A long-term program uniting Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste to protect shared marine resources, improve regional ocean governance, and build coastal resilience. From conserving ecosystems to supporting small-scale fisheries and securing supply chains, the Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action (ATSEA) ensures that marine resources are managed sustainably.
Sustaining the Arafura and Timor Seas
The Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) support millions of livelihoods, productive fisheries, unique species, and regional development. Shared by ATS countries, this marine region ranks among the most biodiverse in the Indo-Pacific. The Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action (ATSEA) Program protects these resources through joint action, science-based policy, and inclusive governance.
Informed by ecological data and traditional practices
Our Shared Ocean,
Our Shared Responsibility
The Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) region is a significant marine area shared by ATS countries. It is renowned for its rich biodiversity, productive fisheries, and importance to the livelihoods and cultures of coastal communities.
TRUSTED & CREDIBLE
These benefits face mounting threats from marine and coastal pollution, habitat and biodiversity decline, and unsustainable capture fisheries, which are exacerbated by climate change. ATSEA unites the region in a coordinated response that aligns with:
Our Strategic Priorities
The Strategic Action Programme (SAP) 2024–2033 guides regional action through a framework shaped by participatory processes and scientific approaches. It identifies four thematic priorities and lays out a plan for coordinated implementation.
Support policy reform and local innovation to eliminate marine waste, including Abandoned, Lost, or otherwise Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG).
Develop regional contingency plans, expand training, and improve early warning systems.
Advance sustainable fisheries through co-management and enforcement collaboration.
Safeguard turtles and other endangered, protected species (e.g, dugong & sharks) through habitat restoration and expanded marine protection.
WHERE WE WORK
Explore The Region
The ATS region spans 1.67 million km² and links the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Help Shape the Future of the Arafura and Timor Seas
ATSEA Grievance Redress Mechanism
ATSEA highly values Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), which acts as a vital tool for communication and conflict resolution with stakeholders and partners. It ensures prompt and confidential handling of concerns and complaints related to the ATSEA Program’s impact on individuals’ and groups’ rights. Anyone affected, including project beneficiaries and the public, are encouraged to submit feedback. The GRM’s primary focus is to address complaints, promote transparency, and facilitate issue resolution.
