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Sydney Harbour: beautiful, diverse, valuable and pressured

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 18:44 authored by Banks, J, Hedge, LH, Hoisington, C, Elisabeth StrainElisabeth Strain, Steinberg, PD, Johnston, EL
Sydney’s Harbour is an integral part of the city providing natural, social, and economic benefits to 4.84 million residents. It has significant environmental value including a diverse range of habitats and animals. A range of anthropogenic and environmental pressures threatens these including loss and modification of habitats, oversupply of nutrients and introduction of pollutants such as metals, organics, and microplastics, introduction of non-indigenous species and the impacts of recreational fishing. Many people now recognise not only the environmental value of Sydney Harbour, but also the economic and social benefits a healthy harbour provides. Over 80% of residents recognise the importance of maintaining a pollution-free coastal environment and conserving the Harbour’s abundant and diverse marine life. A recent review gathered information to make some first estimates of economic revenues and values associated with Sydney Harbour. Port and maritime revenues ($430 million/yr), ferries ($175 million/yr), cruise ship expenditure ($1025 million/yr), major foreshore events such as New Year’s Eve and the Sydney Festival ($400 million/yr), and also income from culture, heritage, arts and science (over $33 million/yr) inject considerable funds into the Australian economy. Notably, proximity to the harbour enhances Sydney domestic real estate capital by an estimated $40 billion, equivalent to $3775 million/yr and biological ecosystem services were valued at $175 million/yr. Here we provide i) a synthesis of our current understanding of the natural, social, and economic resources of Sydney Harbour, ii) the threats and pressures these resources face, and finally iii) how a new marine management framework is being used to address these threats to the natural, social and economic wellbeing of Sydney Harbour. This review clearly shows that Sydney Harbour is a valuable and valued environment that deserves continuing scientific, social, and economic research to support management now and in the future.

History

Publication title

Regional Studies in Marine Science

Volume

8

Pagination

353-361

ISSN

2352-4855

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Elsevier Ltd.

Place of publication

Netherlands

Rights statement

Copyright 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Assessment and management of benthic marine ecosystems; Climate change mitigation strategies

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