Steering Committee
The Steering Committee is responsible for setting broad strategic direction. The Steering Committee membership comprises the:
- First Assistant Secretary, Marine Division, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
- Director or Chief Scientist, Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
- Leader, Australian Marine Mammal Centre, Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
- Director, Cetacean Policy and Management Section, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
The Steering Committee will primarily be advised by the National Marine Mammal Advisory Committee (NMMAC), but may also seek advice directly from the National Marine Mammal Scientific Committee (NMMSC), the Leader of AMMC or other sources.
National Marine Mammal Advisory Committee (NMMAC)
The NMMAC is advised on scientific issues by the NMMSC. It has the following primary roles:
- Review and recommend priority research directions and issues for each annual funding round (financial year)
- Make recommendations to the Steering Committee on projects to be funded from the competitive applications to the Marine Mammal Fund each year. These recommendations will be based on the strategic need for the research and the scientific rankings determined by the NMMSC (based primarily on scientific merit). Formal weightings will be ascribed to each criteria
- Make recommendations and give advice on issues of marine mammal management and conservation as they emerge
- Contribute to, and advocate the goals and objectives of AMMC, in particular the coordination and cross-jurisdictional linkages between researchers, managers and industry
- Contribute towards the development of the Marine Mammal Fund, and in particular encourage co-investment from industry and other sources
The membership of the NMMAC comprises representatives of the Department and key stakeholders with an interest in marine issues, particularly as they pertain to interactions with marine mammals. In particular, apart from the membership from the Department, the NMMAC will include appropriate representation from:
- the Department of Defence
- the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources
- State Government fauna authorities
- indigenous groups
- non-government organisations with an interest in marine mammal conservation
- industry groups (e.g. APPEA, Fisheries, Marine Wildlife Tourism)
- other relevant stakeholders
National Marine Mammal Scientific Committee (NMMSC)
The NMMSC assesses the scientific and technical merit of proposals and provides recommendations and advice to the NMMAC.
The membership of the NMMSC comprises researchers who provide scientific insight across regions, taxa and disciplines as well as think strategically:
- Mr Ian Cresswell, CSIRO
- A/Prof Bill Sherwin, Genetics Plan, University of New South Wales
- Dr Cath Kemper, South Australian Museum
- Dr Mark Bravington, CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences
- A/Prof Mark Hindell, Antarctic Wildlife Research Group, University of Tasmania
- Dr Doug Cato, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Department of Defence
- A/Prof Rob Harcourt, Marine Mammal Research Group, Macquarie University
- Professor Helene Marsh, Environmental Science, James Cook University
- Dr Nick Gales, Australian Marine Mammal Centre, Australian Antarctic Division
