How does NRM work  

• The process needs your knowledge and practical experience as nature neither complies with nor conforms to political/bureaucratic boundaries;
• Raise environmental or natural resource issues of concern that effect you in your region and have them addressed;
• Help ensure integrated decision making and management of natural resources;
• Help define the targets, priorities and investment strategies;
• Draw on the knowledge generated from the process through sharing and caring;
• Identify opportunities, form partnerships and bid for R&D funding;
• Demonstrate your progress (or the seafood industry’s) toward sustainability to others;
• Identify training needs; develop and review management systems, EMS’s, COP etc.;
• Become aware of the NRM targets and collective progress toward the objectives;
• Form contacts, friendships, and partnerships with other resource users;
• Have your say and help focus on needs not wants;
• Help develop a position on issues that will benefit the majority of participants;
• Invest in you and your families’ future and benefit the community in your region;
• Help ensure your security and our future;
• Access assistance from NRM facilitators in your region, make yourself known;
• We cannot all be leaders so make sure your region has adequate representation from your industry;
• Feed into and from your industry body - they cannot do it all for you; and
• You cannot afford not to be involved - it is your future.

• Based on a ‘whole of region’ approach and address significant natural resource management issues incorporating environmental, social and economic aspects;
• Developed by an organised ‘catchment’ or ‘regional body’ representing the local community and are accountable for expenditure of public monies;
• Based on meeting agreed targets and outcomes that reflect good science; and
• Based on meeting a firm timetable that all parties have agreed to.

• Aspirational Targets ( with a longer 50-year timeframe vision )
• Resource Condition Targets ( with a medium10 to 20-year timeframe)
• Management Action Targets ( with a short 1 to 5-year timeframe )

1. The impact of salinity on land and water resources is minimised, avoided or reduced;
2. Biodiversity and the extent, diversity and condition of native ecosystems are maintained or rehabilitated;
3. Populations of significant species and ecological communities are maintained or rehabilitated;
4. Ecosystem services and functions are maintained or rehabilitated;
5. Surface and groundwater quality is maintained or enhanced;
6. The impact of threatening processes on locations and systems which are critical for conservation of biodiversity, agricultural production, towns, infrastructure and cultural and social values, is avoided or minimised;
7. Surface water and groundwater is securely allocated for sustainable production purposes and to support human uses and the environment, within the sustainable capacity of the water resource; and
8. Sustainable production systems are developed and management practices are in place, which maintain or rehabilitate biodiversity and ecosystem services, maintain or enhance resource quality, maintain productive capacity and prevent and manage degradation.

1. Land salinity;
2. Soil condition;
3. Native vegetation communities’ integrity;
4. Inland aquatic ecosystems integrity (rivers and other wetlands);
5. Estuarine, coastal and marine habitats integrity;
6. Nutrients in aquatic environments;
7. Turbidity / suspended particulate matter in aquatic environments;
8. Surface water salinity in freshwater aquatic environments;
9. Significant native species and ecological communities; and
10. Ecologically significant invasive species.

Critical assets identified and protected;
1. Water allocation plans developed and implemented; and
2. Improved land and water management practices adopted.

1. The Australian Constitution, through the division of constitutional powers between Australian, State and Territory governments, prevents the Australian Government directly making law for the States and Territories.
2. To enable demonstration that Australia’s international obligations are being met across all of Australia equitably and consistently, and to ensure the desired on-ground outcomes, various arrangements/mechanisms are used by and between the Australian, State and Territory Governments. These include:
   • Council of Australian Governments (COAG), and subsequent agreements reached. (COAG is the peak intergovernmental forum in Australia, comprising the Prime Minister, State Premiers, Territory Chief Ministers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association – three tiers of government.) COAG agreements (often) require States and Territories to enact legislation (which may be peculiar to each) demonstrable of meeting Australia’s international obligations.
   • Ministerial Councils - Over 40 Commonwealth-State Ministerial Councils and fora facilitate consultation and cooperation between the Australian Government and state and territory governments in specific policy areas. The councils initiate, develop and monitor policy reform jointly in these areas, and take joint action in the resolution of issues that arise between governments. In particular, Ministerial Councils develop policy reforms for consideration by COAG, and oversee the implementation of policy reforms agreed by COAG.
   • The NRM Ministerial Council was established in 2001 by COAG agreement. The Council is the peak government forum for consultation, coordination and, where appropriate, integration of action by governments on natural resource management issues (for example, through the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment 1992 [IGAE], developed in parallel with Agenda 21).