Marine Produce Australia: Cone Bay Barramundi Aquaculture ...

Table 1.1 Environmental Values and Environmental Quality Objectives to be applied in
Western Australia’s coastal waters
Environmental Value Environmental Quality Objective
Ecosystem Health EQO1 Maintenance of ecosystem integrity
Fishing and Aquaculture
Recreation and Aesthetics
Industrial Water Supply
EQO2 (i) Maintenance of aquatic life for human consumption
EQO2 (ii) Maintenance of aquaculture
EQO3 Maintenance of primary contact recreation values
EQO4 Maintenance of secondary contact recreation values
EQO5 Maintenance of aesthetic values
EQO6 Maintenance of water suitable for industry use
The environmental requirements for EQO1 vary according to the level of ecological protection
assigned to an area (as per EPA 2005a). Three levels of ecological protection are relevant to
this EMMP (Table 1.2).
Table 1.2 Levels of Ecological Protection for EQO 1: Maintenance of Ecosystem Integrity
Level of Ecological
Protection
Contaminant concentration
indicators
Limit of acceptable change
Maximum Protection No contaminants - pristine No detectable changes from natural variation
High protection Very low levels of contaminants Some small changes from natural variation
Moderate protection Elevated levels of contaminants Moderate changes from natural variation
Environmental quality is assessed and managed based on two types of Environmental Quality
Criteria (EQC): Environmental Quality Guidelines (EQG) and Environmental Quality
Standards (EQS). If an EQG is exceeded there is uncertainty that the EQO is met, and this
triggers further assessment against the EQS: if the EQS is also exceeded then the level of
risk is considered unacceptable and management is triggered (refer also to Section 3.3).
1.2 Implementation strategy
The EMMP provides details of the type and extent of environmental monitoring to be
undertaken, and outlines the management responses should the EQS be triggered. The
results of the monitoring program, including the extent to which the EQC have been met, will
be reported in the Annual Compliance Reports.
Underpinning the EMMP is a requirement to meet the Proponent’s Commitments (PER 2007)
and Conditions 5-1 to 5-5 of Ministerial Statement 798 (Appendix A). Table 1.3 provides
details of these Conditions and Commitments and indicates the steps to be taken by the
Proponent to ensure they’re met.
Table 1.3 Proponent’s key management actions, targets and objectives and the evidence to be
provided
Key Management Action Target/Objective
The Proponent shall submit to the CEO of
the Department of Environment and
Conservation1 Annual Compliance
Reports annually reporting on the
previous twelve months
Prior to stocking on pens, the Proponent
shall prepare and commence implementation
of the EMMP to the requirements
of the DEC1 and DoF
The EMMP required by condition 5-1 shall
include the monitoring of specific
parameters within the water column and
sediment as Environmental Quality
Guidelines (EQG) indicators; set out the
process for the development and
application of Environmental Quality
Standards (EQS) within three years, and
specify the format for annual reporting of
monitoring results.
To fulfill Condition 4-1
of Ministerial
Statement 798.
To fulfill Condition 5-1
of Ministerial
Statement 798.
To develop an appropriate
EMMP including a series of
indicators and triggers,
exceedance of which will
require management and
where necessary,
restoration of
environmental quality to
comply with the specified
level of ecological
protection.
OEPA
reporting/evidence
EMMP prepared and
implemented to the
requirements of DEC1
and Department of
Fisheries (DoF)
EMMP prepared and
implemented to the
requirements of DEC1
and DoF
EMMP prepared and
implemented to the
requirements of DEC1
and DoF.
Annual compliance
report (as
appropriate).
Laboratory test results.
Status
2 Oceanica: Marine Produce Australia: Cone Bay Barramundi Aquaculture, Environmental Monitoring & Management Plan