increasingly relevant. Ocean circulation patterns can concentrate marine debris at certain locations along the coast and within Australian waters. To prioritise protection of species, it is important to understand where these accumulations occur, and their overlap with threatened species distributions and other marine priorities, such as World Heritage Areas, Commonwealth Marine Reserves, Marine Key Ecological Features and Biologically Important Areas. For example, debris along the northern Australian coastline is driven by oceanic currents that circulate in a clockwise gyre, with materials transported into the Gulf of Carpentaria by southeasterly trade winds. This is cause for concern because the waters of the Gulf support important foraging, breeding, and nesting grounds for six of the world's seven marine turtle species (Wilcox et al. 2015a). Actions for Objective 2 (Identify key species, ecological communities and locations impacted by marine debris for priority action). Priority/ Action Outcome Output Responsibility timeframe Better understanding Medium of the EPBC An annual literature review to 2.01 Update the priority threatened species maintain an up to date list of TAP team, Department list of marine ongoing for most in need of action EPBC Act threatened species of the Environment and debris impacted the life of the and protection in for which the impact of marine Energy EPBC species, as plan relation to marine debris is clearly demonstrated. scientific evidence debris. is published. 2.02 Monitor Better understanding ecological An annual literature review to Medium of the EPBC Act research on maintain an up to date list of priority threatened ecological TAP team, Department marine debris to EPBC Act threatened ongoing for communities most in of the Environment and determine if ecological communities for the life of the need of action and Energy further EPBC the impact of marine debris is plan protection in relation to listed ecological clearly demonstrated. marine debris. communities are threatened by marine debris. Better understanding of the locations at which EPBC Act 2.03 Identify threatened species locations within High priority – and ecological NESP, Australian waters within 3 of communities are most major Maps identifying marine debris Department of the the plan at risk. Correlation of circulation accumulation sites Environment and entering into these locations with patterns cause Energy effect other priority marine aggregations of sites (e.g. marine debris Commonwealth Marine Reserves, Marine Key Ecological Features)
increasingly relevant. Ocean circulation patterns can concentrate marine debris at certain locations along the coast and within Australian waters. To prioritise protection of species, it is important to understand where these accumulations occur, and their overlap with threatened species distributions and other marine priorities, such as World Heritage Areas, Commonwealth Marine Reserves, Marine Key Ecological Features and Biologically Important Areas. For example, debris along the northern Australian coastline is driven by oceanic currents that circulate in a clockwise gyre, with materials transported into the Gulf of Carpentaria by southeasterly trade winds. This is cause for concern because the waters of the Gulf support important foraging, breeding, and nesting grounds for six of the world's seven marine turtle species (Wilcox et al. 2015a). Actions for Objective 2 (Identify key species, ecological communities and locations impacted by marine debris for priority action). Action Priority/ timeframe Outcome Output Responsibility 2.01 Update the list of marine debris impacted EPBC species, as scientific evidence is published. Medium priority ongoing for the life of the plan Better understanding of the EPBC threatened species most in need of action and protection in relation to marine debris. An annual literature review to maintain an up to date list of EPBC Act threatened species for which the impact of marine debris is clearly demonstrated. TAP team, Department of the Environment and Energy 2.02 Monitor ecological research on marine debris to determine if further EPBC listed ecological communities are threatened by marine debris. Medium priority ongoing for the life of the plan Better understanding of the EPBC Act threatened ecological communities most in need of action and protection in relation to marine debris. An annual literature review to maintain an up to date list of EPBC Act threatened ecological communities for the impact of marine debris is clearly demonstrated. TAP team, Department of the Environment and Energy 2.03 Identify locations within Australian waters major circulation patterns cause aggregations of marine debris High priority – within 3 of the plan entering into effect Better understanding of the locations at which EPBC Act threatened species and ecological communities are most at risk. Correlation of these locations with other priority marine sites (e.g. Commonwealth Marine Reserves, Marine Key Ecological Features) Maps identifying marine debris accumulation sites NESP, Department of the Environment and Energy
draft-tap-marine-debris-2017.docx