The Australia Institute has prepared this paper to instigate public discussion about improving Tasmania’s marine estate management. This paper responds to the current, once-in-a-generation review of Tasmania’s main marine law, the Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995.

One key recommendation is the establishment of an Independent Marine Estate Authority, linked into existing government architecture and tasked with orchestrating the whole-of government approach to ocean management. Under this Authority’s management, Marine Plans would identify zones for different activities, and be linked to state of the environment reporting. Scientific reference areas would be established to improve ecosystem assessment.

The development of a nation-wide Sustainable Ocean Plan provides an opportunity for Tasmania to lead states engagement in Australia’s new oceans era, while simultaneously addressing long overdue local reforms. This paper proposes a well-recognised approach that can be applied locally in order to reverse the current trajectory of Tasmania’s oceans.