Survey shows importance of estuaries and coastline

July 2014

The Marine Estate Management Authority (MEMA) today released the results of a survey indicating the importance and value the NSW community and coastal visitors place on the NSW marine estate.

MEMA Chair, Dr Wendy Craik, said the results reflect the views of over 1,700 people across NSW who were randomly selected to obtain a representative sample of the community's attitudes.

"We have taken the first step to ensure the views and ideas of the community are included in the new management regime for the marine estate: its estuaries, coastline and marine waters," Dr Craik said.

"This process was guided by the MEMA paper Managing the NSW Marine Estate: Purpose, Underpinning Principles and Priority Settling, which outlines our aims to effectively engage communities as well as identify and prioritise benefits and threats to the marine estate.

"The survey results show that the community considers the health of the marine estate to be a core value that underpins the social, economic and environmental benefits derived from the estate."

Survey respondents considered the natural beauty and biodiversity of the marine estate as important for regional tourism – 44 per cent of those surveyed considered the marketing and promotion of these values as a key economic opportunity.

Pollution of the marine estate, such as littering, spills and land-based runoff, was considered a major threat to the benefits of the estate, with 55 per cent of respondents believing the loss of appeal due to pollution is a key social threat.

In addition, 62 per cent of respondents felt water pollution affecting the viability of tourism was the greatest economic threat to the marine estate.

Dr Craik said the feedback also showed the marine estate is considered integral to the NSW community's social and cultural well-being, particularly for coastal Indigenous communities.

"A key social benefit for 48 per cent of respondents was knowing that the marine estate exists with all its natural beauty, even if they can't visit it regularly," Dr Craik said.

"The coast and estuaries offer countless opportunities for the community to socialise, stay healthy and active, and be part of nature."

A number of key management opportunities have been identified through the survey, including addressing pollution; encouraging public involvement in decision-making and environmental action support programs; improving public education; working on increased public access; and moving to rehabilitate coastal habitats and address coastal inundation and erosion.

Dr Craik said that this is the first time the key social, economic and environmental values and benefits which the NSW community derive from the marine estate have been identified at a state-wide level.

"We also have an understanding of their views of threats to, and opportunities for, the marine estate," Dr Craik said.

The full findings are now available on the marine estate reforms website.

The NSW Government is addressing some of the key findings through its current programs within the marine estate.

The results are also informing a number of marine estate reform projects including the proposed Marine Estate Management Act and Regulations, threat and risk assessment for the marine estate and the Marine Estate Management Strategy.

Register to receive further information and updates on the marine estate reforms projects at contact.us@marine.nsw.gov.au.