MERI Report Summary

This evaluation includes a significant amount of data from over 130 groups and 310 activities, specifically with 19 detailed responses to the MERI survey and over 90 attendees at the Port Phillip Bay forum. 24 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were evaluated against targets outlined in the MERI plan.

Overall, the survey respondents identified that while there is significant progress being made across all 3 Goals and the EMP has very good overarching goals, there is more work to be done in transparently sharing the activities that are occurring for each priority action and how they link back to the program vision. The success of the EMP implementation is due to the community and stakeholders providing updated reports and information which allows for the condition within and around the Bay and its environment to be tracked. The continual investment of cash and volunteer hours demonstrates the community commitment to ensuring the health of the Bay.

The chart below shows the KPI target performance. The full list of the KPIs and their target performance are listed in the MERI report.

This MERI evaluation provides insights to the progress of the PPB EMP since 2017, and over the next two years further review is required to prepare for the next PPB EMP post 2027.The next EMP should be co-designed with Traditional Owners, and involve consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, including local communities, industries, and environmental organisations. A collaborative approach will ensure the next PPB EMP reflects contemporary and diverse perspectives to address the socio-economic dimensions of the Bay's marine and coastal environment. Revising the EMP to incorporate spatial planning and segmenting the Bay into more manageable units will greatly enhance its effectiveness. The current EMP, while comprehensive, sets goals and priority actions for an extensive area of marine waters, which poses significant challenges for effective implementation and monitoring. A collaborative approach is required to ensure the next PPB EMP reflects contemporary and diverse perspectives to address the socio economic dimensions of the Bay's marine and coastal environment. Some future planning has already identified areas of potential improvement for the next plan as listed below. For a full understanding, read the Future Steps section in the MERI Report.

• Report cards and quality assurance
  • The development of 9 report cards under the current PPB EMP's framework and relevant Environmental Reference Standards has been central to modernising environmental monitoring and reporting on the health of the Bay. Future steps should include reassessment of the adequacy of existing data sources, prioritisation of threats to the Bay and linking indicators to priority threats and actions in specific geographical segments of the Bay and coordination of indicators and reporting form complementary plans.
• Seafloor integrity and nitrogen recycling
  • The health of the Bay is fundamentally dependent on the integrity of its seafloor biota which processes the bulk of nitrogen inputs form catchments, rivers and discharges. Monitoring is crucial to assess denitrification efficiency, with target monitoring required to investigate the catchment loads entering the Bay and assessing the impact of these loads on the seafloor to inform the most appropriate management actions.
• Coordinated Planning and Management
  • Improved integration with Victoria's complementary planning documents is crucial for the success of the next EMP in 2027. The coordinated implementation of complementary plans and strategies is essential to managing the health of Port Phillip Bay. The co-ordinated co-creation and delivery of these planning documents in 2027 and 2028 should take due regard to the national Framework for Marine and Estuarine Water Quality Protection (2018) is also important to improve integration and identify priorities for action and investment. Complementary plans and strategies include some like Healthy Waterways Strategy 2018-2028, Regional Catchment Strategies (Corangamite and Port Phillip & Western Port) and EPA Strategic Plan 2022-2027, among others that are fully listed in the MERI Report.