Marine and Coastal Hub Annual Progress Report (2023). National Environmental Science Program.
Overview
The 2023 Annual Progress Report details the achievements of the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal (MaC) Hub from January to December 2023. The Hub continued to deliver on its Research Plans (RP) for 2022 and 2023, while successfully finalising RP 2024, which includes 23 new projects. Research focused on six priority areas: regional planning in Northern Australia, offshore renewable energy impacts, Indigenous Sea Country priorities, habitat restoration, protected places, and threatened species.
Strong engagement with research-users, especially the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), ensured alignment with policy needs. Indigenous collaboration remained central, with co-designed projects and support for capacity building. Highlights include national forums, Indigenous-led symposia, and a refreshed public website.
By the end of 2023, 60 projects were underway or completed, with 81% of outputs delivered on time. The Hub attracted over $3 million in cash co-investment, supplemented by $17.6 million in-kind support. Risk management remained stable across key areas, including governance, co-design, and Indigenous engagement. Through strong partnerships, knowledge brokering, and data strategy implementation, the Hub has contributed valuable science and tools to inform sustainable marine and coastal management across Australia.
