Keynote address

Abstract

The complexity of the management of the marine environment increases as our understanding of that environment grows and as we accept social responsibility. The living marine resource as a whole remains under-exploited and increased harvesting is largely dependent on overseas demand. Concern for the mercury level in school shark has led to an expansion of exploratory fishing activities. Management is the end-point of a long sequence of actions and it involves the interpretation of data and the giving of advice. The subsequent management action requires continual monitoring and re-assessment, with the community's best interest as the matter for primary concern. Management may be concerned with the conflict between competing users of a resource and between the users of different resources when one of the latter adversely affects the marine environment; also with the introduction of exotic living species and with the withholding of a fresh water input by the damming of streams. Estuaries have a role in the marine environment which is disproportionate to their area. It is important that the growing problem of heavy metals in estuaries be placed in perspective relative to the total marine environment and that flexibility be introduced into the regulations governing the mercury level in marine organisms used as food.