The protection and conservation of marine fauna, in particular whales and dolphins (Cetacea) and seals (Pinnipeds) is of prime importance in New South Wales.
The NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service has applied worlds' best practice policies and operational guidelines to protecting marine fauna in the state's coastal waters.
The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife has funded several projects to protect marine mammals in Australian marine environments.
Marine mammals that have benefited from Foundation funded projects have included:
Foundation Marine Mammal Projects
Marine Mammal Incident Response Vehicle
In 2010 the Foundation provided funds for the fit out of a Marine Mammal Incident Response Vehicle for the National Parks & Wildlife Service. This vehicle now has the facilities to assist in marine mammal rescues and strandings along the Northern Rivers Region of the Byron Coast Area.
Marine Science Grants
The Foundation annually offers a $7,000 grant to support marine research in partnership with the Paddy Pallin Foundation Science Grant Program. The objective of the grant is to provide financial support for conservation-based research of Australian marine ecosystems that will ultimately lead to tangible outcomes for management. The scope of the research is open to marine research on animals and/or plants.
The grant is open to postgraduate students, Early Career Researchers (within 3 years of completing a PhD).
Telemetry Bouys for Humpack Whale Disentanglement Operations
The Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife provided funding in 2010 to the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage to purchase two satellite telemetry bouys designed to aid the rescue of entangled Humpback Whales.
