Integrated Regional Ocean Management will provide for comprehensive regional-scale conservation of marine biological diversity within the context of efficient and accountable management of the ocean's wealth. This recognises that humans are central players in ocean ecosystems, but that management can realistically control primarily only the human activities, not the ecosystems. In this section we review the process of ecosystem-based management as it can be applied to conserve marine biological diversity consistent with improved public accountability and management of the ocean's resources. Ecosystem management explicitly recognises that a multiplicity of uses must be accommodated in meeting important economic, social and cultural goals provided that, either singly and in combination, they do not degrade or threaten ecosystem integrity. This has a strong foundation in Australia's international agreements and in existing national policies, strategies and intergovernmental agreements.
Management collects information beyond that required to manage individual sectors.
It includes an inventory of biodiversity assets, baseline assessments of ecosystem functions, measurements of the interactions of sectors and improved management and use of existing data. Adaptive management regards management as a learning process, where incorporating the experience from previous actions and improved knowledge of the system enables managers to adapt to changing levels of uncertainty and to improve progressively. Managers work together across such boundaries to integrate conflicting legal mandates, management practices and priorities. Although human activities are the focus of most management actions, they are recognised as being embedded in marine ecosystem functioning. Management recognises, accepts and incorporates biodiversity values into all resource allocation processes that could affect the ocean ecosystems, even when scientific and technical knowledge may be insufficient for a full definition of values.