Australia's marine industry performance would not be possible without our strong skill base and excellent marine research capability. Skilled people and a continuing high-level capacity in research and innovation will be essential to further growth and must remain as key issues for governments and industry. In addition to helping Australia achieve national economic and employment objectives, full and sustainable development of marine industries will help Australia meet international sea law requirements in management of the oceans we claim as a nation. This area is close to twice Australia's land area and represents a large yet relatively unexplored resource. The objective of this Strategy is to advise the government on how it might maximise sustainable wealth generation from marine industries.
Marine industries cover a broad range of activities and enterprises.
The Strategy outlines opportunities for development, industry sector by sector, and highlights key issues, especially focussing on those common to many marine industries. These are more effectively left to existing government sectoral managers or the industries themselves. They are often not adequately addressed through the existing sector-based management approach. Interest in marine industries is a world-wide phenomenon. Many countries formally claimed large marine zones in late 1994 with the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.