Held at Spring Bay Mill, the Ocean Summit brought together a diverse array of marine community members to address Tasmania’s dual crises of conflict over marine resources and climate change impacts. Representatives from across Tasmania’s marine sectors, scientists, economists, management experts and Tasmanian Aboriginal communities issued a statement to the Tasmanian Government:

Participants at the Tasmanian Ocean Summit 2023 call on the Tasmanian Government to urgently implement wholistic, integrated management in Tasmania’s coastal waters/Sea Country, that:

• includes comprehensive stakeholder consultation;
• is informed by (assessment of) a diverse range of values;
• recognises/acknowledges the sovereign rights of Tasmanian Aboriginal People; and
• has a transparent evidence base.

The Tasmanian Ocean Summit 2023 considered how to better protect biodiversity in a changing ocean, emerging and competing uses for space in our coastal waters, and moving Tasmania towards Australia’s new national vision and commitment to ocean sustainability.

The Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water delivered a keynote address on the development of Australia’s Sustainable Ocean Plan. The Australia Institute Tasmania released It’s TIME: A proposal for a Tasmanian Integrated Marine Estate Act  ahead of the Summit, which called for a state-wide Tasmanian marine authority to help target and combat the issues in Tasmanian ocean management.

“It was terrific to see the Summit, with near unanimous support, calling for action from the Tasmanian Government. With conflict on the rise over coastal resources, integrated management offers solutions to build ecosystem resilience and resolve tensions,” said Eloise Carr, director, Australia Institute Tasmania.

“Tasmania’s coastal waters are in trouble and Tasmanians are already experiencing the decline in their blue backyards and the impact this is having on their own wellbeing.

“An absolutely outstanding line-up of presenters led discussion of the challenges and opportunities facing oceans right now. We look forward to seeing these ideas implemented as Tasmania’s main marine law is reviewed for the first time in a generation.

“The Tasmanian Government was unable to present at the Summit, but we look forward to their response to this call for action,” said Carr.