Better integrating water quality considerations in the NSW planning system

Facilitate improved waterway health through better integrating water quality considerations in the NSW planning system.

Building capacity on the risk-based framework

Helping waterway managers and industry understand how to apply the 'Risk-based Framework for Considering Waterway Health Outcomes in Strategic Land-use Planning Decisions' through workshops, resources and other tools.

Clean Coastal Catchments monitoring

Clean coastal catchment monitoring will assess the benefits of on-ground activities that aim to reduce diffuse-source water pollution.

Clean Coastal Catchments on-ground

Undertake on-ground works in coastal catchments to improve land use practices that reduce nutrient and sediment run-off from the blueberry, greenhouse vegetable and intensive livestock industries.

Clean Coastal Catchments research

Working with farmers to keep sediment and nutrients on farms and out of coastal waterways. This is better for the environment and can support profitable and sustainable agriculture.

Coastal floodplain prioritisation study

Assessing coastal floodplain systems and infrastructure to assist decision makers in the enhancement of water quality, habitat and biodiversity.

Coastal wetland rehabilitation

Rehabilitating degraded wetlands to improve water quality, habitat and biodiversity within the wetland and downstream.

Construction sediment management

We are helping protect our waterways by providing accessible, best practice advice on erosion and sediment control for small scale building sites. 

Diffuse Source Water Pollution Oversight Committee

Improving management of water pollution from diffuse sources in NSW.

Estuarine water quality monitoring

Monitoring the water quality and health of estuaries to detect problems and see the benefits of improved management.

Fish friendly workshops for councils

Delivering an education program to council staff about the protection of fish and fish habitat.

Improving roads and tracks

Reducing sediment runoff into waterways from gravel roads and tracks by works such as road sealing.

Land-use pressures on the marine estate

Working to better understand pollution from agriculture and stormwater to help protect our coastal waterways.

Mapping outflow events

Mapping the flow of freshwater from rivers into the sea and measuring how much it impacts marine ecosystems. 

Marine litter campaign

The Marine litter campaign supports both the NSW Litter Prevention Strategy, and the Marine Estate Management Strategy, extending the 'Nature Hates a Tosser’ litter campaign message to include the marine estate.

Marine debris research and management program

Our scientists and collaborators are working on a strategic program to tackle the threats of marine debris in NSW.

Oyster reef restoration and research

We are restoring and researching natural oyster reefs to improve water quality, aquatic habitat and biodiversity.

Review of the NSW Water Quality Objectives

Updating the NSW Water Quality Objectives for NSW coastal catchments.

Richmond River Catchment Partnership

Support the establishment of a new governance framework for the Richmond River catchment to manage diffuse source runoff in a regional area.

Riverbank vegetation improvements

Rehabilitating degraded riverbank vegetation to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff into waterways, help stabilise riverbanks and improve biodiversity.

Riverbank stabilisation

Protecting riverbanks from erosion to reduce the amount of sediment entering waterways.

Risk-based framework for urban waterway health

Apply the Risk-based Framework in South Creek as an urban diffuse source water pollution pilot.

Water quality working group

Working with other government agencies to improve the management of the marine estate’s water quality.

Aquatic biodiversity offsets

Develop and implement policy to protect high-value fish habitats through use of biodiversity offsets.

Breakwater governance and management

Improving the management of breakwaters in estuaries by identifying responsible authorities for legacy breakwaters.

Coastal design guidelines review

Improving the design of coastal cities and towns by promoting environmentally friendly planning and infrastructure.

Coastal floodplain drainage management

Providing a framework for managing coastal floodplain drainage to improve water quality, simplify approvals and support viable primary industries.

Commercial dredging best practice 

Implement the outcomes of the audit commercial dredging in estuaries that identified and recommended actions to improve licencing conditions and related environmental outcomes.

Domestic waterfront structure strategies

Developing estuary-wide strategies for jetties, pontoons and boat ramps to streamline approvals while protecting aquatic habitat.

Estuary bank management strategies

Developing environmentally friendly methods of bank stabilisation to manage foreshores and guide future investment.

Estuarine habitat monitoring and threat assessment

We are mapping estuarine habitats such as seagrass, mangrove and saltmarsh over time to assess their condition and to identify threats.

Facilitating environmental restoration

Facilitate improved waterway health through better integrating water quality considerations in the NSW planning system.

Fish friendly breakwater maintenance

Guidelines for Fish Friendly Breakwater Maintenance were developed for asset owners, designers and project managers. They identify multi-use and eco-features that can be incorporated into structures to improve biodiversity, fishing and other social values.

ICOLL management

Developing an approval framework to support entrance management for intermittently closed and open lakes and lagoons (ICOLL).

Marine vegetation management strategies 

Developing estuary-wide strategies for rehabilitating and protecting saltmarsh and mangroves so they are more resilient to key threats.

Reconnecting fish habitats

We are restoring fish passage at priority weir and road crossings so that fish can move, breed and thrive.

Reviewing jetty designs

Reviewing jetty design to better protect seagrass.

Subtidal reef monitoring

We are surveying the marine life of rocky reefs of the Greater Sydney area.

Threats to estuarine fish assemblages

Assessing the impacts of marine infrastructure, stormwater drains and habitat condition on estuarine fish.

Threats to estuarine vegetation

Understanding the effects of human activities on seagrass, mangrove and saltmarsh.

Blue carbon demonstration on national parks land

Progress a demonstration site at Everlasting Swamp near Maclean, one of the largest coastal wetlands in NSW, delivering on the NSW Blue Carbon Strategy 2022–2027.

Climate change citizen science

Using citizen science data to map changes in fish and other marine species distribution due to climate change.

Climate change monitoring

Scientists are using underwater cameras and diving surveys to check the health of more than 1,000km of NSW coastline.

Climate change research

Researching the effects of climate change to fill knowledge gaps and guide future management actions.

Climate change threats to seagrass, mangrove and saltmarsh

Identifying estuaries where mangrove and saltmarsh are most vulnerable to sea level rise and developing a model to better manage these areas into the future.

Delivering Blue Carbon Strategy

The NSW Blue Carbon Strategy is an initiative to support evidence-based projects and research to protect and conserve important blue carbon ecosystems.

Investigating a blue carbon demonstration site on primary production land

This project aims to transform a 13-hectare peninsular adjacent to the Richmond River near Ballina, currently used for cattle grazing, into a blue carbon demonstration site.

Supporting marine and coastal adaptation

Helping communities and managers protect NSW’s marine parks and coasts by preparing for climate change.

Aboriginal engagement

Evaluate current arrangements of Aboriginal people's participation in Sea Country management and establish an effective Aboriginal engagement framework.

Cultural economic development

Working with Aboriginal communities to increase opportunities to work and develop businesses on Sea Country.

Cultural fishing funds

Delivering targeted funds to increase economic opportunities for Aboriginal people in the fishing and seafood industry.

Cultural research and monitoring

Develop a research, monitoring and an evaluation approach that is culturally appropriate and integrates with the Aboriginal Engagement Framework and aligns with the Monitoring Program.

Sea Country management

Enhance opportunities for Aboriginal employment in NSW Government to manage Sea Country.

Sea Country plans

Develop Sea Country plans with Aboriginal communities.

Sea Country rangers

Work with Aboriginal communities to design and deliver a caring for Sea Country ranger model and activities across the marine estate.

Cultural immersion and interpretation

Work with Aboriginal communities to strengthen cultural interpretation, immersion and revival in the marine estate, embedding Aboriginal cultural values and Caring for Sea Country into everyday management.

Education to protect and conserve marine wildlife

This project aims to raise awareness of threats to marine protected species and encourage compliance with regulations through education, research and improved enforcement.

Fishery observer surveys

Observer-based survey of the Ocean Trawl and Estuary General Fisheries to address threats to fish assemblages (harvest and bycatch) and threatened and protective species.

Improve reporting of interactions with marine wildlife

This project seeks to enhance reporting and data sharing on threatened and protected marine species to support evidence-based decision-making and research.

Partnerships to protect marine wildlife

Strengthening partnerships with government, community and industry to enhance the management, incident response and rehabilitation of marine threatened and protected species.

Planning to protect marine wildlife

This project builds strong networks, shares valuable skills and knowledge and helps responders to effectively plan, coordinate and manage marine wildlife events ensuring the protect significant marine species.

Species habitat research

This project aims to understand and reduce impacts of habitat modification to threatened and protected marine wildlife species (whales as whales, turtles and seabirds).

Species monitoring

This project conducts research and monitoring to help fill key knowledge gaps identified in the NSW Threat and Risk Assessment (TARA), address cumulative threats, and monitor the health and trends in marine wildlife.

Strategies for mitigating species interactions

Developing and implementing strategies to reduce interactions between commercial fishing gear and threatened and protected species.

Cultural fishing monitoring

Explore potential pathways to enable assessment of cultural fishing in NSW in terms of participation, catch and effort and relate these aspects to access arrangements within current resource management decision making processes including harvest strategies.

Fisheries enhancements

Improve recreational fishing access by fish stocking and installing fishing infrastructure including artificial reefs.

Fishing industry marine stewardship

Develop information and training package in partnership with key fishing sectors and assist in delivery.

Harvest strategy development

Developing harvest strategies for use by commercial, recreational and cultural fishers to reduce the risks of fishing on species of concern.

Harvest strategy research

Review, develop, evaluate and implement analytical components of harvest strategies and ecological risk assessment, including the use of decision-making tools for NSW fisheries, linking commercial, recreational and Aboriginal cultural fisheries information.

Marine biosecurity awareness

Using social research into recreational boaters' knowledge of the risks of aquatic pests and diseases to develop a communication and behavioural change management program.

Oyster aquaculture business and environment

Assist the recovery of oyster aquaculture farms affected by natural disaster events and incentivise innovative solutions that mitigate future impacts and ensure resilient businesses and sustained healthy estuaries.

Recreational fishing environmental assessment

Limiting the environmental impacts of recreational fishing by completing an environmental impact assessment and a recreational fisheries strategy.

Fisheries socio-economic research

We will continue to monitor and report on annual economic and social indicators for NSW commercial, recreational and aquaculture fisheries, filling key information gaps.

Boating Now / Boating Infrastructure and Dredging Scheme

Working with partners in the Boating Now grants program to improve environmentally sustainable access to the marine estate and manage conflicting uses.

End-of-life vessel management

Develop options to manage vessels that are reaching or have reached the end of their useful life to mitigate potential environmental risks and enhance access to moorings.

Environmentally friendly moorings

Establish a performance-based standard for Environmentally Friendly Moorings (EFM) and review policy and regulatory options for improving adoption and maintenance of EFM.

Maritime infrastructure

Working collaboratively with key stakeholders to invest in maritime infrastructure as part of the Maritime Infrastructure Plan 2019–2024.

Mooring access

Optimising mooring density in mooring fields to better meet demand.

Mooring strategy

Review and modernise the strategy for mooring management and administration to improve access to moorings.

Recreational boater education

Continuing to educate recreational boaters about compliance with environmental regulations.

Review of offshore anchoring

Review and investigate the effects of large commercial shipping vessel anchoring within the Greater Sydney region.

Vessel environmental standards

Continue to enforce environmental standards and regulations among domestic commercial vessels and recreational vessels.

Vessel monitoring

Analysing data in shipping movements and interactions with threatened and protected species to identify knowledge gaps.

Blue economy

This project sets the framework and direction to grow inclusive, resilient and sustainable marine industries in NSW. It focuses on current and emerging activities with the greatest potential to support a thriving blue economy across the state.

Community wellbeing framework

Collecting social, cultural and economic data to provide a foundation for long-term monitoring of community wellbeing associated with the marine estate.

Economic benefits monitoring and research

We are developing a comprehensive and robust valuation framework across the NSW marine estate.

Marine Estate Education Strategy

Implementing the NSW Marine Estate Education Strategy and curriculum-based school's package.

Teacher resources for primary schools

Find resources and activities for schools on this page.

Marine estate economic valuation

Building on work to date continue to develop a consistent and comprehensive economic valuation model that takes account of market and non-market value to monitor the economic health of the marine estate.

Maritime heritage review

Assessing threats to marine historic heritage and recommending strategies to manage those threats.

NSW Marine Estate Community Wellbeing Surveys

The community wellbeing surveys capture insights about the NSW marine estate from coastal residents, visitors, youth and Aboriginal people of coastal NSW, helping track benefits, threats and trends over time.

Social and cultural benefits monitoring and research

This project page includes the Community Wellbeing Framework report, NSW marine estate community wellbeing surveys and Connections to sea country – Aboriginal people of Coastal NSW surveys.

Geographic information systems (GIS) support for marine estate projects

We are providing GIS support including developing, obtaining and publishing datasets, map production, spatial planning advice and spatial data analysis.

Greater Sydney region compliance focusing on marine protected areas

Achieving optimal compliance through educating the community and other stakeholders, and enforcing fisheries and aquatic reserve rules and regulations.

Improved marine protected area planning and management

Improving the management of our NSW marine parks and aquatic reserves.

Improving project governance

Reviewing projects to determine where governance is embedded and identify gaps that need to be addressed.