Information for developing a tender Marine aquaculture in Victoria i © The State of Victoria, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, 2017. This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Reproduction and the making available of this material for personal, in-house or non-commercial purposes is authorised, on condition that: the copyright owner is acknowledged; no official connection is claimed; the material is made available without charge or at cost; the material is not subject to inaccurate misleading or derogatory treatment. Requests for permission to reproduce or communicate this material in any way not permitted by this licence (or by the fair dealing provisions of the Copyright Act 1968) should be directed to the Copyright Officer, Fisheries Victoria*, P.O. Box 4440, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001. Published by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Fisheries Victoria*, PO Box 4440, Melbourne Victoria 3001. Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne, 3000. ISBN 978-1-925629-22-4 (pdf/online) Disclaimer: This publication may be of assistance to you, but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for an error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. If you are in doubt seek independent legal advice. For other information contact the Customer Service Centre on 136 186 or http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/fisheries/aquaculture/allocation-of-australian-aquaculture-sites. For more information about the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) visit the website at www.http://agriculture.vic.gov.au or call the Customer Service Centre on 136 186 Information for developing a tender Marine aquaculture in Victoria ii Foreword Executive Director, Fisheries Victoria* Marine aquaculture is one of Victoria’s most progressive and dynamic industries. The State boasts some of the world’s finest and most sought-after seafood, and has an excellent domestic and international reputation based on its reliable supply of quality produce, clean waterways and developed infrastructure. A cornerstone of growth in Victorian marine aquaculture is the development of 12 marine aquaculture fisheries reserves, as recommended by the Environment Conservation Council, in and around Port Phillip Bay, Western Port and Portland. These reserves provide considerable scope for industry expansion and market-driven investment in production of aquatic species. Port Phillip Bay and Western Port offer one of the best marine aquaculture opportunities in Australia; no other location has areas of water of such size and high quality so close to markets, labour and established infrastructure. The aquaculture sites to be offered for tender are at Pinnace Channel, Grassy Point, Kirk Point – Werribee, Bates Point, Flinders, Beaumaris and Dromana. Two additional ‘greenfield’ (or new) reserves at Portland and Point Lillias will be offered for tender at a later date. The Portland reserve provides an opportunity to farm the oceanic waters of Bass Strait. The Point Lillias reserve, a land-based site, adjacent to marines waters in the Geelong Arm provides opportunities for land-based marine farming. This allocation is realising the Victorian Government’s vision to develop an ecologically sustainable and economically viable marine aquaculture industry that provides a significant commercial supply of high quality seafood. Through the preparation of a management plan and the provision of Crown leases, the Victorian Government has consolidated the approvals process to enable commercial interests to farm these sites with ease and security of tenure. I welcome your interest in this exciting opportunity that will sustain and accelerate the growth of Victorian marine aquaculture now and into the future. Travis Dowling Executive Director, Fisheries Victoria* Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Information for developing a tender Marine aquaculture in Victoria iii Information for developing a tender Marine aquaculture in Victoria iv Contents Foreword .......................................................................................................................................... iii Executive summary ......................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of this document ............................................................................................................... 2 Information for proponents ............................................................................................................. 2 How to participate in the tender ..................................................................................................................... 2 Overview of Port Phillip Bay, Western Port, Portland and Point Lillias ......................................3 Port Phillip Bay and Western Port ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Melbourne ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Overview of aquaculture within Victoria ....................................................................................................... 3 Aquaculture in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port ............................................................................................................... 3 Aquaculture fisheries reserves ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Access to local and international markets ........................................................................................................................... 5 Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve at Portland and Point Lillias ............................................................................................... 6 Authorisations to conduct aquaculture ................................................................................................................................ 7 Management plans .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 The allocation process and timetable .......................................................................................... 10 Sites available in the allocation ................................................................................................................... 10 The aquaculture fisheries reserves and sites available in this allocation ............................................... 12 Pinnace Channel Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve (PCAFR).............................................................................................. 12 Bates Point Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve (BPAFR) ....................................................................................................... 13 Kirk Point - Werribee Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve (KPWAFR) ..................................................................................... 14 Beaumaris Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve (BAFR) .......................................................................................................... 15 Flinders Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve (FAFR) ............................................................................................................... 16 Grassy Point Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve (GPAFR) .................................................................................................... 17 Dromana Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve (DAFR) ............................................................................................................ 18 Shellfish Quality Assurance ......................................................................................................................... 19 Summary of the allocation process ............................................................................................................ 20 Flow chart of the allocation process .................................................................................................................................. 20 Information for developing a tender Marine aquaculture in Victoria v Allocation timetable ....................................................................................................................................... 21 Registration ....................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Tender Information ............................................................................................................................................................ 22 Settlement and the issue of authorisations........................................................................................................................ 22 *Victorian Fisheries Authority Act 2016 ............................................................................................................................