Top End Coasts
  • What's Special
    • Our coasts and sea life
    • The Coastal Economy
    • Top End Rivers
    • Saltwater Country
    • Darwin Harbour
    • Fishing Lifestyle
  • The Problems
    • Mangrove Destruction
    • Industrialisation of Darwin Harbour
    • Dams and cotton threaten the Roper River
    • Climate change in the Top End
    • Plastic pollution
    • Seabed mining in the NT
  • Take Action
    • Protect Darwin Harbour
    • Back our NT Parks
    • Save our barramundi
    • It’s time to protect our coasts
    • Help ban single-use plastics
    • Arafura by-election - Message the candidates
    • Keep NT Rivers Flowing
  • News & Media
    • News
    • Reports
    • Videos
  • Contact
Top End Coasts
  • What's Special
    • What's Special
    • Our coasts and sea life
    • The Coastal Economy
    • Top End Rivers
    • Saltwater Country
    • Darwin Harbour
    • Fishing Lifestyle
  • The Problems
    • The Problems
    • Mangrove Destruction
    • Industrialisation of Darwin Harbour
    • Dams and cotton threaten the Roper River
    • Climate change in the Top End
    • Plastic pollution
    • Seabed mining in the NT
  • Take Action
    • Take Action
    • Protect Darwin Harbour
    • Back our NT Parks
    • Save our barramundi
    • It’s time to protect our coasts
    • Help ban single-use plastics
    • Arafura by-election - Message the candidates
    • Keep NT Rivers Flowing
  • News & Media
    • News
    • Reports
    • Videos
  • Contact

Plan for the Future

A timely new report,  authored by some of Australia’s leading economists, shows our coastal Territory waters support more than 6,000 jobs and contributes $2 billion annually to the NT economy.  
This report -  Economic Values of the Northern Territory Marine and Coastal Environments - spells out just how important healthy coasts are to the Territory’s people and future.  
These are the values that could be lost if the region’s coasts and seas are not given the management and protection they deserve. Sign the petition today calling for a Plan that will properly protect our coasts, and their economic value, into the future.

  Read the email that we'll send  


Dear my MLA (CC Chief Minister, Environment Minister, Fisheries Minister & the Treasurer)

I am writing to you as a constituent who is concerned about the health of our Top End coasts.

I want to draw your attention to a new report authored by some of Australia’s leading economists, Economic Values of the Northern Territory Marine and Coastal Environments, which shows our coastal Territory waters support more than 6,000 jobs and contributes $2 billion annually to the NT economy.

The health of our coasts is too valuable to risk, and I urge the Gunner Government to ensure the Coastal and Marine Management Strategy will properly protect our coasts into the future.

The report finds that - 

  • Marine and coastal tourism makes the biggest contribution to the economy ($691m/yr), supporting over 5,500 jobs.

  • The value of mangroves, seagrasses and tidal saltmarshes for the NT coastal waters is estimated at $65m/yr.

  • Although in many regards they are priceless, Indigenous cultural values are worth about $52.5m - $412m annually. 

  • Recreational fishing is estimated to have direct economic value of $21.3m annually, total contribution worth about $76m annually.

These are the values that could be lost if the region’s coasts and seas are not given the management and protection they deserve. Recreational and commercial fishing, aquaculture and fishing tourism are all reliant on the continuing good health of coasts and seas and are important economic drivers in the Top End.

On the whole, the Top End’s coasts and seas remain in very good condition. Yet, without improved protection and management, the Top End is at risk of the degradation seen in southern and eastern Australia. The health of our coasts is too valuable to risk, and we need a Plan that will properly protect our coasts into the future.

In the words of one of authors of this new report, Professor Bob Costanza, Chair of Public Policy at Australian National University: “The Northern Territory has the opportunity to make better decisions by recognising the full value of its marine and coastal ecosystems.”

This is an opportunity that will greatly benefit our Top End communities, lifestyle, livelihoods and economy.

The report can be downloaded at topendcoasts.org.au/resources.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,
[your name and suburb will be inserted here]

Sign the petition and urge the Gunner Government to ensure the Coastal and Marine Management Strategy will properly protect our coasts into the future

    This message will be sent to your MLA, CC the Chief Minister, Environment Minister, Fisheries Minister and Treasurer. We will only use your details to send this email to these five, and to forward you campaign related material. Your details will not be passed on to any third party entities.
      Share on Facebook   Share on Twitter

    Keep Top End Coasts Healthy operates on the land and sea country of the Larrakia people. We acknowledge the Larrakia people as the Traditional Owners of the Darwin region and pay our respects to their elders past and present. 


    Keep Top End Coasts Healthy is an alliance of environment groups including the Australian Marine Conservation Society, the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Environment Centre of the Northern Territory.

     -  -

    About us / Reports / Image Credits / Privacy Policy

    Created by Code Nation using NationBuilder