The department is a member agency of the NSW Marine Estate Management Authority (MEMA).
MEMA coordinates policies and programs for maintaining and improving the marine environment, including all marine waters and the state’s network of marine parks and aquatic reserves. MEMA’s vision for the NSW marine estate is to have a healthy coast and sea managed for the greatest wellbeing of the community, now and into the future.
NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy
The NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy identifies high priority marine estate management actions over a 10 year period from 2018 to 2028. The strategy includes 9 interlinked initiatives, which are each supported by detailed actions. Collectively, these initiatives are addressing the priority and cumulative threats identified in the NSW Marine Estate Threat and Risk Assessment Final Report.
The 9 initiatives are:
- Improving water quality and reducing litter
- Delivering healthy coastal habitats with sustainable use and development
- Planning for climate change
- Protecting the Aboriginal cultural values of the marine estate
- Reducing impacts on threatened and protected species
- Ensuring sustainable fishing and aquaculture
- Enabling safe and sustainable boating
- Enhancing social, cultural and economic benefits
- Delivering effective governance.
For more information about the NSW marine estate, MEMA and the strategy, go to NSW Marine Estate.
Planning actions under the strategy
The department is supporting several Marine Estate Management Strategy projects.
Coastal Design Guidelines
We've updated the NSW Coastal Design Guidelines to better manage big and small development along the NSW coast. The original guidelines were published in 2003 to help planners and urban designers create settlements that are appropriate for their coastal environments.
The updated guidelines build on the 2003 guidelines and reflect best practice urban design and place-based planning, a better understanding of Land and Sea Country principles, and coastal hazard management. They provide clear guidance about requirements for planning proposals in the coastal zone and balance environmental, economic, social and cultural needs.
Construction sediment management
As part of its contribution to initiative one of the strategy – to improve water quality and reduce litter – we have developed a set of Standard conditions of development consent. These include conditions to manage erosion and sediment.
To support the standard conditions for residential development, we have updated the Guidelines for Erosion and Sediment Control on Building Sites, which were last published in 2001. The updated guidelines will help small-scale builders, certifiers, stormwater specialists and anyone working on construction sites that are less than 2,500 m2 understand how to prevent erosion and sediment pollution and protect our waterways which is a key initiative under MEMS.
Without proper controls, sediment from construction sites can be washed into stormwater systems and surrounding waterways, presenting a significant threat to water quality. Reasonable and practical measures to prevent erosion and control the movement of sediment offsite help keep our waterways healthy, so they can sustain native vegetation and wildlife and support community and commercial activities.