Management of marine environments requires an artful balance between ecosystem priorities, economic objectives and governance structures. The stewardship of Victoria’s diverse and urbanised Port Phillip Bay (PPB) perfectly exemplifies this complex equilibrium. The embayment, with 333 kilometres of coastline and unique geography, is Sea County for the Bunurong, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Traditional Owner Recognised Aboriginal Parties, and aligns with multiple laws and policies, catchment boundaries and significant waterways.
To improve the health of this complex social, environmental and jurisdictional space, the co-designed Port Phillip Bay Environmental Management Plan 2017-2027 (EMP) was established, aligning with local interventions and broader regional and state policies. The EMP commits to fostering community, industry and governmental stewardship of the Bay, improving water quality and supporting thriving biodiversity. To achieve such goals, this presentation will share how the EMP takes a novel data-driven approach, synthesising multiple time-series datasets into standardised indices and developed a platform for integrated assessment and governance in PPB. This information is publicly available using interactive data visualisation and reporting.