A new Marine Biodiversity Hub has been approved, with funding being provided through the National Environmental Research Program (NERP) of the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Partners include five from the original Marine Hub - Australian Institute of Marine Science, CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, Museum Victoria and University of Tasmania - as well as new partners Charles Darwin University and the University of Western Australia.
The National Environmental Research Program aims "to improve our capacity to understand, manage and conserve Australia's unique biodiversity and ecosystems through the generation of world-class research, and its delivery to Australian environmental decision-makers and other stakeholders." It builds on the lessons learned from the Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) program, replacing that program and focusing more specifically on biodiversity and improving research delivery to the Australian Government, other end-users and stakeholders.
Overview:
The Marine Biodiversity Hub will provide scientific information and advice that will support decision making in the marine environment, specifically in implementing and monitoring marine bioregional plans, developing the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas, and supporting the information needs of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities in providing key baseline information.
Marine Hub's mission: A national collaboration to support the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and other marine stakeholders in improving the evidence-base for decision making for marine biodiversity management through providing a common scientific understanding and approach in this multi–jurisdiction and multi–sector environment. More specifically: to assist the Department implement marine bioregional plans; evaluate and report ecosystem health in the Marine Environmental Reporting Framework; assist the management of National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas; improve knowledge of the biodiversity of poorly known areas; apply landscape level approaches to managing listed species; assess potential natural Heritage areas; and manage new infrastructure developments.
The 4 new themes of the Marine Hub under the NERP include:
- National monitoring, evaluation and reporting
- Supporting management of marine biodiversity
- National ecosystems knowledge
- Regional biodiversity discovery to support marine bioregional plans
Travelling exhibition - Ensuring a future for life in Australia's oceans
See the Hub's exhibition of marine images at various venues around Australia.
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CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub's
final report launched
The final report for the Marine Hub
was launched
on 25 March 2011.
View the pdf version
or request a hard copy
by emailing annabel.ozimec@csiro.au
Media release
Friday 25 March 2011