DEC Marine

WALIS Marine Group

24 September 2009

Mark Sheridan

TALK OUTLINETALK OUTLINE

• DEC broad role and marine responsibilitiesDEC broad role and marine responsibilities

• DEC Spatial information groupsDEC Spatial information groups

• DEC Marine parks and reservesDEC Marine parks and reserves

• Spatial information used/key layers for Spatial information used/key layers for DEC marine responsibilitiesDEC marine responsibilities

• DEC Custodial spatial informationDEC Custodial spatial information

DEC RoleDEC RoleDEC’s MissionDEC’s Mission

““Working with the community, we will ensure that Western Australia’s environment is valued, Working with the community, we will ensure that Western Australia’s environment is valued, protected and conserved, for its intrinsic value, and for the appreciation and benefit of present protected and conserved, for its intrinsic value, and for the appreciation and benefit of present and future generations.”and future generations.”

• DEC is lead agency responsible for protecting and conserving the State’s environment on behalf DEC is lead agency responsible for protecting and conserving the State’s environment on behalf of people of Western Australia.of people of Western Australia.

IncludesIncludes - managing the State’s terrestrial and marine reserves- managing the State’s terrestrial and marine reserves- regulating/assessing many aspects of the use of the State’s natural - regulating/assessing many aspects of the use of the State’s natural

resourcesresources- development of environmental protection policies- development of environmental protection policies- managing environmental impact assessment processes and regulations- managing environmental impact assessment processes and regulations- managing contaminated sites and pollution incidents- managing contaminated sites and pollution incidents- fire preparedness- fire preparedness- climate change initiatives- climate change initiatives

• Administers acts such as Administers acts such as - - Conservation and Land Management Act 1984Conservation and Land Management Act 1984- - Wildlife Conservation Act 1950Wildlife Conservation Act 1950- parts of - parts of Environmental Protection Act 1986Environmental Protection Act 1986

DEC - MarineDEC - MarineResponsibilities within WA coastal waters include:Responsibilities within WA coastal waters include:

• establish and manage a world-class system of representative establish and manage a world-class system of representative marine parks and reservesmarine parks and reserves(marine nature reserves, marine parks, marine management areas)(marine nature reserves, marine parks, marine management areas)

• contribute to development of marine environmental protection contribute to development of marine environmental protection policiespolicies

• manage marine environmental impact assessment processesmanage marine environmental impact assessment processes• broad role to manage, regulate and assess many aspects of the use broad role to manage, regulate and assess many aspects of the use

of WA’s marine environmentof WA’s marine environment• carry out regulatory functions to improve marine environmental carry out regulatory functions to improve marine environmental

outcomesoutcomes(Whale Patrol - ABC Thurs 15 Oct 8:30pm)(Whale Patrol - ABC Thurs 15 Oct 8:30pm)

DEC - Main marine groupsDEC - Main marine groups• DEC Marine Policy and Planning BranchDEC Marine Policy and Planning Branch

Responsible for overall marine parks and reserves program in DEC, includingResponsible for overall marine parks and reserves program in DEC, including- establishment of new marine parks and reserves- establishment of new marine parks and reserves- marine policy advice to DEC corporate executive and the Minister for the Environment,- marine policy advice to DEC corporate executive and the Minister for the Environment,- strategic co-ordination of marine activities within the Dept.- strategic co-ordination of marine activities within the Dept.- assist Marine Parks and Reserves Authority to carry out their statutory functions,- assist Marine Parks and Reserves Authority to carry out their statutory functions,- provide strategic focus for liaison with external clients and stakeholders in relation to marine policy and planning- provide strategic focus for liaison with external clients and stakeholders in relation to marine policy and planning

• DEC Marine Science ProgramDEC Marine Science Program- - Provides scientific information necessary for the implementation and management of marine parks and reservesProvides scientific information necessary for the implementation and management of marine parks and reserves- provide scientific and policy advice to DEC corporate executive and the Minister for the Environment, DEC regions and branches- provide scientific and policy advice to DEC corporate executive and the Minister for the Environment, DEC regions and branches

• DEC Environmental Management BranchDEC Environmental Management Branch- C- Co-ordinates DEC’s submissions to Environmental Protection Authority for environmental assessment of development proposals, in consultation with o-ordinates DEC’s submissions to Environmental Protection Authority for environmental assessment of development proposals, in consultation with the Marine Parks and Reserves Authoritythe Marine Parks and Reserves Authority- assesses potential environmental impact of activities such as mining and petroleum exploration/extraction on the marine environment- assesses potential environmental impact of activities such as mining and petroleum exploration/extraction on the marine environment

• DEC Marine Ecosystems BranchDEC Marine Ecosystems Branch- P- Provides specific advice direct to the Environmental Protection Authority on marine environmental quality (mainly water quality) and EPA policyrovides specific advice direct to the Environmental Protection Authority on marine environmental quality (mainly water quality) and EPA policy

• DEC Nature Protection BranchDEC Nature Protection Branch- A- Administers and oversees enforcement of dministers and oversees enforcement of Wildlife Conservation Act 1950Wildlife Conservation Act 1950(eg recovery plans for threatened species, management programs for wildlife)(eg recovery plans for threatened species, management programs for wildlife)

• DEC RegionsDEC Regions- Operational management of DEC managed marine estate (marine parks and reserves) in conjunction with Dept of Fisheries.- Operational management of DEC managed marine estate (marine parks and reserves) in conjunction with Dept of Fisheries.- Operational management of marine flora and fauna outside the reserve system where indicated under - Operational management of marine flora and fauna outside the reserve system where indicated under Wildlife Conservation Act 1950Wildlife Conservation Act 1950..- Support role in the implementation of new marine parks and reserves.- Support role in the implementation of new marine parks and reserves.

DEC - Spatial Information groupsDEC - Spatial Information groups

• Marine Information Section at DEC MPPBMarine Information Section at DEC MPPB- services the marine reserve implementation and management programs, - services the marine reserve implementation and management programs, and policy needsand policy needs

• EPA Spatial Services Unit at DEC AtriumEPA Spatial Services Unit at DEC Atrium- services the Environmental Protection Authority- services the Environmental Protection Authority

• Information Services BranchInformation Services Branch- services broader DEC with a terrestrial information focus- services broader DEC with a terrestrial information focus

• DEC regionsDEC regions- localised GIS capacity to service local management needs- localised GIS capacity to service local management needs

Gazetted May 2009

WA’sWA’sMarine Marine ParksParksand and ReservesReserves

CONTEXTUAL

Air PhotosChartsMapsLandsatDMSVSlidesVideoGEOSCIENCESedimentSubsrateBIOLOGYHabitatHabitat-AreaHabitat-GroundtruthHabitat-ShorelineMarine FaunaCetaceansDugongsFishPinapedsReptilesSeabirdsMETEOROLOGY WindAir TempCyclonesRadiationRainfallTERRESTRIAL(coastal hinterland)Coastal landformsCoastlineHydrologyLand useSoilsTopographyOCEANOGRAPHYBathymetryCurrentsFlushing StudiesSalinitySea TemperatureTidesUpwellings

Waves

S0CIO - CULTURALTENURETerritorial Water LimitsExisting Management/OwnershipConservation Reserve (CALM)Other Reseves (Govt /vested) Private / Leasehold / VCL Proposed Conservation Reserve Marine Park Zonning Petroleum Leases Mining Leases Aboriginal Claim BoundariesHistoricalAboriginal Sacred and CeremonialSites Australian Heritage Commissionareas Heritage / Historical Sites ShIpwrecksURBAN & TOURISTDEVELOPMENTUrbanexistingproposedResortexistingproposedCampingexistingproposedwild (free)INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTminingoil & gas explorationoil & gas productionother industryshippingMARITIME INFRASTRUCTUREanchoragesboat rampsfish attracting devicesgroynesjettieslighthousesmarina facilitiesmoorings

navigable waters regulation areasnavigation markersport facilitiesshipping lanesRECREATIONFishingrod & line fishingboat basedshore basednettingsethaulthrowabalonebait collectioncrabbingdrop nettinggame fishingrock lobstershell collectionspearfishingNon extractivebeach launchingbeach walkingfloat planeshovercraftjet skiingkayaks/canoespaddle boatsparasailingpower boatsreef walkingsailing vesselsscuba divingsnorkellingsurfingswimmingwater skiingwildlife interactionwildlife viewingwindsurfingSCIENTIFICManagement (research &monitoring)extractivenon-extractive

COMMERCIAL FISHINGlicence areas and usage dataabaloneaquaculturecollectioninvertebratesvertebratesfish-trappingnettingrock lobstertrawlingwetline fishingWATER QUALITYChlorophyllNutrientsSalinityTemperatureTurbidity

REQUIRED DATASETS FOR MARINE RESERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

Key layers for Marine Parks and Key layers for Marine Parks and Reserves implementation and Reserves implementation and managementmanagement- High resolution bathymetryHigh resolution bathymetry

- Marine habitat/biodiversity mappingMarine habitat/biodiversity mapping- Marine fauna distributions/abundance Marine fauna distributions/abundance (dugongs, whales, turtles, etc)(dugongs, whales, turtles, etc)

- Geoscience Geoscience (sediment cells, substrate, geomorphology, geology)(sediment cells, substrate, geomorphology, geology)

- Human usage Human usage (cultural, recreational, commercial esp fishing)(cultural, recreational, commercial esp fishing)

- Infrastructure Infrastructure (historical, current and future, coastal access points, pipelines, (historical, current and future, coastal access points, pipelines, wells, etc)wells, etc)

- Tenure/administration Tenure/administration (cadastre, native title, ports, petroleum tenements, (cadastre, native title, ports, petroleum tenements, etc)etc)

- Coastline Coastline (HWM, LWM to determine native title, tenure availability)(HWM, LWM to determine native title, tenure availability)

- Contextual layers Contextual layers (nautical charts, aerial photography, satellite imagery, etc)(nautical charts, aerial photography, satellite imagery, etc)

• Marine habitatsMarine habitats• Marine fauna abundance and Marine fauna abundance and

distributions distributions (also WA Museum)(also WA Museum)

• Marine reserve boundaries Marine reserve boundaries (TD, brochures, management plans, etc)(TD, brochures, management plans, etc)

• Pollutants and water quality databasesPollutants and water quality databases(Marine Ecosystems Branch)(Marine Ecosystems Branch)

• MSP statewide marine monitoring dataMSP statewide marine monitoring data(Marine Science Program - getting established, focus on marine conservation reserves)(Marine Science Program - getting established, focus on marine conservation reserves)

DEC Custodial marine DEC Custodial marine datasetsdatasets

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?