Summary meeting minutes of the Marine Estate Management Authority.

Meeting date: 17 March 2022

Attendance

Authority members or their nominees in attendance were:

• Chair, Marine Estate Management Authority (Dr Russell Reichelt AO FTSE)
• Chair, Marine Estate Expert Knowledge Panel (Ms Anthea Tinney PSM)
• Executive Director, Biodiversity, Conservation and Science, Department Planning and Environment – Environment, Energy & Science
• Deputy Director General, Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries
• A/Executive Director, State Policy and Strategic Advice, Department Planning and Environment – Planning
• Chief, Centres for Road Safety and Maritime Safety, Transport for NSW

The Authority considered a range of matters at the meeting including those summarised below.

Authority Chair meetings with Ministers

Dr Russell Reichelt, Chair of the Authority, met with the new joint Ministers for the marine estate, the Hon. James Griffin, Ministers for Environment and Heritage; and the Hon. Dugald Saunders, Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW. Both Ministers were briefed separately on the Authority’s key priorities for 2022, including the next stages of the Marine Estate Management Strategy and progress on marine park planning and development of draft management rules for marine parks.

Marine park management planning

Public consultation on the NSW Government’s draft Management Plan for the NSW Mainland Marine Park Network 2021-2031 (draft plan) has now closed. The draft plan was on exhibition from 1 November 2021 until 31 January 2022 has been developed to guide the management of the state’s five existing mainland marine parks. The draft plan has been developed with comprehensive feedback provided by the five mainland marine park advisory committees, ten government agencies and the Marine Estate Expert Knowledge Panel.

The community was invited to have its say on the management of the state’s five mainland marine parks, which provide a range of biodiversity conservation, cultural, commercial and recreational benefits. The five mainland marine parks in NSW include Cape Byron, Solitary Islands, Port Stephens-Great Lakes, Jervis Bay and Batemans marine parks. A management plan for Lord Howe Island Marine Park will be developed separately.

An independent external consultant has been engaged to undertake an analysis of community and stakeholder feedback and review all submissions received. A report summarising engagement with Aboriginal communities is also being prepared by an independent engagement consultant. Both reports will be prepared for the Authority’s consideration, with their findings taken into consideration in the development of final Management Plan for the NSW Mainland Marine Park Network 2021-2031.

The draft plan does not include any specific proposals around changes to marine park rules or zones. The detail of any proposed changes to rules or zones will be developed in stage 2 after the draft plan is finalised and will be subject to further community consultation.

For more information visit www.marine.nsw.gov.au/yoursay.

Marine Estate Management Strategy implementation

The Authority noted the progress on implementation of the Marine Estate Management Strategy-2018-2028 (Strategy) and noted the trimester reporting for the period ending 28 February 2022 will be provided out of session and published on the marine estate website when finalised.

Details on the full set of projects underway are outlined in the Strategy Implementation Plan.

The Authority further discussed options to resource the continued delivery of Strategy beyond current funding commitments ending June 2022.

Blue carbon project application for NSW

MEMA endorsed an application to the Commonwealth Government for a blue carbon ecosystem restoration grant. The proposed projects at Duck Creek and Everlasting Swamp will re-instate tidal flows to facilitate the natural recovery of mangrove, saltmarsh and supratidal forests for carbon storage and deliver other co-benefits, such as improved fish nursery habitat and water quality.

A decision from the Commonwealth Government is pending.

Marine Estate Education Strategy

The Authority noted the completion of the Marine Estate Education Strategy project which aims to coordinate, develop and deliver education programs that promote the values of the marine estate to the NSW community. The Education Strategy will be a widely used and a popular education guide for a wide range of stakeholders in NSW and was developed as part of the Marine Estate Management Strategy to support its delivery.

The Education Strategy was developed by DPI Fisheries in partnership with marine estate agencies and will be published on the marine estate website shortly.

Coastal floodplain management

Floodplain studies

The Authority noted the completion of coastal floodplain prioritisation studies that will be a valuable and timely resource to inform the future management of coastal floodplains in NSW. The studies, undertaken by DPI Fisheries in partnership with the University of NSW’s Water Research Laboratory are a major deliverable under the Marine Estate Management Strategy. The results of these studies will guide various coastal floodplain projects relating to drainage infrastructure management, land-use change planning tools and land-use transition packages currently under development in other NSW and Commonwealth projects.

Drainage management

A related Coastal Floodplain Drainage Management project, also funded under the Marine Estate Management Strategy, is considering the regulatory processes currently in place across multiple agencies for the management of coastal floodplain drainage infrastructure. This project undertook an extensive consultation process with local government and industry stakeholders about their views on floodplain regulatory challenges and opportunities, with the results documented in a recent ‘What We Heard’ report.

The collaborative multi-agency project group, led by the Department of Planning and Environment – Water, is using this information to explore a range of options to find solutions that are evidence-based and take account of social, cultural, economic and environmental interests. The ‘What We Heard’ consultation report will be published on the marine estate website shortly.

Marine Integrated Monitoring Program

Work on the Marine Integrated Monitoring Program (MIMP) continues. The MIMP monitors condition and trend of environmental assets and community benefits, guides data collection to assess management effectiveness and contributes to filling key knowledge gaps.

In addition to environmental condition monitoring programs, consultants are undertaking social surveys to understand community wellbeing associated with the NSW marine estate. Surveys have targeted coastal residents, visitors, coastal Aboriginal communities and teenagers.

Work continues on the development of report cards, filling key knowledge gaps, developing a communications and engagement plan; and scoping the 5-year review of the statewide threat and risk assessment in cooperation with our partners.

Marine Estate Expert Knowledge Panel

Ms Anthea Tinney PSM, Chair of the Marine Estate Expert Knowledge Panel (Knowledge Panel) was pleased to announce the appointment of new members to the Knowledge Panel. The new appointees have considerable expertise in their chosen fields and provide the best mix of multidisciplinary skills and experience across environmental economics, biophysical sciences, life sciences, public administration or natural resource management. The Knowledge Panel sought to expand its level of expertise with the inclusion of two additional members: one with Aboriginal expertise in Sea Country management, and a member with ecological expertise in marine biological science.

New Knowledge Panel members are:

• Ms Chels Marshall – Aboriginal expert in Sea Country management
• Ms Sevaly Sen – economic expert in natural resource management
• Mr Grahame Byron – ecological expert in natural resource management.
• Professor Peter Steinberg – has been reappointed as an ecological expert in marine biological science.

The Chair thanked outgoing members, Associate Professor William Glamore, Professor Kate Barclay and Mr Peter McGinnity for their expertise, valuable input and commitment to marine estate reforms.

Further information about the Knowledge Panel and new member bios can be found on the marine estate website.

Next meeting

The next meeting of the Authority is scheduled for June 2022.