The Tasmanian Ocean Summit, presented by the Australia Institute Tasmania, will be a deep dive into Tasmania’s coastal waters and the culture, science, policy and integrated management they need. A day of collaboration to achieve a closer connection to our ocean, with sustainable production and economic wellbeing for all Tasmanians.

Our economic, community and cultural wellbeing depends on healthy Oceans. But our marine life is under pressure with depleted fish stocks, threatened species, and poor habitat protection. Pollution and climate change are only exacerbating the problem.

This gathering will host a compelling program of speakers, panel discussions and networking opportunities to lay the foundation for the change required to achieve a sustainable ocean economy with more effective protection, more sustainable production and more equitable prosperity.

The first review of Tasmania’s main marine law, the Living Marine Resource Management Act 1995, is currently underway and provides the best opportunity in a generation to fundamentally improve the way we care for and use our coastal waters.

“The chorus is growing for a paradigm shift and a new model of Ocean governance,” said Eloise Carr, Director of the Australia Institute Tasmania.

“Momentum is building to fundamentally improve the way we care for and use our coastal waters. For the first time in 27 years, Tasmania’s main marine law is being reviewed. Internationally recognised experts will gather on Friday to focus on Tasmania’s Ocean and generate ideas for action to address the pressures facing marine life.

“Contemporary management recognises the ocean is a shared space and tools exists to achieve fair and equitable management of marine areas. These tools, along with clear, community agreed objectives are an effective way to manage competition and conflict over access to our coasts and oceans.

“The government needs to listen to the experts and adopt contemporary, integrated Ocean management when it updates marine laws next year. This requires a complete rewrite of the existing law. Resource management has evolved since the 1990s and Tasmania needs to lift its game.

“We understand more about the ocean than we ever have before. If we let another 27 years pass, the opportunities we have now will be gone. We have the world leading experts right here, focusing on the opportunity before Tasmania now.”

Speakers
Dr Russell Reichelt AO FTSE | Australian Sherpa to the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy
Fiona Hamilton | trawlwulwuy woman of tebrakunna country, Tasmanian Aboriginal Heritage Officer and businesswoman
Martin Exel | Managing Director of SeaBOS (Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship), a collaborative venture between ten of the world’s largest seafood businesses and the Stockholm Resilience Centre
Prof Gretta Pecl | Director, Centre for Marine Socioecology and ARC Future Fellow
Ebony Bennett | Deputy Director, The Australia Institute
Greg Jericho | The Centre for Future Work, Guardian Columnist
Emeritus Professor Kate Warner AC FAAL | Former Governor of Tasmania 2014-2021
ben Hall and Trent Prouse | First Nations Tasmanians from the Parrdarrama Nation
Dr Beth Fulton | Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO and Centre for Marine Socioecology
Graeme Wood | Environmentalist, entrepreneur, philanthropist and Spring Bay Mill transformer
Dr Jess Melbourne-Thomas | Transdisciplinary Researcher and Knowledge Broker, CSIRO and Centre for Marine Socioecology
Associate Professor Neville Barrett | Marine and estuarine ecologist, IMAS
Dr Ian Dutton | General Manager – Marine Resources, Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania
Dr Ingrid van Putten | Senior Research Scientist, Behavioural and Fisheries Economics, CSIRO and Centre for Marine Socioecology
Angela Williamson |Director of Policy & Planning, Blue Economy CRC
Dr Alistair Hobday | Research Director & Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO, will chair the management panel
Leanne Minshull | Small business owner and former Director of the Australia Institute Tasmania, will chair the economics panel