The North Marine Parks Advisory Committee has been established to advise the Director of National Parks on implementation of the North Marine Parks Network Management Plan.

Meeting 2 was held in Darwin on Wednesday 4 December 2019. Topics for discussion included:

• the North Network Management Progress report
• the Communications and Marketing Strategy for Australian Marine Parks
• a Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) system for Australian Marine Parks.

Alfie May, representing the Larrakia people, welcomed members to country. The Chair and Committee Members that were apologies at the previous meeting were also welcomed and introduced.

Member attendance:

Jacqui Doyle (Chair), Andrew Maclean, Carol Conacher, Christine Lamont, David Ciaravolo, Ian Knuckey, Jackie Gould, Jason Fowler, John Glaister, Peter Cox, Rachel Baird, Robert Fish, Robert Pender, Matt Salmon (apology).

Observers

Invited Observers attended from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Northern Territory Department of Environment and Natural Resources. A representative from the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) also attended.

North Network Implementation Plan and Progress Report

A report was provided on key activities implemented since July 2018, during the first four-year ‘Foundation’ phase of management. A summary of these activities include:

Communication, Education and Awareness Program

An Education and Awareness Strategy (2019 – 2023) has been prepared to guide work under the Education and Awareness Program. The strategy includes information on target audiences, key messages and delivery channels.

An update was provided on existing communication channels including our website and the Australian Marine Parks Science Atlas. Committee input was sought on how best to target communications across the North Network given the breadth of regional expertise among members, including suggested key messages for the Network and each marine park.

Activities implemented in the North for this Program include:

• Products have been developed for the RV Investigator Open Day in Darwin.
• We attended the Northern Land Council Ranger Conference and Territory NRM Conference.
• NT ABC News media coverage of Wessel Marine Park mapping and towed video (Geoscience Australia & CSIRO).

Tourism and Visitor Experience Program

• We met with the Australian Cruise Association and Darwin Port Authority to scope potential Australian Marine Parks marketing opportunities.
• We sent correspondence to all State & Territory licenced marine tour operators about authorisation requirements for Australian Marine Parks.

Indigenous Engagement Program

• We’re working with the NT Government to identify values and establish partnerships in the Limmen Marine Park and adjoining NT Limmen Bight Marine Park and support discussions with the Marra Traditional Owners.
• We signed an agreement with Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation to establish a cultural values mapping project for Wessel Marine Park in conjunction with the Dhimurru and Gummur Marthakal Rangers.

Marine Science Program

We commissioned research including:

• bathymetry mapping of West Cape York Marine Park during an Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) transit voyage.
• NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub projects including an Eco-narrative of Joseph Bonaparte Gulf Marine Park.
• Socioeconomic benchmarks study involving recreational fishing boat ramp surveys at Nhulunbuy, NT.

Assessments and Authorisations Program

Eight authorisations have been issued since July 2018 across non-commercial research (6), structures and works (1); and commercial research activities (1).

Parks Protection and Management Program

The Australian Marine Parks Marine Debris Strategy was finalised and a paper on ballast water management in the North Network provided to the Committee prior to the meeting.

Compliance

Zero compliance incidents in the North Network for the July-Sept 2019 quarter.

Our compliance team have established a hotline for reporting illegal activity: 1800 852 975 or marine.compliance@dcceew.gov.au

A Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) system for Australian Marine Parks

We’re developing a Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) system for Australian Marine Parks to monitor the health of parks and evaluate the effectiveness of management.

Two key components of the MERI system will be 1) a national framework that explains the overall approach, and 2) Network monitoring plans that include outcomes and measurable indicators. MERI will inform annual reports and national State of the Environment reporting.

Committee advice will be sought at several stages in the process of designing MERI, including:

• Preliminary information of values
• Pressures and use
• Inventory and monitoring priorities
• Evaluation and reporting processes and templates.

Other updates and presentations

A presentation was given by the NOPSEMA representative on the assessment and approvals process for proposed oil and gas activities within Australian Marine Parks, which is authorised through a ‘Class Approval’ under the North Network Management Plan.

Committee members presented brief overviews from their relative areas of expertise, including updates on the new harvest strategy for the NT offshore snapper trawl fishery and the NT draft plan of management for the Limmen Bight Marine Park.

Updates were also provided by the NT and QLD agency representatives on relevant marine, coastal and fisheries management issues.

Next Meeting

The next Committee meeting will be held in Darwin in May 2020.