Marine plant disturbance

All marine plants in Queensland are protected under the Fisheries Act 1994 (Qld), covering:

• all land tenures, including private, leasehold or public lands
• whether the marine plants are alive or dead.

Marine plants are a key component of the fish habitat mosaic supporting our fisheries.

Queensland’s marine plants include:

• mangroves
• seagrass
• marine algae
• saltmarsh and salt couch grasses
• dead marine wood (includes bark, leaves, stems, roots, flowers or seeds)
• samphires (succulent vegetation).

Plants that are declared pests are excluded from the definition of a marine plant and are the only exception to protection under the Act.

Marine plants and fish habitats are a vital natural resource that:

• support fisheries species during their lifecycles , e.g. for feeding, shelter or as fish nursery areas
• provide fish passage opportunities for species movements in and between habitats
• sustain fish catches and fish stocks
• contribute to the overall health and water quality of Queensland waterways.

Dead marine wood, including flotsam, falls within the marine plant definition since it provides:

• material to the food chain as it breaks down
• shoreline protection from wave action
• habitat for marine animals, such as shipworms and gastropods.

Development approval

Some works can be done without development approval if they comply with the accepted development requirements.

If your proposed works do not meet these requirements, it is an assessable development.

You will need to apply for development approval.

Your development application must address the State code 11: Removal, destruction or damage of marine plants, under the State Development Assessment Provisions (SDAP).

Read the SDAP guideline for marine plants to understand how:

• your proposed development is assessed
• to prepare your development application.

Report damage

If you see any destruction of marine plants, report it to the Fishwatch Hotline on 1800 017 116.

Unacceptable damage to marine plants or fish habitats includes:

• any unauthorised development
• marine plant removal
• trimming and lopping to enhance a view, or for aesthetic reasons
• spraying with herbicide
• reclaiming tidal lands with soil or other material (e.g. to extend lawns or gardens)
• dumping rubbish or waste on tidal lands
• burning or mowing saltmarsh or mangroves.

The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol can issue on-the-spot fines for damage to marine plants and fish habitats. Significant penalties may apply and serious cases are taken to court.

Policy

• Management and protection of marine plants and other tidal fish habitats (PDF, 583.3KB)