Coastal Zone Management

This course reflects the growing need to sustain and protect Australia's coastline, with an emphasis on resource management. Our coastal zone is under increasing pressure from sometimes conflicting expansion and development in commercial fisheries, oil and gas extraction, township growth, resorts, tourism and recreation. Graduates with specialist skills and knowledge are needed to assess and manage the environmental impact of human activities on the marine and coastal environment.

This major is truly cross-disciplinary, as you will study marine biology, aquaculture, coastal science, coral reef systems, marine habitat mapping, marine biodiversity and taxonomy, along with environmental impact assessment, aquatic resource management, coastal policy and planning, geographic information systems, general management and aspects of business. It's where environmental management meets every facet of life on (and off) the coast.

There is a significant focus on Western Australian conditions, because of the pressures brought to bear from the oil and gas sector and its associated resource and infrastructure developments on Australia's North West coast. This provides numerous case studies, and exposure to the environmental management and planning process along with balancing economic, business and planning drivers in a sustainable fashion.

Examples of coastal zone management are also drawn from South East Asia, where coral reef systems predominate, and human activities are weighted towards individual income generation through tourism and food from the sea.

You wil gain practical knowledge of biomonitoring techniques, particularly modern environmentally sound and non-destructive techniques, such as audio monitoring and remote camera deployment. Baseline and on-going biomonitoring is essential to scientifically determine if human activities are truly sustainable in our coastal environment.

You can study this as part of a double major with
Agriculture
Applied Mathematics and Statistics
Enviromental Biology
Chemistry
Physics

You can study this major as part of a Science and Arts or Science and Commerce double degree.
See the Courses Handbook for the structure of this part of the double degree.

Why Coastal Zone Management?

• Curtin is renowned for its excellent aquaculture offerings, both in teaching and research. You will receive practical training in the Curtin Aquatic Research Laboratories, which includes a large recirculating aquaculture system and an 80 tonne live coral tank.
• You will undertake extensive fieldwork as part of this major, including a 10 day study tour in second year to visit coastal infrastructure and installations on the West Australian coast. Third year students have the option of undertaking a similar study tour in South East Asia.
• You will interact with people working in coastal zone management such as the Department of Environment and Conservation, the Department of Fisheries, and resource and tourism businesses.
• Curtin uses innovative teaching tools such as 'piercam' to bring the coastal environment into the classroom. Piercam is an underwater camera permanently stationed on Ningaloo Reef, which broadcasts live vision via the web. A further camera is to be installed on the North West Cape, to track whale migration.
• Graduates are sought in numerous industries and organisations due to their specialist science training, critical thinking skills and problem solving abilities.

• Australian & NZ students
• International students