Values and Challenges
The southern coast of Australia is one of the most significant sections of south facing coast in the southern hemisphere and contributes to the unique status of Victoria's marine and estuarine flora and fauna. This relatively compact and accessible environment is amongst the richest and most diverse in Australia. Marine parks and reserves have been established in recognition of its significance.
The marine and estuarine environments have inestimable intrinsic value for their biological diversity and as accessible wildernesses that many use to recharge the human spirit. They are also valuable resources for the commercial, recreational and tourism opportunities they provide. Much of Victoria's reef areas are easily accessible by small boat or directly from the shore and are popular with recreational divers. Over-fishing is a threat within some fisheries and the recreational collection of organisms in the intertidal zone is now prohibited along some sections of the coast as a result of a marked decline in numbers. The sensitivity of marine and estuarine environments is well understood, however our detailed knowledge of these ecosystems is far from complete. There is considerable concern regarding the reduction of seagrass communities, particularly in Western Port and Corner Inlet. While it is known that sediments, nutrients and pollutants are factors in this decline, further investigation is required to build consensus on the appropriate long term and cost effective actions to ensure improvement in these environments.
Other pressures on the marine and estuarine environments include urban, agricultural and industrial pollution (the run off from coastal catchments), oil spills, antifoulants, physical disturbances resulting in excessive sedimentation and the introduction of exotic marine organisms. These marine pests are introduced and spread through a variety of ways (eg. ship ballast water) and are a major threat to economic activity and environmental values, including biological diversity.
Estuaries and the near shore environment are critical habitats (eg. important for fish breeding) and interact closely with processes taking place on land often with dramatic impacts, as evidenced in areas such as the Gippsland Lakes. The quality of water draining from coastal catchments is a major determinant of the health of estuarine and marine environments.
Objectives
1.1.
Protect and improve the condition of estuarine biological
diversity
1.2.
Establish a representative system of marine protected areas
1.3.
Protect and improve intertidal habitat, flora and fauna
1.4.
Protect and improve the condition of marine biological diversity
1.5.
Minimise the risks posed by exotic marine organisms
1.6.
Reduce the impact of effluent in the marine and estuarine
environments
1.7.
Reduce the impact of sea based activities on water quality
1.8.
Improve Victoria's marine and estuarine research and scientific capability
Objective / Actions
1.1. Protect and improve the condition of estuarine biological diversity
Lead Agent: Department
of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership with Parks Victoria,
Catchment Management Authorities, Regional
Coastal Boards.
| 1.1.1 | Opportunities will be actively sought to provide adequate environmental flows to estuaries through the Victorian Environmental Flows program that encompasses the Surface Water Allocation process, the Stressed Rivers program and general catchment management planning processes. |
| 1.1.2 | Opportunities will be actively pursued to better understand ecological processes and determine and address key management requirements in enclosed marine waters (eg. Gippsland Lakes, Western Port, Environmental Management Plan for Port Phillip Bay) and other major estuaries. |
| 1.1.3 | A strategic approach to protecting and improving the condition of coastal and estuarine wetlands, including mangrove, seagrass and saltmarsh areas, will be developed. |
| 1.1.4 | Best practice guidelines for the management of estuarine mouth openings will be developed, incorporating environmental, social and economic issues. |
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1.2. Establish a representative system of marine protected areas
Lead Agent: Department
of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership with Parks Victoria.
| 1.2.1 |
Implement the Government's response to the Environment Conservation Council's Marine Coastal and Estuarine Investigation report to Parliament. |
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1.3. Protect and improve intertidal habitat, flora and fauna
Lead Agent: Department
of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership with Parks Victoria,
Committees of Management.
| 1.3.1 | The protection of intertidal areas will be improved primarily through public awareness (Fishcare, Coast Action / Coastcare), local area planning (eg. management plans), regulation and compliance activity. |
| 1.3.2 | Opportunities to increase the understanding, protection and monitoring of vulnerable habitats particularly seagrass, mangroves and saltmarsh will be actively sought. |
| 1.3.3 | The impact on intertidal areas will be a major consideration when providing access to beaches and estuarine areas to ensure sensitive areas are protected and enhanced. |
1.4. Protect and improve the condition of marine biological diversity
Lead Agent: Department
of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership with Regional Coastal
Boards, Catchment Management Authorities, Parks Victoria, Local Government.
| 1.4.1 | A key focus for implementation of Victoria's Biodiversity Strategy over the next five years will be actions relating to natural seascapes (including bays, inlets, estuaries and open coast). |
| 1.4.2 | The fishing industry will be encouraged and assisted to further adopt technologies and develop codes of practice to minimise damage to sea bed habitats and impact on non-target species. |
| 1.4.3 | Opportunities to improve water quality will be actively sought by addressing catchment management activities that reduce unnatural inputs into the marine and estuarine environments. |
| 1.4.4 | In the urban environment, priority will be given to actions in Stormwater Management Plans that address source control and are consistent with water sensitive urban design principles. |
| 1.4.5 | Local government in metropolitan areas will be encouraged to complete stormwater action plans. |
| 1.4.6 | Potentially threatening processes for rare and threatened species will be addressed through the preparation and implementation of Action Statements prepared under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1998. |
Water
quality in the marine environment
Lead Agent: Environment Protection Authority in partnership with Department
of Natural Resources and Environment.
| 1.4.7 | Specific water quality standards for coastal waters will continue to be established through State Environment Protection Policies. |
| 1.4.8 | Community monitoring of coastal and estuarine water quality will continue through programs such as Waterwatch and Beach Report. |
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1.5. Minimise the risks posed by exotic marine organisms
Lead Agent: Department
of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership with Environment Protection
Authority.
| 1.5.1 | An integrated national ballast water system will be implemented and promoted to minimise the introduction and spread of marine pests. |
| 1.5.2 | Effective techniques will be developed and implemented to manage other vectors that lead to the introduction and spread of marine pests (eg. fouling of small vessels and associated equipment). |
| 1.5.3 | The interim Victorian Protocol for Managing Exotic Marine Organism Incursions will be implemented as necessary to respond to new introductions and existing incursions of marine pests. |
| 1.5.4 | An industry and community extension program will promote the uptake of practices that reduce the chance of marine pests being introduced and spread. |
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1.6. Reduce the impact of effluent in the marine and
estuarine environments
Lead Agent: Water
Authorities in partnership with Environment Protection Authority, Catchment
Management Authorities, Local Government, Committees of Management.
| 1.6.1 | In the establishment of sewerage backlog programs, priority will be given to ameliorating the areas that have the most significant negative environmental and social impact on coastal environments. |
| 1.6.2 | Proponents of development in non-sewered areas will demonstrate no adverse impacts on receiving waters. |
| 1.6.3 | Reviews will be carried out in sewered areas to ensure that existing sewerage systems have sufficient capacity to contain storm or peak load overflows to a recognised standard. |
| 1.6.4 | Public amenities on the coast will be reviewed through management planning processes to ensure that sewerage systems have sufficient capacity to cope with high visitation periods such as summer and large festivals and events. |
Sewerage outfalls
to the ocean and bays
Lead Agent: Environment Protection Authority in partnership with Water
Authorities.
| 1.6.5 | Performance requirements for ocean discharges will continue to be established in line with a philosophy of best practice environmental management and continuous improvement. |
| 1.6.6 | The use of coastal waters to receive new effluent discharges will only proceed where there is no viable alternative and where there has been broad community input to decision making. |
| 1.6.7 | Standards for treatment of effluent and discharge to freshwater systems which drain to the coast must consider the potential cumulative impact on the coastal environment. |
| 1.6.8 | All ocean outfalls will be progressively upgraded to meet standards for treatment and where possible relocated to a non-ocean area for disposal. |
| 1.6.9 | Reuse and water conservation programs will be pursued as a way to minimise volumes discharged. |
Effluent management for ports and marinas
Lead Agent: Environment Protection Authority in partnership with Department
of Infrastructure, Marine Board of Victoria, Melbourne Ports Corporation,
Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Parks Victoria.
| 1.6.10 | A strategic program to minimise sewage discharge from boats and ships into coastal waters will be established, including the development of national standards, the provision of sewage pump-out facilities and installation of sewage holding tanks. |
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1.7. Reduce the impact of sea based activities on
water quality
Addressing the impact of shipping activities
Lead Agent: Environment Protection Authority.
| 1.7.1 | The
adverse impact of shipping on marine water quality will be addressed
according to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution
from Ships 1973, amended 1978 (MARPOL convention). This includes actions
to address: - port waste reception facilities; and - marine based litter and debris. |
Coordinating action
to combat marine pollution
Lead Agent: Marine Board of Victoria.
| 1.7.2 | Contingency plans for marine pollution (eg. oil spills) will be kept updated and arrangements will be clearly communicated to agencies, on-ground managers and interested parties. |
| 1.7.3 | Regular training of personnel and exercise of plans will continue. |
Continuous improvement
in the conduct of dredging operations
Lead Agent: Department of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership
with Environment Protection Authority.
| 1.7.4 | Dredging proponents will be encouraged to develop long term dredging strategies in accordance with the Best Practice Environmental Management Guidelines for Dredging to continuously improve practices. |
Managing
industrial and extractive uses
Lead Agent: Department of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership
with Department of Infrastructure.
| 1.7.5 | Approvals agencies will consider the potential impacts on biological diversity from industrial and extractive uses (eg. port use, petroleum production, boat building, pipelines and shell grit extraction) and seek advice on appropriate environmental assessment, including the need for an Environment Effects Statement. |
1.8. Improve Victoria's marine and estuarine research and scientific capability
Lead Agent: Victorian
Coastal Council in partnership with Department of Natural Resources and
Environment.
| 1.8.1 | Recommendations from the Southeast Australian Marine Research Education Consortium feasibility study will be progressed, including strengthening collaborative research and scientific capabilities, and strengthening the role of the Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute and the Queenscliff Marine Station. |
| 1.8.2 | An information sharing framework will be developed to ensure coastal information and data can be accessed across all levels of government, private sector and the community. |
| 1.8.3 | Arrangements for improved storage and archiving of historic and scientific research relating to Victoria's coastal and marine areas will be investigated and implemented. |
