VEAC marine investigation

New stage of marine inquiry announced Get involved in the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council's (VEAC) marine investigation. VEAC has opened up its marine investigation for public consultation. The VNPA is now calling its passionate marine supporters to have their say. As the discussion paper sets the tone and direction for the investigation's final recommendations, it's critical that everyone interested in securing the future of our incredibly unique marine national parks and sanctuaries engages in the process.

Find out more > VEAC marine investigation > Marine fact sheet > What you can do

Write a submission

We've compiled information to help you write your submission. But before you go there, you should take a look some background information on this page.

 

Who cares? You do?

A small segment of the fishing community strongly opposes marine national parks and better measures to manage and protect the marine environment despite the weight of scientific evidence that marine national park networks help protect all marine life.

We know that the vast majority of Victorians support our current network of marine national parks and sanctuaries.

A recent community attitudes and behaviour survey commissioned by the Victorian Coastal Council shows more than 90% of Victorians support the network.

Marine protected areas are vitally important to protect plants and animals, and equally important for the educational and recreational uses of the oceans.

 

Marine inquiry terms of reference

This VEAC enquiry is the first substantial look at our precious waters in ten years.

While the VNPA welcomed the announcement of the VEAC investigation, the scope of the inquiry is very narrow and fails to look at the health of the vast majority of Victoria's marine world.

This VEAC inquiry is only assessing 11.7% of the coastline. This 11.7% consists 13 marine national parks and11 marine sanctuaries (5.3% of state waters) and six marine parks, marine reserves or marine and coastal parks that allow some forms of fishing (6.4% of state waters).

The fact that 88.3% of our waters fall out of the scope of VEAC's remit is of great concern.

 

So what should VEAC be looking at?

VEAC needs to take into account the 2011 Victorian Auditor-General's Office Marine Report, which calls for more active management including statewide policies and planning for the whole marine environment.

VEAC must also investigate best practice international and national policies and strategies, and ecosystem-based management approaches upon which a marine plan could be based.

 

Why is this VEAC investigation significant?

The VEAC model is recognised as being of world class for independence, community consultation, and science-based processes for natural resource management.

VEAC's predecessor, the Land Conservation Council, was established in 1971 by the Victorian Government. It was later renamed the Environment Conservation Council, and then VEAC, but its functions have remained broadly the same for 40 years.

For years VEAC has provided the Victorian Government with independent, strategic advice relating to the protection and ecologically sustainable management of our environment and natural resources.

The terms of reference for the marine inquiry can be found on the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council's website.

 

What lurks beneath?

Victoria's marine environment is one of the most diverse in the world. It is home to more than 12,000 species - more than 90% unique to our southern waters - and is of global significance.

However, our marine environment is under increasing threat.

The VNPA's Marine Nature Conservation Review pin-pointed clear gaps in our current marine protected areas network and highlighted conservation values, critical habitats and threats.

These threats can be cumulative and include: ocean acidification, invasive species and pathogens, pollution and unsustainable fishing.

Our bays are also under pressure from port development with dredging and dredge spoil causing ongoing harm.

There is currently minimal environmental management of nearly 90% of state marine waters, with most of the legislation commodity focused and dealing with extractive activities such as fisheries and oil and gas exploration.

The only thorough way of assessing ocean health is through a comprehensive investigation of Victoria's entire marine environment, including looking at critical habitats, values and threats.

As with land-based national parks, the creation and management of marine national parks is a core conservation tool for keeping ecosystems healthy, but marine national parks should not be treated as a yardstick for the health of our entire marine environment.

 

How will the VEAC inquiry work?

There will be various opportunities for community input, including:

• Comments on the Proposed Terms of Reference for the Inquiry, which closed on 19 August 2011.
• Written submissions for consideration in the development of the discussion paper, which is open until Monday 25 June, 2012.
• Comments on the draft proposals paper, which will open for public comment mid-2013.

The final report and recommendations are due to be submitted to the Victorian environment minister in February 2014.

Public comment is now open until Monday 25 June to help develop the discussion paper.

You can register your interest online through the VEAC website to receive regular updates.

New stage of marine inquiry announced!

You're urged to get involved in the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council's (VEAC) marine environment investigation.

VEAC's draft discussion paper is now open for public consultation and the VNPA is calling on our passionate marine defenders to have their say.

By only assessing 11.7% of the coastline, the neglects the 88.3% of Victorian waters crying out for protection and best practice management.

 

Your marine heritage. Your say.

To help you to draft your submissions, we have provided a number of key points and handy references.

VNPA supporters are passionate, committed and often highly knowledgeable so if you have your own information about Victorian waters, please provide it. There is a lot to be said for citizen science and here is a chance to put your local knowledge and observations to good use.

 

A) VEAC must investigate Performance and Management

For VEAC to compile a comprehensive review of international and national scientific evidence relating to the biodiversity benefits of marine protected areas.

Helpful tips for your own key points:

• University of Adelaide released More Than Fishy Business, which gives an excellent overview of Australian and International scientific evidence about the biodiversity benefits of marine protected areas.
• The VNPA Marine Fact Sheet outlines pertinent points and references about the benefits of Victoria's marine national parks and sanctuaries.

For VEAC to compile all anecdotal, community and Parks Victoria scientific evidence about the biodiversity benefits of the current network of marine national parks and sanctuaries.

Helpful tips your own key points:

• If you are part of a 'Friends of' or 'marine care' group let VEAC know what positive changes you've seen over the past 10 years. Other key sources of information include information released through the Parks Victoria Marine Monitoring Program.
• The 2011 Auditor-General's Office report titled 'Environmental Management of Marine Protected Areas' highlights gaps in current management practices - although it is important to note that Parks Victoria are actively addressing some of the issues that were highlighted since the release of the report (e.g. integrating adaptive management practices into their monitoring and management programs).

For VEAC to review conservation gaps in and around the current network of marine national parks and sanctuaries.

Helpful tips your own key points:

• VNPA's marine conservation review identifies gaps in the current reserve system and assesses current management frameworks. It will help you inform your submission, particularly for specific information about your local area.

 

B) VEAC must investigate Challenges & Threats

For VEAC to examine and compile a comprehensive list of the threats and challenges to our current network of marine protected areas as well as to the entire marine environment.

Helpful tips your own key points:

• You'll find an extensive list of the challenges and threats to our marine environment in the VNPA Marine Nature Conservation Review and our fact sheet.
• Include the challenges and threats you have evidence about. For example, unsustainable fishing, coastal development, pollution and invasive species.
• Both the federal and Victorian State of the Environment reports can provide useful points about the challenges and threats faced by our marine environment.
• The above mentioned Auditor-General's report also outlines some significant challenges and threats to the marine environment, including the growing impact of marine invasive species and the illegal fishing within marine protected areas.

 

C) VEAC must investigate ecosystem-based management approaches

Helpful tips your own key points:

• Ecosystem-based management approaches must be examined with reference to a comprehensive marine plan for Victoria.

 

Making your submission by email

Email your submission to marine.investigation@veac.vic.gov.au or through theor submit it through the VEAC website.

 

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