NAC Environmental Management System (EMS) Initiative
The National Aquaculture EMS initiative provides
Australia's aquaculture industry the cost effective opportunity to get on the environmental front foot.
This initiative is being managed through the Aquaculture Industry Action Agenda, and takes into consideration the "EMS Pathways" program being conducted by Seafood Services Australia on behalf of the broader seafood industry.
Through the Action Agenda initiative, Codes of Practice and Customised Environmental Management Systems have been developed for several key aquaculture businesses that will champion the implementation of EMS.
Those involved in the project have been provided with professional assessments of the environmental performance of their operations. Some of these organisations have agreed to have their assessments made publicly available for the purpose of sharing their experiences with others in the industry.
More about EMS
An environmental management system (EMS) is a process used to manage environmental impacts, risks and opportunities.
The great thing about an EMS is that you can design it to suit your own circumstances. There is no "right way" to conduct an EMS, but there are some standard key elements to consider. An EMS can be designed to:
- manage a particular environmental risk - for example, the environmental impacts of a certain fishing method or aquaculture activity
- focus on more efficient use of your resources - less waste = more profits
- integrate environmental management into an existing management system - for example, a system for managing food safety or quality
An EMS may be:
- as simple as a code of best practice, or
- as comprehensive as a 3rd party certified system complying with international standards, such as ISO 14001 or the Marine Stewardship Council
An EMS may cover:
- an individual business, such as an aquaculture business or a fishing vessel
- several businesses with common interests, such as the members of an industry association
- all businesses in a particular fishery or aquaculture sector
An EMS can be designed to suit any situation - the option you choose will depend on your own goals and priorities.
Some of the potential benefits of implementing an EMS:
- Reduce operational expenditure through improved management of inputs and outputs;
- Maintain and improve market access through a form of eco or environmental labeling.
This is particularly relevant in European countries as they are currently placing restrictions on imports that do not come from
environmentally certified production systems;
- Consumer trends demonstrate concerns about the environment. Producers must equip themselves with the appropriate management tools
that address such a trend;
- Increases management capacity to find efficient, innovative solutions to improving environmental performance;
- Reducing liabilities and insurance premiums - reduce risk of externalities;
- Greater transparency and accountability
- Increased community dialogue
- Transparency of environmental performance
- Verification of practices against a credible process and system (ESD, Risk Assessment, EMS);
- Possible adoption of Public Environmental Reporting and ultimate 3rd Party Auditing.
- Improving the Industry profile with the consequence of enhancing the political and community
support for Industry. The process will contribute to the removal of negative environmental perceptions associated with the Industry;
- Ensure environmental requirements on an aquaculture licence is relevant to day-to-day business;
- Streamline environmental activities, now and in the future;
- Increase access to investment sources;
- Decrease perceived risk
- Improvement in ethical and social responsibility;
- Improving industry self esteem and sense of stewardship;
- Demonstrate to the public and government agencies that aquaculture impacts can be reliably assessed
on an on-going basis;
- Provide information that will allow a sector or business to measure environmental improvement over time;
- Improve responses to environmental emergencies, principally those relating to disease, pest
incursion and food quality;
Documents to Help You with EMS
EMS Newsletters
People to Contact to Help You with EMS
Further Information
|
