This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| Victorian Marine and Coastal Policy | |
|---|---|
| Name | Victorian Marine and Coastal Policy |
| Jurisdiction | State of Victoria, Australia |
| Enacted | 2008 (policy document) |
| Administered by | Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning |
| Status | Active |
Victorian Marine and Coastal Policy Victorian Marine and Coastal Policy is a state-level framework that guides management of marine and coastal areas in the State of Victoria, Australia, balancing conservation, recreation, heritage and resource use. It interfaces with instruments from Australian national agencies, regional authorities, Indigenous bodies and international agreements to coordinate planning, protection and sustainable development across the Bass Strait, Port Phillip and Gippsland coastal systems. The policy shapes statutory planning, marine protected areas, fisheries management and climate adaptation measures across multiple coastal municipalities and statutory authorities.
The policy provides strategic direction for coastal zone management across statutory planning schemes such as those administered by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, municipal authorities like the City of Melbourne and regional bodies such as the Gippsland Coastal Board. It covers interaction with Commonwealth instruments including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, interfaces with state legislation such as the Marine and Coastal Act 2018 and aligns with international frameworks like the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Key geographic areas referenced include Port Phillip Bay, Western Port, Bass Strait and the Gippsland Lakes.
Implementation rests on statutory agencies including the Parks Victoria and the Victorian Fisheries Authority, coordination with the Commonwealth of Australia agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and consultation with Indigenous corporations like the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation. The policy is operationalised through statutory planning under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, marine spatial planning with input from the Marine and Coastal Council and compliance cooperation with enforcement bodies including the Victoria Police marine units and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. Heritage protections invoked include listings under the Victorian Heritage Register and the National Heritage List.
Principal instruments include marine protected area networks administered by Parks Victoria, zoning and management plans such as those used in Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, and regional coastal strategies developed with bodies like the Corangamite Shire and the Barwon Coast Committee. Programs encompass habitat restoration partnerships with the Catchment Management Authorities (including the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority), community stewardship supported by the Victorian Coastal Council and research collaborations with institutions such as the University of Melbourne, Monash University and the Australian National University. Funding and investment intersect with state budget processes and programs run by the Victorian Environmental Water Holder.
Conservation priorities emphasise protection of threatened species and habitats listed under the Fisheries Act 1995 (Vic), the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 and obligations under the EPBC Act. Target ecosystems include seagrass meadows in Port Phillip Bay, intertidal wetlands recognised under the Ramsar Convention at sites like the Western Port Ramsar Site, and kelp forests off the Mornington Peninsula. Collaborative recovery efforts involve research by the Marine Biodiversity Hub, monitoring by CSIRO, and locally led actions by groups such as the Friends of the Earth affiliates and the Victorian National Parks Association.
The policy interacts with quota and management systems overseen by the Victorian Fisheries Authority and intersects with Commonwealth jurisdiction in shared stocks under arrangements with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority. Target fisheries include rock lobster, abalone and scallop sectors managed through input controls, spatial closures and industry programs involving bodies like the Victorian Seafood Industry Association and research partners at the Industry Innovation and Science Australia-funded institutes. Co-management agreements with Traditional Owner groups such as the Gunditjmara and the Bunurong inform customary fishing access and cultural heritage protections.
Coastal planning tools integrate with the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and local planning schemes of councils including the Mornington Peninsula Shire and the Bass Coast Shire to regulate coastal development, infrastructure and tourism projects such as ports at Melbourne Port and wind energy proposals reviewed in consultation with the Clean Energy Regulator. Climate adaptation measures reflect guidance from the Victorian Climate Change Act 2017 and national strategies under the National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy, addressing sea-level rise impacts on assets like the Great Ocean Road and low-lying communities including Gippsland Lakes settlements. Risk assessment and managed retreat options draw on technical inputs from the Bureau of Meteorology and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Monitoring programs combine biological surveys by Parks Victoria and the Victorian Fisheries Authority with remote sensing and oceanographic data from the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Bureau of Meteorology. Compliance activities involve licensing enforcement by the Victorian Fisheries Authority, maritime safety enforcement by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and legal action under the Environment Protection Act 1970 where applicable. Independent review and audit roles are provided by entities such as the Victorian Auditor-General's Office and environmental assessments linked to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 processes.
Category:Environment of Victoria (state)