MARINE INCIDENT PLANNING Cleaning up after an oil spill. (Photography Ensuring adequate planning and resourcing for Marine Safety Victoria). appropriate and timely responses to emergencies is recognised as important in Victoria. Current The Victoria Police, through its Division/District statewide response arrangements and training for structure and the Police Search and Rescue emergency incidents are outlined in the Victorian Squad, has prime responsibility under the Emergency Management Manual and the draft Emergency Management Act 1986 for search and Victorian Emergency Management Training and rescue and other emergency incidents in Victoria. Development Management Strategy. Parks Victoria will work with coordinating Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries Victoria’s agencies to ensure that appropriate response are at risk from a range of marine incidents. arrangements are developed for marine Planning will require response arrangements and incidents within or in the vicinity training protocols for incidents such as: of Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries. This may require, for example, the amendment of spills of oil and other chemicals; relevant authority designations, contacts, local shipping and boating accidents; plans and response procedures. Provisions relating stranding of cetaceans; and to response arrangements include: the introduction of marine pests (see pages responsibilities for management of maritime emergencies; Management framework responsibilities across tenures; A national plan to combat pollution of the sea by designation of the major control agency; and oil and other noxious substances has been provisions for competing emergencies. operational since 1973. The plan represents a combined effort between Commonwealth and State Governments to provide a framework to plan for and respond to marine pollution incidents. Marine Safety Victoria has responsibility under the Marine Act 1988 to ensure that there is an effective response to pollution incidents, guided by the Victorian Marine Pollution Contingency Plan (VICPLAN) (1997). Marine Safety Victoria maintains and stores pollution response equipment across the State, and provides training and exercises for personnel. The Environment Protection Authority Victoria also has powers and enforcement provisions to restrict the pollution of State waters, and works closely with Marine Safety Victoria. The Department of Sustainability and Environment coordinates incidents associated with wildlife through the Wildlife Response Plan for Oil Spills (1997) and the Victorian Cetacean Contingency Plan (1999). Regulations with respect to human activities with cetaceans are set using the Wildlife (Whale) Regulations 1998 under the Wildlife Act 1975.
MARINE INCIDENT PLANNING Ensuring adequate planning and resourcing for appropriate and timely responses to emergencies is recognised as important in Victoria. Current statewide response arrangements and training for emergency incidents are outlined in the Victorian Emergency Management Manual and the draft Victorian Emergency Management Training and Development Management Strategy. Victoria’s Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries are at risk from a range of marine incidents. Planning will require response arrangements and training protocols for incidents such as: spills of oil and other chemicals; shipping and boating accidents; stranding of cetaceans; and the introduction of marine pests (see pages Management framework A national plan to combat pollution of the sea by oil and other noxious substances has been operational since 1973. The plan represents a combined effort between Commonwealth and State Governments to provide a framework to plan for and respond to marine pollution incidents. Marine Safety Victoria has responsibility under the Marine Act 1988 to ensure that there is an effective response to pollution incidents, guided by the Victorian Marine Pollution Contingency Plan (VICPLAN) (1997). Marine Safety Victoria maintains and stores pollution response equipment across the State, and provides training and exercises for personnel. The Environment Protection Authority Victoria also has powers and enforcement provisions to restrict the pollution of State waters, and works closely with Marine Safety Victoria. The Department of Sustainability and Environment coordinates incidents associated with wildlife through the Wildlife Response Plan for Oil Spills (1997) and the Victorian Cetacean Contingency Plan (1999). Regulations with respect to human activities with cetaceans are set using the Wildlife (Whale) Regulations 1998 under the Wildlife Act 1975. Cleaning up after an oil spill. (Photography Marine Safety Victoria). The Victoria Police, through its Division/District structure and the Police Search and Rescue Squad, has prime responsibility under the Emergency Management Act 1986 for search and rescue and other emergency incidents in Victoria. Parks Victoria will work with coordinating agencies to ensure that appropriate response arrangements are developed for marine incidents within or in the vicinity of Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries. This may require, for example, the amendment of relevant authority designations, contacts, local plans and response procedures. Provisions relating to response arrangements include: responsibilities for management of maritime emergencies; responsibilities across tenures; designation of the major control agency; and provisions for competing emergencies.