2016 SoE Marine Chapter - Effectiveness of Management - Marine mining and industry

Brief description

The Marine chapter of the 2016 State of the Environment (SoE) report incorporates multiple expert templates developed from streams of marine data. This metadata record describes the Expert Assessment "Effectiveness of marine management of marine mining and industry". The full Expert Assessment, including figures and tables (where provided), is attached to this record. Where available, the Data Stream(s) used to generate this Expert Assessment are accessible through the "On-line Resources" section of this record. ---------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESSURE BEING MANAGED, AND ITS IMPACT The potential for a wide variety of mineral resources exists within Australia’s maritime jurisdiction (see Table 1 in attached Expert Assessment). However marine mining and related industries remain an “emerging industry” and there is currently a low level of understanding of pressures and management strategies. Globally, the marine mining industry is more advanced and is supported by a growing body of research investigating the likely environmental impacts and mitigation strategies. Currently there are no offshore mining activities in Australia other than the well-established shell sand mining operation in Cockburn Sound (Fremantle, WA) and sand mining in Moreton Bay (Queensland). Both operations were granted extraction licences by state departments subject to strict environmental controls particularly relating to seagrass meadow replanting (Cockburn Sound) and sediment plumes (Moreton Bay). Other submissions to state and federal governments to explore and potentially exploit seafloor resources elsewhere in Australia, have been rejected or stalled due to the lack of existing base line knowledge, lack of community support, and poor understanding of the potential social and environmental impacts of such activities. DATA STREAM(S) USED IN EXPERT ASSESSMENT Published papers and reports (assessment has been conducted by literature review). 2016 SOE ASSESSMENT SUMMARY [see attached Expert Assessment for full details] • Understanding of pressure: Marine mining occurs on a local scale. Likely environmental impacts unclear with only ad hoc baseline information. • Planning associated with management of pressure: Resource assessment and planning is ad hoc and conducted on local scales, driven by commercial constraints and community pressures. • Input for informing management of pressure: Limited data available. International studies and established marine mining codes of conduct can inform understanding and planning. • Processes associated with developing, monitoring, and updating management: Federal and state regulatory framework largely untested except where the marine mining is established. State-level decisions limited to temporary moratoria. • Outputs from management framework in place: Established operations have management programs; proposed operations have only desktop analysis. Limited research outputs exist (bathymetric mapping, benthic surveys etc.). • Outcomes of management framework in place: Established operations mitigate for local impacts, though not cumulative impacts. CHANGES SINCE 2011 SOE ASSESSMENT Marine mining is limited in Australian waters with little change since 2011.

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Statement: QUALITY OF DATA USED IN THE ASSESSMENT Publications have been peer-reviewed.

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Purpose
To describe the effectiveness of marine management of marine mining and industry for use in the Marine chapter of the 2016 State of the Environment report.