Developing a marine conservation program in temperate Australia: determining priorities for action

The temperate seascapes of southern Australia have, until recently, received less conservation attention than the country’s tropical waters. Here, we describe the results of an expert elicitation aimed at identifying gaps and opportunities in marine conservation for temperate waters. The process highlighted the need for focusing conservation attention on temperate bays, estuaries and inlets. The subsequent development of the Great Southern Seascapes program by The Nature Conservancy is aimed at beginning to address this need. The program focuses on the following actions for temperate Australian bays, estuaries and inlets: (a) increased protection, (b) ‘in the water’ restoration, (c) initiatives to address sea-level rise, (d) improved management and increased stakeholder involvement, (e) science and monitoring, and (f) community, government, and corporate engagement and funding. Actions taken to date, including commencing Australia’s first ever oyster reef restoration project, and future directions, are outlined.