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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Threat abatement plan for the impacts of marine debris on vertebrate marine life

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    Description
    Description
    In August 2003, Injury and fatality to vertebrate marine life caused by ingestion of, or entanglement in, harmful marine debris was listed as a key threatening process under Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. A threat abatement plan was prepared in 2009 to address the key threatening process, with the primary focus of addressing the impact of entanglement and ingestion of marine debris on vertebrate marine life. Australia is updating the threat abatement plan, incorporating new actions needed to abate the listed key threatening process.

    The plan provides national guidance on specific action to prevent and mitigate the impacts of harmful marine debris on vertebrate marine life, through six major objectives:

    Contribute to the long-term prevention of the incidence of marine debris
    Identify key species, ecological communities, ecosystems and locations impacted by marine debris for priority action.
    Conduct research to understand and mitigate the impacts of marine microplastic and plastic debris on marine species and ecological communities.
    Remove existing marine debris
    Monitor the quantities, origins, types and hazardous chemical contaminants of marine debris, and assess the effectiveness of management arrangements over time for reducing marine debris.
    Increase public understanding of the causes and impacts of harmful marine debris, including microplastics and hazardous chemical contaminants in order to generate behaviour change.

    The Australian Government is responsible for implementing actions that are its direct responsibility, and will look to guide the implementation of actions where other groups lead.
    Partners
    Australia Government
    Nature
    Marine Debris

    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
    14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
    Threat abatement plan for the impacts of marine debris on vertebrate marine life
    Staff / Technical expertise
    Policy Document
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 May 2017 (start date)
    01 January 2018 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Department of the Environment and Energy
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Canberra, Australia
    Ocean Basins
    Indian Ocean, South Pacific, Southern Ocean
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine pollution
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Veronica Blazely, Director, Environmental Biosecurity Section, Department of the Environment and Energy