Marine Produce Australia: Cone Bay Barramundi Aquaculture ...

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3. Environmental Objectives 3.1 Best-practice marine farming Best practice environmental management depends on knowledge of the potential effects of sea-cage aquaculture together with an understanding of the host environment, including the extent and variety of benthic habitats (particularly BPPHs), the characteristic water quality and the extent of local biodiversity. Utilising this knowledge, proactive management strategies have been developed to maximise farming efficiency and to minimise the likelihood of adverse environmental impacts. Management strategies have been (and continue to be) developed by MPA through consultation with scientists, regulators and other marine farm operators. Further information on best practice marine farming can be read in the Department of Fisheries, Environmental Code of Practice for the Management of Western Australia’s Marine Finfish Industry, and The Scottish Executive (ASFA) 2003, which MPA has used as the basis for best practice marine farming. A key consideration in best practice marine farming is management of fish feeds, such that feed waste is minimised. The key proactive feed-wastage management strategies to be employed by the proponent are outlined below: � The company strategy is to minimise wasted feed through controlling overfeeding; � Stocking densities will be managed to maintain optimum biological stocking rates to promote fish health and growth, and to reduce the impact of fish and feed waste on the seabed in the immediate vicinity of each sea cage; � Fallowing practices will be used as required to facilitate restoration of sediment quality under the sea-cages so as to comply with the specified level of ecological protection; � Feed cameras and or pellet sensors will be used during fish feeding to determine optimum feed input rates and correct stop feeding signals, thereby reducing wasted feed; and � All farm fish mortalities will be removed from the sea-cages twice weekly. 3.2 Best-practice environmental management The EMMP has been designed according to the framework developed by the National Water Quality Management Strategy (NWQMS): the Environmental Quality Management Framework (EQMF). The Government of Western Australian has endorsed the state-wide implementation of the EQMF on a priority basis (Government of Western Australia 2003, 2004). Consistent with the NWQMS, the EMMP has adopted a structured approach to management. MPA has agreed to maintain the EVs and EQOs (see Table 1.1) through adherence to appropriate EQG and EQS. The EQG and EQS criteria have been set in the context of EQO1: Maintenance of Ecosystem Integrity. It is noted that risks posed by this aquaculture proposal are such that if the EQO for the EV Ecosystem Health is met, then all other EVs will also be protected. 3.3 Environmental performance indicators/criteria EQG and EQS have been developed in the context of the Ecological Protection Zones specified in Schedule 1 of Ministerial Statement 798. Environmental Quality Guidelines (EQG): are threshold numerical values or narrative statements, that if met, indicate there is a high degree of certainty that the associated environmental quality objective has been achieved. If the guideline is not met, there is uncertainty as to whether the associated environmental quality objective has been achieved and a more detailed assessment against the EQS is triggered. Environmental Quality Standards (EQS): are threshold values or narrative statements that indicate a level beyond which there is a significant risk that the associated environmental quality objective has been not been achieved. The response would normally focus on identifying the cause (or source) of the exceedance and then reducing loads of the contaminant of concern (i.e. source control) and may also require in situ remedial work to be undertaken. EQS are generally equivalent to the water quality objectives described in ANZECC/ARMCANZ (2000). 12 Oceanica: Marine Produce Australia: Cone Bay Barramundi Aquaculture, Environmental Monitoring & Management Plan
For the EMMP, EQG have been developed according the approach defined in EPA (2005a) such that exceedance of an EQG is a ‘trigger’ for further investigation against the corresponding EQS. EQS have been developed according to the risk-based approach also defined in EPA (2005a). If an EQS is exceeded, it is considered that there is a significant risk that the associated EQO has not been achieved, investigation of the cause is needed and an adaptive management response is triggered if the exceedance continues. The management response protocol following EPA (2005a) is outlined in Figure 3.1. Notes: 1. The conceptual diagram shows the intensity of management response triggered by exceeding an EQC depends on which type of EQC has been exceeded which in turn reflects the level of risk of whether or not there is an environmental problem Figure 3.1 Management response protocol from EPA (2005a) with the relationship between the two types of EQC on the left hand side and the associated environmental condition on the right hand side Oceanica: Marine Produce Australia: Cone Bay Barramundi Aquaculture, Environmental Monitoring & Management Plan 13
Page 1: Marine Produce Australia: Cone Bay
Page 5 and 6: Client: Marine Produce Australia Re
Page 7 and 8: Contents 1.� Purpose of this docu
Page 9: List of Figures Figure 1.1� Locat
Page 12 and 13: Table 1.1 Environmental Values and
Page 14 and 15: In addition to the Conditions and C
Page 17: Note: The habitats shown above are
Page 20 and 21: 2.3.1 Site selection Aquaculture ca
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Page 26 and 27: the bottom of the water column. Sta
Page 28 and 29: Table 4.2 EQG for water quality EQG
Page 30 and 31: Table 4.3 EQS for water quality EQS
Page 32 and 33: 4.2 Sediment quality monitoring 4.2
Page 34 and 35: Table 4.5 EQG for sediments EQG Ind
Page 36 and 37: 4.3 Coral reef monitoring 4.3.1 Obj
Page 38 and 39: Indicator Light attenuation Chlorop
Page 40 and 41: 4.4 Sediment infauna monitoring 4.4
Page 42 and 43: Indicator Zone of Ecological Protec
Page 44 and 45: 4.5 Biota monitoring and management
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Page 48 and 49: Monitor Are�any�sea-cages�wit
Page 50 and 51: sample median calculated. However,
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Page 54 and 55: 5.4.2 Movement of stock Movement or
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Page 58 and 59: 8. Additional information Additiona
Page 60 and 61: � Administer all prescribed medic
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Page 65 and 66: 9. Acknowledgements This EMMP was p
Page 67 and 68: EPA (2008) Report and recommendatio
Page 69: Appendix A Ministerial Statement 79
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2 Proponent Nomination and Contact
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2. Within the zone of High Ecologic
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The Proposal (Assessment No. 1642)
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Figure 1: Zones of ecological prote
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Appendix B Method Statement: Geo-re
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Report No. OCEMPA001 Rev A Revision
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1. Introduction Geo Oceans was comm
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efore smoothly decreasing to zero a
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Table 3 Data fields captured in the
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3. Results A total of 27332 rows of
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Figure 3 Hard coral percent cover d
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Appendix 2: Video analysis substrat
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Proposed Seagrass, water quality an
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Appendix E Responses to comments re
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Version Author Authority Comment MP
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