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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Commonwealth Marine Reserves

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Government
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    Description
    Description
    In November 2012, Australia expanded its marine protected area estate to some 3.2 million square kilometres, covering around 36 per cent of the waters within Australias jurisdiction, making it the largest representative marine protected areas network in the world.
    Australia has exceeded target 14.5 to conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas and has delivered on the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) commitment to establish representative networks of marine protected areas by 2012.
    The Australian Government is committed to maintaining the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas. Marine protected areas are important to ensure the ongoing health of our marine biodiversity, as well as enabling sustainable use and access to marine resources.
    To ensure appropriate management of Commonwealth marine reserves into the future, the Director of National Parks has commenced the statutory process to prepare new management plans for reserves in the South-west, North-west, North and Temperate East Networks and the Coral Sea.
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    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
    14.5 By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
    14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
    Comprehensive compliance and enforcement arrangements for the marine reserves covering 36 per cent of Australia's marine jurisdiction.
    A monitoring and evaluation framework that will enable the Director of National Parks to monitor, evaluate and review the impacts and effectiveness of the area-based Commonwealth marine reserves around the country.
    Digital and Online Reserve Management Systemsuser-friendly map-based interfaces to a) assist users in understanding science, biodiversity and what users can see and do in reserves and b) demonstrate through geospatial layers and links to other information the science underpinning the reserves and the science/research relevant to the reserves.
    Environmental, economic and social baseline studies.
    Financing (in USD)
    41650000
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 January 2016 (start date)
    01 December 2020 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Department of the Agriculture, Water and the Environment
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Australia
    Ocean Basins
    South Pacific, Southern Ocean
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine and coastal ecosystems management, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Kim Farrant, Assistant Secretary, Marine Parks Branch, Parks Australia, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment