Marine Environment - Australia: State of the Environment ReportExecutive Summary - Marine environment
Australia’s marine environment is the world’s third largest marine jurisdiction, at 13.86 million square kilometres. It is home to a diverse array of marine species, many of which occur nowhere else in the world. Our oceans also contribute to the lifestyle of many Australians, 85 per cent of whom live within 100 kilometres of the ocean. Oceans are an important and essential component of sea and land cultural practice for Indigenous communities. Our ocean species directly and indirectly support commercial fisheries and aquaculture, worth $2.5 billion in 2013–14. The economic value of resources extracted from our oceans is expected to more than double by 2029–30; by 2025, marine industries are expected to contribute around $100 billion each year to Australia’s overall economy. Australian species and our natural marine treasures—such as the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Lord Howe Island in New South Wales, the Great Australian Bight in South Australia and Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia—stand as icons of Australia’s national identity and support important revenue from marine tourism. Importantly, our oceans and coasts provide a further $25 billion worth of essential ecosystem services, such as carbon dioxide absorption, nutrient cycling and coastal protection.
