18 August 2012 - The
giant kelp marine forests of south east
Australia will be protected by the Gillard
Labor Government in a first for the protection
of Australia's marine environment.
Minister for Environment Tony Burke, listed
the giant kelp marine forests as an endangered
ecological community under national environment
law.
"These are the jungles we cannot see
and are among our great natural treasures,''
he said.
"They can stand
more than 20 metres tall from the seabed
to the surface and the abundance of kelp
can be as thick as a jungle, providing a
haven for marine life.
"After careful consideration of the
advice from the Government's independent
Threatened Species Scientific Committee,
I have decided to list the giant kelp marine
forests of south east Australia.
"This is the first time that a marine
ecological community has been listed for
protection in Australia under national environment
law."
The giant kelp marine forests of south east
Australia are mainly found from Eddystone
Point in the north east of Tasmania along
the eastern coastline and around to the
southern coast as far as Port Davey. They
can also occur on the northern and western
coast of Tasmania and in the coastal waters
off Victoria and south east South Australia
when conditions are favourable.
"Giant kelp forests are being progressively
lost due to a warming of the sea surface
temperature caused by climate change, invasive
species and changing land use and coastal
activities that contribute to increased
sedimentation and runoff and biodiversity
loss,'' Mr Burke said.
"The giant kelp
forests provide valuable ecosystem services
for the local environment, such as creating
habitat for commercially significant marine
species like the black lip abalone and southern
rock lobster, filtering sediment before
it gets into the wider ocean, and protecting
our coastline from storm damage.
"Giant kelp marine forests are also
important carbon sinks. It has been estimated
that they may be able to hold over 80,000
tonnes of carbon per square kilometre, more
than double that of some terrestrial forests.
"They are also home to other threatened
marine species including the red handfish
and Ziebell's handfish."
Any actions likely to have a significant
impact on the giant kelp marine forests
ecological community are now required to
be referred for assessment under national
environment law.
"By protecting this vital ecological
community, the Government is ensuring the
long-term conservation of one of Australia's
most threatened marine ecological communities,''
Mr Burke said.
"A listing under national environment
law will provide giant kelp forests with
consistent and effective protection across
its national distribution over three state
water jurisdictions."
