DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Fisheries Reserves Management Plan Eastern Port Phillip Bay Aquaculture Beaumaris Mornington Mount Martha Beaumaris Aquaculture Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve Fisheries Reserve Port Port Phillip Phillip Bay Dromana Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve Fisheries Victoria Management Report Series - No. 33 Fisheries Victoria Management Report Series Eastern Port Phillip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves Management Plan No. 33 December 2005 Eastern Port Philip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves Management Plan December 2005 Fisheries Victoria Management Report Series No. 33 Eastern Port Philip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves Management Plan © The State of Victoria, Department of Primary Authorised by the Victorian Government, Industries, 2005 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne Victoria 3000. This publication is copyright. 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Eastern Port Philip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves Management Plan ii Table of contents Executive summary ................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3 Overview of marine aquaculture in Port Phillip Bay ..................................................................................................3 Government approved recommendations of the Environment Conservation Council’s Marine Coastal and Estuarine Investigation....................................................................................................................................................4 Eastern Port Phillip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves................................. 5 Attributes of the Dromana Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve........................................................................................5 Attributes of the Mount Martha Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve ..............................................................................7 Attributes of the Beaumaris Aquaculture Fisheries Reserve......................................................................................8 Access and serviceability.................................................................................................................................................8 Overview of aquaculture activity in the Eastern Port Phillip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves.....................8 Other users of the Eastern Port Phillip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves and environs ..................................9 Current management arrangements .................................................................... 10 Established industry ......................................................................................................................................................10 Legislative framework...................................................................................................................................................10 Shellfish quality assurance............................................................................................................................................11 Compliance .....................................................................................................................................................................12 Co-management .............................................................................................................................................................12 Preparation of the Eastern Port Phillip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves Management Plan................................................................................... 13 Objectives of the Plan.....................................................................................................................................................14 Risk assessment ..............................................................................................................................................................14 Critical ecosystem components and current or potential threats ............................................................................14 Eastern Port Phillip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves Management Plan.................................................................................................... 15 Duration of the Plan.......................................................................................................................................................15 Vision of the Plan ...........................................................................................................................................................15 Management objectives and strategies........................................................................................................................15 Performance indicators, reference points and management triggers .....................................................................16 Transitional arrangements for existing licence holders ............................................................................................19 Species..............................................................................................................................................................................19 Authorisations to conduct aquaculture activity.........................................................................................................20 Environmental management ........................................................................................................................................21 Economic evaluation......................................................................................................................................................24 Disease .............................................................................................................................................................................24 Eastern Port Philip Bay Aquaculture Fisheries Reserves Management Plan iii Translocation ..................................................................................................................................................................24 Quality assurance programs.........................................................................................................................................26 Limitations on active feeding of artificial feeds.........................................................................................................26 Production reporting .....................................................................................................................................................26 General public access.....................................................................................................................................................27 Survey and navigation marking...................................................................................................................................27 Infrastructure requirements..........................................................................................................................................28 Noise and lighting..........................................................................................................................................................29 Waste management........................................................................................................................................................29