Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00324:front:0:p15
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L00324
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 39927–42885

State of the environment report reviewed pressures on Australia's marine environment and determined that they were low by global standards. However, given that more than 85 per cent of Australians live within 50 km of the sea, and with Australia's population of approximately 24.4 million projected to grow to 39.7 million by 2055, pressures on the marine environment are likely to increase.
Although pressures on marine ecosystems and biodiversity in the North Network may change over time, examples of pressures in the Network are outlined in Table 2.2. Research in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and elsewhere in the world has demonstrated that effective management of marine parks, helps to maintain the resilience of marine ecosystems and their ability to withstand and recover from such pressures.
In determining the management actions to be taken in the North Network and in making decisions about the activities that will be allowed to occur within marine parks, the Director will carefully consider how the values outlined in Section 2.3 and in Schedule 2 will be impacted by these pressures now and in the future.
Pressures such the extraction of living resources by fishing, and habitat modification through installation of infrastructure and anchoring will be managed in part through the zones and rules set out in Parts 3 and 4 of this plan.
Table 2.2 Summary of pressures in the North Network
Climate change
The impacts of climate change on the marine environment are complex and may include changes in sea temperature, sea level, ocean acidification, sea currents, increased storm frequency and intensity, species range extensions or local extinctions, all of which have the potential to impact on marine park values. The International Panel on Climate Change recognises climate change as a major contributor to Australian marine ecosystem changes since 2007. Examples of habitats, key ecological features, and species vulnerable to the effects of climate change include the submerged coral reefs of the Gulf of Carpentaria and pinnacles of the Bonaparte Basin, and species of sawfish, shark, dolphin, seabird, marine turtle and dugong.
Changes in hydrology
Rivers, estuaries and other waterways have the potential to discharge increased sediment loads and pollutants into the marine environment from activities such as coastal development and agriculture. This can result in increased turbidity and siltation, impacting on species that inhabit or spawn in coastal, estuary and offshore waters. Examples of habitats and species vulnerable to changes in hydrology include reef and seagrass habitats, the Gulf of Carpentaria coastal zone, and species of sawfish, shark and dugong.
Extraction of living resources
Australia's world class fisheries management, led by Commonwealth, state and territory governments is important for ensuring sustainable fishing practices. Fishing, including illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing (including