A meeting of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in Adelaide today was told Australia must adopt a new approach to managing its marine resources if it is to buck a global trend of species extinction and declining fish stocks.
Addressing delegates from the IUCN's World Commission On Protected Areas, Michelle Grady from the international Pew Environment Group highlighted the vulnerable state of globally significant marine life and ecosystems in the south west of Australia.
The 1.3 million square kilometre south west region of Australia has a far greater level of unique marine life than the Great Barrier Reef, but less than one per cent of the region currently has any protection from threats in place.