Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L01047:reg:21:p3
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L01047
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 21 (pt 3/5)
Character Range: 72747–78062

of the TAP  A baseline assessment of plastic marine debris and its potential wildlife impacts the Southern Ocean, sub-Antarctic islands and offshore islands of high ecological value                                 Improved understanding of the plastic pollution risk/threat to EPBC Act-listed impacted species in the Southern Ocean, sub-Antarctic islands and other high-value offshore island environments  States and territories Department of Environment and Energy

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Source reduction operations undertaken where feasible                                                                                                                                           Parks Australia

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Australian Antarctic Division
2.06 Determine the relevance of microplastics to the Australian Government's Science and Research Priorities and corresponding Practical Research Challenges  Medium priority                                          A determination on whether microplastic pollution should be considered under the Australian Government's Science and Research Priorities (which are reviewed every two years)                             Potentially strengthened research focus on microplastic                                                                                                                                         Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Department of the Environment and Energy

Objective 3: Remove existing marine debris

Australia has an established network removing marine debris from beaches through the efforts of Indigenous ranger groups in coastal Australia, Australian Government agencies and non-government organisations such as the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, Tangaroa Blue, Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc., the Surfrider Foundation and the South West Marine Debris Cleanup (Tasmania). These activities prevent significant quantities of debris returning to the ocean and continuing to interact with marine biodiversity.
Approximately 85 Indigenous ranger groups in coastal areas remove marine debris (including ghost nets) as part of their work on country. For example, the Dhimurru Rangers of north-east Arnhem Land conduct regular beach clean-ups which remove tonnes of marine debris each year. Rangers have found between 800 and 1000 kg of marine debris washed ashore per kilometre of coastline in Dhimurru Indigenous Protected Area each year.
Lost and discarded fishing gear (ghost nets) is a major component of identified debris. The scale and location of many ghost nets can prevent their removal and appropriate disposal. The Northern Territory Government, Indigenous ranger groups and the non-government organisations Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), Conservation Volunteers Australia and GhostNets Australia have all been involved in coordinating the removal of nets across northern Australia. GhostNets Australia has developed a ghost net identification kit (Gunn, 2015) to aid in identifying sources, building on a previous version developed by WWF.
State and Northern Territory agencies make significant efforts to remove ghost nets from the marine environment.
For example, the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industries and Resources provides nearly one million dollars per annum to selected Northern Territory coastal Indigenous ranger groups for tasks including ghost net removal.

         Removing net from an entangled Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus). Image: Phillip Island Nature Parks

         26  /  Threat Abatement Plan

           The AFMA, working in partnership with the Australian Border Force and Parks Australia, has successfully recovered and disposed of abandoned foreign