Standard Presentation (15 mins) Australian Marine Sciences Association 2022

What’s new? Science priorities for the Australian Marine Parks (#188)

Steffan Howe 1 , Cath Samson 1 , Polly Hannaford 1 , Mitch Ryan 1 , David Logan 1
  1. Parks Australia, Marine and Island Parks Branch, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia

Australia’s system of 58 marine parks covers 2.8 million km2, about 31% of Australia’s marine jurisdiction, and protects important natural, cultural and heritage values, while providing social, cultural, and economic benefits for the Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Parks Australia has established a targeted science program for the Australian Marine Parks (AMPs) which focuses on addressing critical knowledge gaps and supporting evidence-based management.

Science priorities for the AMPs are currently being reviewed and updated through development of:

  1. An AMP science strategy, which outlines desired outcomes and associated actions for the program, and provides themes to encourage the science community, Sea Country managers and other partners to undertake science that supports park management.
  2. Network level science plans, which include research and monitoring priorities and will be the primary mechanism for implementing the science strategy and science program.

The science program also underpins the management effectiveness system developed for the AMPs, which in turn forms a fundamental part of our adaptive management approach.

This presentation will provide an overview of the science program and priorities, and the management effectiveness system, and will showcase some of the innovative science in the AMPs and partnership models being explored.