Draft Threat Abatement Plan for the Impacts of Marine Debris on Vertebrate Marine Species (2017)

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Comments on this threat abatement plan closed 13 April 2017. These documents remain available for reference only.

Marine debris, particularly plastic, is harmful to marine wildlife, with impacts caused through entanglement, ingestion and contamination. This complex problem is increasing globally.

Marine debris impacts have been documented for seabirds, marine turtles, cetaceans, sharks and other Australian marine wildlife, including many species listed as threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The draft Threat abatement plan for the impacts of marine debris on vertebrate marine species provides a national strategy to abate the threat posed by marine debris and guide investment and effort by the Australian Government, jurisdictions, research organisations and non-government organisations in addressing the impacts of marine debris on native species.

Public consultation

The Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy has released the draft Threat abatement plan for the impacts of marine debris on vertebrate marine species (2017) for public comment. The public comment period closes on 13 April 2017.

Download

Draft Threat Abatement Plan for the Impacts of Marine Debris on Vertebrate Marine Species (2017) (PDF - 675.25 KB)
Draft Threat Abatement Plan for the Impacts of Marine Debris on Vertebrate Marine Species (2017) (DOCX - 282.65 KB)

Guidelines for submissions

In providing your submission, please complete a cover sheet. This will allow us to ensure your comments can be accurately taken into account should further information or clarification be required. Please note: a cover sheet must accompany all submissions.

Where possible please:

  • include the objective or action of the threat abatement plan that your comment relates to, and
  • reference any published data that you refer to.

A template to assist you in providing comments is available for download below. Please note: the use of this template is optional - we welcome all other forms of submission.

Download

Cover and comments sheet (PDF - 41.35 KB)
Cover and comments sheet (DOCX - 21.32 KB)

For further information, or to request a hard copy of the document, please email

marinedebris@environment.gov.au

or phone 02 6274 1359.

Where to send your submissions

Comments can be sent via email or post to the addresses below. If you are unable to provide comments in writing please phone 02 6274 1359.

Email:

marinedebris@environment.gov.au

Post:

Director
Environmental Biosecurity Section
Department of the Environment and Energy
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601

Privacy

Your views are being sought by the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy for the purpose of informing the Threatened Species Scientific Committee and the Minister for the Environment on the draft varied Threat abatement plan for the impacts of marine debris on vertebrate marine species.

Personal information that you provide will only be used for these purposes. Personal information may be disclosed to the members of the committee, or to employees of Australian Government agencies assisting the committee for the purposes outlined above. Contents of your submission may be included in subsequent publications of the threat abatement plan.