The first regional marine planning process in State waters is under way on WA's south coast between Cape Leeuwin and the South Australian border.

The marine environment of the south coast is a wonderful and unique asset used and loved by many Western Australians. Aboriginal people have spent time on this coast for thousands of years. Others who use the area include recreational fishers, divers, surfers, sailors, whale watching charters and other nature-based tourism enterprises, commercial fishers, and huge ships that visit the ports of Albany and Esperance. There are no marine parks and reserves in the area at present although the State Government is committed to establishing a system of comprehensive, adequate and representative marine parks and reserves in Western Australia to protect representative and special marine ecosystems.

Regional marine planning is a whole of State Government initiative. The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is the lead agency and is working closely with other agencies, including the Department of Fisheries, Department of Industry and Resources, Department for Planning and Infrastructure and Tourism WA. At the State level, a Marine Policy Stakeholder Group is advising Government on the preparation of a Policy Framework for regional marine planning. Further information on regional marine planning is available on http://rmp.dec.wa.gov.au/ together with information on the south coast process.

A Planning Advisory Group has been established to provide input into the south coast regional marine planning process. Members of this group represent the range of marine interests, including commercial and recreational fishers, Aboriginal people, tourist operators, boating enthusiasts, natural resource management organisations, aquaculturalists, conservation groups, local authorities, educators and other interested people.

The general public is also being encouraged to become involved in regional marine planning through calls for comment, workshops and the chance to provide submissions to a draft strategic plan. Several workshops have already been conducted and more are planned for 2008 (see Latest News on the Regional Marine Planning website ).

The south coast regional marine planning process will produce a strategic plan to better integrate the activities of the various marine sectors and to achieve protection, maintenance and sustainable use of the marine environment. The strategic plan will be based on the best available science but, at the same time, take into account the views of marine users. Government departments, agencies, maritime industries, non-Government organisations, community groups and the general public are all playing a role in regional marine planning. The target date for release of the draft marine strategic plan is mid-2008.