Funding for ongoing beach clean-up efforts from Removal of marine debris from community groups and Australia’s coastal environment. Indigenous ranger groups in coastal regions across Australian, state, Australia preventing Territory and local High priority Collected materials reused, 4.01 Support beach marine debris returning to governments. recycled or appropriately landfilled Ongoing for the based clean-up efforts the sea life of the TAP Community groups Data on the types of marine debris Evidence to aid source collected in beach based clean-up reduction planning (from efforts clean-up data) continues to build. Australian Government grant recipients required to consider Australian Government litter/marine debris consequences grant recipients have in their projects 4.02 Improve the Australian increased consideration of Medium priority effectiveness of Government / marine debris and its Australian Government Department of the Ongoing for the impacts Australian Government grants in relation to Environment and life of the TAP environment grant recipients marine debris operations Energy required to collect data and report Additional data available on the types and amounts of on marine debris marine debris removed or observed. Actions for Objective 4 (Remove existing marine debris) Action Priority/ Outcome Output Responsibility timeframe Mechanisms for public National coordination and an reporting of ghost nets are identified single point of contact in improved. relation to survey, intercept and recovery of ghost nets, following advice from Action 1.05 (review of Existing data and models Australia’s engagement) contribute to safe, cost Identified ghost net aggregation efficient removal of ghost sites are targeted for net removal nets in the Gulf of operations (see 2.03) Carpentaria 4.03 Removal of derelict High priority A review of options for fishing gear fishing gear from Through the TAP Continued collaboration Ongoing for the marking and tracking. Australia’s ocean and team. between Australian Border life of the TAP coast Force, the Australian Fisheries Management Identify ports as cost effective hubs Authority, Australian for ghost net disposal and Maritime Safety Authority, management, particularly in the and Commonwealth Gulf of Carpentaria. Marine Reserves (Parks Australia) in net identification, tagging and Removal of nets circulating and accumulating in the Gulf of removal. from Carpentaria near to a strategic port Commonwealth waters e.g. Weipa. across Northern Australia 4.04 Develop Determine if there are understanding on the organisms present in the potential for biological Low priority, marine environment that Strategic use of organisms able to NESP Marine breakdown of plastic to long term could be manipulated to biologically breakdown plastic Biodiversity Hub aid in its removal from the address accumulations of marine environment. plastic.
4.01 Support beach based clean-up efforts High priority Ongoing for the life of the TAP Funding for ongoing beach clean-up efforts from community groups and Indigenous ranger groups in coastal regions across Australia preventing marine debris returning to the sea Evidence to aid source reduction planning (from clean-up data) continues to build. Removal of marine debris from Australia’s coastal environment. Collected materials reused, recycled or appropriately landfilled Data on the types of marine debris collected in beach based clean-up efforts Australian, state, Territory and local governments. Community groups 4.02 Improve the effectiveness of Australian Government grants in relation to marine debris operations Medium priority Ongoing for the life of the TAP Australian Government grant recipients have increased consideration of marine debris and its impacts Additional data available on marine debris Australian Government grant recipients required to consider litter/marine debris consequences in their projects Australian Government environment grant recipients required to collect data and report on the types and amounts of marine debris removed or observed. Australian Government / Department of the Environment and Energy Actions for Objective 4 (Remove existing marine debris) Action Priority/ timeframe Outcome Output Responsibility 4.03 Removal of derelict fishing gear from Australia’s ocean and coast High priority Ongoing for the life of the TAP Mechanisms for public reporting of ghost nets are improved. Existing data and models contribute to safe, cost efficient removal of ghost nets in the Gulf of Carpentaria Continued collaboration between Australian Border Force, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and Commonwealth Marine Reserves (Parks Australia) in net identification, tagging and removal. from Commonwealth waters across Northern Australia National coordination and an identified single point of contact in relation to survey, intercept and recovery of ghost nets, following advice from Action 1.05 (review of Australia’s engagement) Identified ghost net aggregation sites are targeted for net removal operations (see 2.03) A review of options for fishing gear marking and tracking. Identify ports as cost effective hubs for ghost net disposal and management, particularly in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Removal of nets circulating and accumulating in the Gulf of Carpentaria near to a strategic port e.g. Weipa. Through the TAP team. 4.04 Develop understanding on the potential for biological breakdown of plastic to aid in its removal from the marine environment. Low priority, long term Determine if there are organisms present in the marine environment that could be manipulated to address accumulations of plastic. Strategic use of organisms able to biologically breakdown plastic NESP Marine Biodiversity Hub
draft-tap-marine-debris-2017.docx