(Urban): Guidance for regions to incorporate smart, integrated approaches to urban water quality in regional WQIPs. Cape York: TBA Fitzroy Basin Association: TBA NQ Dry Tropics: TBA WQA8 Increase industry participation in regional water quality improvement initiatives and partnerships aimed at managing, monitoring and reporting of water quality. These should build on existing initiatives such as: • Fitzroy Partnership for River Health • Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership • Mackay Whitsunday Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership. EHP On track/ Underway This action will be delivered through the establishment of regional partnerships under WQA23 and through the establishment of performance-based reporting under WQA6 See WQA6 and WQA23 DAF DNRM DSITI GBRMPA Industry NRMs LG Already prioritised WQA9 Review and update water quality objectives and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Water GBRMPA On track/ Underway Water quality guidelines reviewed and updated based on best available information. Review of water quality guidelines completed. Water quality guideline values incorporated into Queensland’s Environment Protection (Water) Policy 2009. Water quality guidelines included in all Great Barrier Reef Regional Water Quality Improvement EHP DSITI DNRM DAF Industry LG Already prioritised
• identifies appropriate environmental windows to avoid coral spawning, seagrass recruitment, turtle breeding, and weather events • examines opportunities for the beneficial reuse of dredge material or on land disposal from maintenance activities • establishes requirements for risk-based monitoring programs. WQA17 Understand the port sediment characteristics and risks at the four major ports and how they interact and contribute to broader catchment contributions within the World Heritage Area. Queensland Ports Association Not yet due Develop a conceptual model of the sediment regime at each of the GBRWHA ports (Gladstone, Townsville, Hay Point, Abbot Point and Cairns) that provides estimates of sediment transport rates and fluxes between stores. Understand risks associated with sediments resuspended and transported by dredging in context with other influences (e.g. catchment contributions and natural processes). QPA have reviewed previous and ongoing research projects being undertaken by regional ports, and; several projects which are currently being managed as part of the National Environmental Science Program. Based on this review, an initial scoping document has been prepared which will be discussed with potential researchers and supporting agencies. QPA will then determine an appropriate mechanism for delivery of this action that leverages off and complements existing work that is already underway. EHP DSITI DTMR GBRMPA Industry Immediate (December 2016) WQA18 In 2015 legislate to ban sea-based disposal of capital dredge material in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and in the balance of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area DSD Completed See EHA21 The Sustainable Ports Legislation was passed by the Queensland Parliament on Thursday 12 November 2015 putting into effect the Government’s key port-related commitments in the Reef 2050 Plan. The new port laws will: • restrict new port development in and adjoining the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area to within current port limits and outside Commonwealth and state marine parks • stop development of new ports in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and limit OCG GBRMPA Already prioritised
EBA9 Encourage industry adoption of vessel assessment activities and approval processes that incorporate key crew competency evaluations to help ensure safe operations and compliance with regional and port requirements. DTMR On Industry and charterers are provided with guidance on how to include crew competency as part of their ship vetting practice. Crew competencies are being strengthened domestically and at the international level through improved training requirements for specific vessel or equipment types and through the introduction of requirements for ongoing training and assessment. AMSA monitors the delivery of courses by training institutions and targets crew competency through the port State control and flag State control inspection regime. The International Safety Management audit system is used to ensure vessel operators maintain the competencies of their crews. DTMR DoEE AMSA Industry Immediate (December 2016) EBA10 Support the North-east Shipping Management Group on environment protection measures, preparedness and response protective measures, management of major anchorages, and stakeholder engagement. AMSA In Place The North East Shipping Management Plan outlines 63 actions that various organisations will undertake to maintain and enhance the safety of shipping as well as prevent ship sourced pollution and other environmental impacts. Recent achievements under the plan include: • upgrade of emergency towage capability in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea; • increased numbers of marine surveyors at ports; • international recognition of the GBR adjacent Coral Sea area as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area with new ship routing measures including an area-to-be-avoided and two five nautical mile wide two-way routes; • enhancement of the regulatory structure for coastal pilotage; and • training of coastal pilots in electronic chart display and information systems. Current activity is focussed on: • industry related actions relating to improved ship safety standards for ships transiting the Reef • monitoring research outcomes for developing whale strike and noise mitigation measures • encouraging voluntary use of AIS (Automatic Identification System) by the fishing industry The North East Shipping Management Group meeting in March 2016 noted that the majority of Work Programme actions were on track (now being implemented as part of normal business). At the North East Water Space Management Working Group on the 8th December 2015 the opportunity was taken to discuss the role of industry in implementing more stringent safety, environmental and crewing standards for vessels transiting the Great Barrier Reef. DTMR EHP DoEE GBRMPA Already prioritised