❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice from 2010 raises concerns about the adequacy of marine park protection in WA, funding, and management plan implementation. The Minister's response provides updates on marine park establishment, reports, monitoring, and funding support.
AnsweredQoN 2175Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With regards to the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority Annual Report, 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009, -
(1) Are you aware that only two and a half percent of Western Australian State waters, are under a high level of protection with none of these areas being in the Kimberley and south coast regions?
(2) Do you consider that this is enough to adequately protect the very high biodiversity and conservation values of Western Australian State waters?
(3) Do you consider the existing marine reserve system to be adequate to ensure the sustainability of biodiversity and conservation values of Western Australian State waters?
(4) The report states that, ‘The Marine Parks and Reserves Authority (MPRA) considers that the current state of development of the Western Australian State marine protected areas system does not achieve best practice (and much needed), biodiversity and conservation outcomes. It also does not reflect contemporary community expectations for marine conservation, and the substantial benefits that marine protected areas bring to all sectors of the community, how does the Minister intend to ensure that a best practice (and much needed) biodiversity and conservation outcomes are achieved by way of a comprehensive and representative reserve system?
(5) Has the Minister received advice from the MPRA that the Government should progress the implementation of the Geographe Bay/Leeuwin-Naturaliste/Hardy Inlet (Ngari Capes) and the Dampier Archipelago/Regnard (Dampier) proposals without delay?
(6) If yes to (5),when did you receive this?
(7) Please provide a timeline of when the Minister intends to implement these proposals?
(8) If the Minister is unable or unwilling to provide a timeline, why is this?
(9) The report states that, ‘the previous Government committed to a review of the role of marine sanctuaries in biodiversity conservation’, when was this report completed?
(10) Will the Minister now table this report?
(11) If no to (10), why not?
(12) With regards to the MPRA’s audit of the Jurien Bay Marine Park management plan that, ‘clearly demonstrated that the park is failing to meet the objective of comprehensive protection of its biodiversity values through provision of adequate sanctuary zones, and there is qualitative evidence that the objectives for the conservation of populations of targeted finfish are not being achieved’, -
(a) how are you going to ensure that the objectives of the management plan are met in the future; and
(b) will you ensure that adequate sanctuary zones are now provided in Jurien Bay Marine Park?
(13) If no to (12), why not?
(14) Are you aware off the lack of coordinated and structured monitoring programs in Jurien Bay Marine Park as stated in the Annual Report?
(15) If yes to (14), how will the Minister ensure that future audits are not hampered by this lack of coordinated and structured monitoring programs?
(16) The report notes that, ‘the 10 year audit of the Shark Bay Marine Reserves (which) is several years overdue. The delays in commencement of this audit have been exacerbated by lack of funds and availability of the required support from DEC’, will the Minister ensure that the DEC is adequately funded and has the required support to complete this audit
(17) If no to (16), why not?
(18) Are the audits of Marmion Marine Park and the Swan Estuary Marine Park and Adjacent Reserves overdue?
(19) If yes to (18), by how long?
(20) Will the Minister commit to ensuring these audits are completed as a matter of urgency?
(21) Regarding funding for management of marine reserves the Annual Report states, ‘Despite these much-needed and welcome increases in funding, insufficient resources continue to limit operational management and monitoring in all parks and reserves’, will the Minister ensure that sufficient funding is provided in the next budget for operational management and monitoring in all marine parks and reserves?
(22) If no to (21), -
(a) why not; and
(b) what are the consequences of under funding the operational management and monitoring of these reserves?
(1) Are you aware that only two and a half percent of Western Australian State waters, are under a high level of protection with none of these areas being in the Kimberley and south coast regions?
(2) Do you consider that this is enough to adequately protect the very high biodiversity and conservation values of Western Australian State waters?
(3) Do you consider the existing marine reserve system to be adequate to ensure the sustainability of biodiversity and conservation values of Western Australian State waters?
(4) The report states that, ‘The Marine Parks and Reserves Authority (MPRA) considers that the current state of development of the Western Australian State marine protected areas system does not achieve best practice (and much needed), biodiversity and conservation outcomes. It also does not reflect contemporary community expectations for marine conservation, and the substantial benefits that marine protected areas bring to all sectors of the community, how does the Minister intend to ensure that a best practice (and much needed) biodiversity and conservation outcomes are achieved by way of a comprehensive and representative reserve system?
(5) Has the Minister received advice from the MPRA that the Government should progress the implementation of the Geographe Bay/Leeuwin-Naturaliste/Hardy Inlet (Ngari Capes) and the Dampier Archipelago/Regnard (Dampier) proposals without delay?
(6) If yes to (5),when did you receive this?
(7) Please provide a timeline of when the Minister intends to implement these proposals?
(8) If the Minister is unable or unwilling to provide a timeline, why is this?
(9) The report states that, ‘the previous Government committed to a review of the role of marine sanctuaries in biodiversity conservation’, when was this report completed?
(10) Will the Minister now table this report?
(11) If no to (10), why not?
(12) With regards to the MPRA’s audit of the Jurien Bay Marine Park management plan that, ‘clearly demonstrated that the park is failing to meet the objective of comprehensive protection of its biodiversity values through provision of adequate sanctuary zones, and there is qualitative evidence that the objectives for the conservation of populations of targeted finfish are not being achieved’, -
(a) how are you going to ensure that the objectives of the management plan are met in the future; and
(b) will you ensure that adequate sanctuary zones are now provided in Jurien Bay Marine Park?
(13) If no to (12), why not?
(14) Are you aware off the lack of coordinated and structured monitoring programs in Jurien Bay Marine Park as stated in the Annual Report?
(15) If yes to (14), how will the Minister ensure that future audits are not hampered by this lack of coordinated and structured monitoring programs?
(16) The report notes that, ‘the 10 year audit of the Shark Bay Marine Reserves (which) is several years overdue. The delays in commencement of this audit have been exacerbated by lack of funds and availability of the required support from DEC’, will the Minister ensure that the DEC is adequately funded and has the required support to complete this audit
(17) If no to (16), why not?
(18) Are the audits of Marmion Marine Park and the Swan Estuary Marine Park and Adjacent Reserves overdue?
(19) If yes to (18), by how long?
(20) Will the Minister commit to ensuring these audits are completed as a matter of urgency?
(21) Regarding funding for management of marine reserves the Annual Report states, ‘Despite these much-needed and welcome increases in funding, insufficient resources continue to limit operational management and monitoring in all parks and reserves’, will the Minister ensure that sufficient funding is provided in the next budget for operational management and monitoring in all marine parks and reserves?
(22) If no to (21), -
(a) why not; and
(b) what are the consequences of under funding the operational management and monitoring of these reserves?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 May 2010
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
56 days
(1) - (4) Approximately 12 per cent of State waters is included in Western Australia's marine parks and reserves system established under the
Conservation and Land Management Act 1984
. This includes 10 marine parks, two marine management areas and a marine nature reserve. Within this area, around 20% is afforded the highest level of protection as marine nature reserve, marine park sanctuary zones and marine management area conservation zones.
In May 2009 the Liberal-National Government established the first marine park on the south coast, at Walpoleand Nornalup Inlets, and in October 2009 the Government announced that it will establish the first marine park on the Kimberleycoast, in the Camden Sound area.
(5) - (8) The MarineParksand Reserves Authority (MPRA) has advised me of its support for progressing these two proposals.
(9) - (11) The Marine Scientific Panel submitted its
Report on the Scientific Basis for and the Role of Marine Sanctuaries in Marine Planning
to the Inter Departmental Committee for the Management of the State's Marine Protected Areasin August 2008. The report is available on the Department of Environment and Conservation's (DEC) website.
(12) - (15) The MPRA reported in its Jurien Bay Marine Park Periodic Audit Report that, in its view, the marine park is well managed and key performance indicator targets are being achieved.
The JurienBayMarineParkhas the longest running marine park monitoring program in Western Australia. This work has been facilitated by DEC and the Universityof Tasmaniaand provides information dating back to prior to the establishment of the marine park. To date there has been no apparent decline of key species, their size or abundance within sanctuary zones and no pattern of decline in seagrass abundance across the marine park. There has been no change in water quality.
(16) - (20) DEC assisted the MPRA with an assessment of the Shark Bay Marine Reserves Management Plan in 2009 and the MPRA's report is nearing completion. The MPRA, in collaboration with DEC, undertakes annual auditing of the implementation of all marine management plans.
(21) - (22) The Government continues to support necessary operational management of the State's marine parks and reserves, including research and monitoring activities.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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Conservation and Land Management Act 1984
. This includes 10 marine parks, two marine management areas and a marine nature reserve. Within this area, around 20% is afforded the highest level of protection as marine nature reserve, marine park sanctuary zones and marine management area conservation zones.
In May 2009 the Liberal-National Government established the first marine park on the south coast, at Walpoleand Nornalup Inlets, and in October 2009 the Government announced that it will establish the first marine park on the Kimberleycoast, in the Camden Sound area.
(5) - (8) The MarineParksand Reserves Authority (MPRA) has advised me of its support for progressing these two proposals.
(9) - (11) The Marine Scientific Panel submitted its
Report on the Scientific Basis for and the Role of Marine Sanctuaries in Marine Planning
to the Inter Departmental Committee for the Management of the State's Marine Protected Areasin August 2008. The report is available on the Department of Environment and Conservation's (DEC) website.
(12) - (15) The MPRA reported in its Jurien Bay Marine Park Periodic Audit Report that, in its view, the marine park is well managed and key performance indicator targets are being achieved.
The JurienBayMarineParkhas the longest running marine park monitoring program in Western Australia. This work has been facilitated by DEC and the Universityof Tasmaniaand provides information dating back to prior to the establishment of the marine park. To date there has been no apparent decline of key species, their size or abundance within sanctuary zones and no pattern of decline in seagrass abundance across the marine park. There has been no change in water quality.
(16) - (20) DEC assisted the MPRA with an assessment of the Shark Bay Marine Reserves Management Plan in 2009 and the MPRA's report is nearing completion. The MPRA, in collaboration with DEC, undertakes annual auditing of the implementation of all marine management plans.
(21) - (22) The Government continues to support necessary operational management of the State's marine parks and reserves, including research and monitoring activities.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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