The State’s marine and coastal environments are to be protected and enhanced under a five-year strategy from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
Releasing its Marine and Coastal Strategy 2022, the Department said the Strategy would support sustainable use and improve how it managed the health of the marine and coastal environment.
“It is a five-year action plan to begin implementing the Marine and Coastal Policy 2020,” DELWP said.
It said the Strategy included six actions, with supporting activities, and an important message from Victorian coastal Traditional Owners.
DELWP said the first action would see Traditional Owners determine how their rights and obligations were embedded into planning and management of the marine and coastal environment.
It said this would integrate Traditional Owners’ value, their uses and practices into management of Country to assess biological and cultural values as well as impacts from land use and climate change.
The Department said Action Two would improve the condition and connectivity of marine and coastal ecosystems by empowering Victorians to connect with and care for the areas, while Action Three would help DELWP prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
“Action Four enables sustainable use and development of the marine and coastal environment,” it said.
“Action Five will continue to implement the Marine Spatial Planning Framework.”
DELWP said the sixth and final action of the Strategy would identify resource needs for sustainable marine and coastal management.
Welcoming the Department’s Strategy, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio said it was a simpler, more integrated approach to planning and managing the marine and coastal environment.
Ms D’Ambrosio said Victoria had over 2,500 kilometres of coastline and about 10,000 square kilometres of marine waters.
DELWP’s 68-page Strategy can be accessed at this PS News link.
