CASE STUDIES

Navigating Australia’s Shared Ocean Spaces:
Real-World Solutions for Complex Marine Challenges

Australia’s coastal and marine environments are increasingly crowded, with fishing fleets, aquaculture operations, energy developers, conservation programs, and infrastructure projects all competing for the same ocean space.

How do we balance economic development with sustainable resource management? What happens when established industries encounter new players? And most importantly, what works?

This comprehensive case study series examines real-world experiences from across Australia’s marine sectors, offering practical insights and proven strategies for managing multiple-use conflicts in our shared ocean spaces.

Ocean at Work: Policy, Partnerships, and Progress in Australia’s Marine Sectors

Our case studies take you inside actual negotiations, policy decisions, and industry adaptations that have shaped how different sectors coexist in Australia’s waters. From the Great Australian Bight to Bass Strait, from Kangaroo Island to Macquarie Harbour, these stories reveal:

Successful collaboration models between fishing, energy, and conservation sectors.
Policy frameworks that work and lessons from those that don’t.
Economic impacts and adaptation strategies when traditional access rights meet new developments.
Innovation in action: how technology, compensation mechanisms, and stakeholder engagement create win-win outcomes.
Future-focused approaches for emerging industries like offshore wind and carbon capture

Practical Insights for Sustainable Ocean Management

Whether you’re a policy maker, industry representative, researcher, or coastal manager, these cases provide insights for:

Designing effective consultation processes
Understanding regulatory complexity and solutions
Building sustainable relationships across sectors
Anticipating and mitigating conflicts before they escalate
Creating frameworks that protect both economic interests and marine environments

Ready to explore how Australia is navigating sustainable multiple-use marine management?

The Futures of Seafood Multiple Use Management Case Study Series was developed by Atlantis and is supported by leading industry and government agencies committed to sustainable ocean resource management.