.4 Offshore Islands ........................................................................................................ 16 1.4.5 Offshore Ecosystems ................................................................................................. 16 1.5 MARINE ECOSYSTEMS OF TASMANIA ............................................................................... 17 1.5.1 Classifying Marine Ecosystems — Bioregionalisation ................................................ 19 1.5.2 Province or Large Marine Ecosystems ....................................................................... 20 1.5.3 Bioregion or Ecosystem-Level Regionalisation .......................................................... 23 CHAPTER 2 MARINE MANAGEMENT IN TASMANIA ....................................... 27 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 27 2.2 JURISDICTION ................................................................................................................... 27 2.3 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ..................................................................................... 28 2.3.1 Fisheries and Aquaculture ......................................................................................... 28 2.3.2 Marine Pollution ....................................................................................................... 29 2.3.3 Shipping and Navigation ........................................................................................... 29 2.3.4 Cultural Heritage ...................................................................................................... 30 2.3.5 Coastal Management................................................................................................. 30 2.3.6 Conservation ............................................................................................................. 30 2.4 RELEVANT PLANNING SYSTEMS ....................................................................................... 32 2.4.1 Resource Management and Planning System ............................................................. 32 2.4.2 Resource Planning and Development Commission (RPDC) ........................................ 33 Page vi Tasmanian Marine Protected Areas Strategy: Background Report CHAPTER 3 THE NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS ........................................................................ 36 3.1 WHY MARINE PROTECTED AREAS? .................................................................................... 36 3.2 THE NATIONAL, REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (NRSMPA) ..... 37 3.2.1 National Guidelines for Establishing the NRSMPA .................................................... 38 3.2.2 Primary Goal of the NRSMPA ................................................................................... 39 3.2.3 Defining Marine Protected Areas .............................................................................. 39 3.2.4 Key Characteristics ................................................................................................... 40 3.2.5 A comprehensive adequate and representative (CAR) system of Marine Protected Areas ... 41 3.3 KEY STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN NRSMPA ........................................................ 41 3.4 IUCN PROTECTED AREA CATEGORIES .............................................................................