Jo Klemke brings a lifelong connection to Australia’s coasts and marine environments to her consulting work — from growing up by the sea and years of diving and snorkelling, to a career dedicated to their management and protection. That personal connection, combined with deep local knowledge built over decades of work with marine scientists, community groups, industry and government stakeholders, underpins everything she does.
Jo holds a PhD in marine science and has more than 25 years of senior experience across multiple Victorian government agencies, where she led programs, shaped policy, drove regulatory reform and delivered complex environmental and natural resource management outcomes.
Throughout her career she has bridged science, policy and practice — translating complex evidence into practical management outcomes that work for the environment, industry and community. Her technical expertise spans marine and coastal environments, biodiversity, fisheries and aquaculture, water quality, protected areas and sustainable development, with extensive experience across the legislative, governance and regulatory frameworks that govern them. Her career has spanned both the environment and fisheries and aquaculture sectors — giving her a rare ability to understand and work across the perspectives, priorities and tensions that often define complex resource management challenges.
Jo Klemke Consulting draws on this depth of experience to provide balanced, evidence-informed advice to government, industry and other clients on environmental and fisheries strategy, policy, assessments, regulatory approvals and management. Her expertise is well suited to established and emerging sectors alike — including offshore wind energy development, where her regulatory, assessment and stakeholder expertise is directly applicable — as well as fisheries and aquaculture, coastal and marine management, and protected area oversight.
Recognising that marine environments are inextricably linked to waterways, coasts and catchments, she is also experienced in working with coastal, water, catchment and land managers on integrated, cross-environment assessments, issues and strategies.
Career Highlights
- Led Victoria’s Marine Environment Policy Program for over a decade, driving an integrated catchment-to-coast, ecosystem-based management agenda and a $2M+ foundational science and management program.
- Developed the inaugural Port Phillip Bay Environmental Management Plan, translating a $12M research study into management actions endorsed by all key agencies.
- Managed key Victorian commercial and recreational fisheries and facilitated the development of seaweed aquaculture in Victoria, underpinned by a cross-government legislative and management review.
- Led an independent review of Victoria’s Marine Protected Area performance, coordinating expert and stakeholder panels and producing three public reports with recommendations tabled in Parliament.
- Received the Victorian Coastal Award for Planning and Management (2018) for resolving a contested fisheries resource conflict, achieving a balanced and socially accepted outcome.
I’d love to hear about your project or explore opportunities to work together — please feel free to get in touch.
Jo Klemke Consulting 