Why hundreds of scientists want more protection for Australia’s oceans

Australia is one of the world’s great ocean nations.

We are home to more marine species than any other country, with ocean ecosystems spanning all 5 of the world’s climate zones, from the coral-rich tropics to the icy shores of Antarctica

These ecosystems help regulate our climate while also supporting fisheries, tourism, cultural values and livelihoods.

Australia proudly claims to be an international leader in marine conservation, and we’ve created one of the world’s largest marine park networks.

But size alone doesn’t tell the whole story. With a once-in-a-decade review of Commonwealth marine parks underway, it is time for science to speak up.

Do existing parks protect?

Decades of evidence shows that despite these parks, Australia’s extraordinary marine biodiversity is under increasing pressure.

And we know far more today about what protections actually work than we did when many of our marine parks were first established.

In research my colleagues and I published last year; we asked a simple question: Does Australia’s reputation as a global marine conservation leader match the evidence?

The answer was no.

While Australia has achieved important conservation successes, we also found substantial declines across many marine species and ecosystems.

These were driven by climate change, habitat degradation, unsustainable pressures and gaps in how our oceans are managed.

One of the problems is the level of protection our marine parks provide.

It is easy to assume that once an area is designated as a marine park, it is fully protected.

But the reality is that protection exists on a spectrum. Some zones prohibit extractive activities such as commercial fishing and mining, while others allow a range of industrial uses to continue.

The strongest scientific evidence of the benefits of protection consistently comes from those areas which are highly protected ‘no-take’ sanctuary zones.

Across hundreds of studies worldwide, these areas support greater biodiversity, have healthier ecosystems and larger fish populations and exhibit stronger resilience to the impacts of climate change than areas with lower levels of protection.

Importantly, they bring economic benefits to fisheries and tourism by protecting the ecological processes that sustain them.

Science is speaking out

In the Securing a Resilient Future for Australia’s Oceans consensus statement, more than 250 marine scientists, including about 50 from The University of Queensland, are calling for at least 30 per cent of every Australian marine bioregion to be protected within highly protected sanctuary zones.

The consensus statement reflects decades of conservation science showing that protected areas need to represent the full diversity of marine ecosystems – not just the remote places that are the easiest to protect because no one is inconvenienced.

Currently, about one-quarter of all Commonwealth waters are highly protected, but around mainland Australia, the figure just less than 10 per cent.

Most sanctuary zones are in remote offshore and territorial waters, and many of our most productive marine ecosystems remain under-protected.

With the recent announcement of an expansion at Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands, the imbalance will be even starker – the new additions will take the total under protection to approximately 31 per cent of Commonwealth waters but in mainland waters it remains at 10 per cent.

This year’s review of marine parks is a rare opportunity to incorporate the best available science into decisions that will shape the health of our oceans for decades.

The expansion call isn’t based on ideology. It isn’t about choosing conservation over communities or the economy.

Healthy oceans underpin sustainable fisheries, tourism, recreation and coastal livelihoods.

Protecting biodiversity is an investment in the natural systems that Australians depend on.

More than parks

We know that stronger marine parks alone won’t solve every problem facing our oceans.

Climate change continues to drive marine heatwaves that are transforming reefs and kelp forests. Coastal development, declining water quality and pollution all place additional stress on marine ecosystems.

Fisheries management, emissions reductions and improved water quality are all essential if we want healthy oceans into the future.

So, while marine protected areas are one part of the solution, they are a critical part and we have an opportunity to make them better.

Decades of research, by hundreds of people, has produced remarkably consistent evidence.

Highly protected, well-managed marine parks deliver better outcomes for biodiversity, ecosystem resilience and future generations.

The opportunity now is to ensure Australia’s marine conservation policies reflect what the science has already shown, and we continue to live up to our legacy and reputation.