Basics of EMS
What is an EMS?
EMS stands for Environmental Management System.
The future of the oyster industry relies not only on a healthy environment, but also on the ability to demonstrate that farmers are utilising the environment in a responsible, sustainable manner. One way of doing this is to develop an EMS.
An EMS is a simple yet powerful approach where farmers identify all environmental issues that pose a risk to their business and the wider catchment, and then systematically work to address those risks through on-the-ground action. These actions vary from upgrading to more environmentally friendly infrastructure, to raising awareness of catchment issues in local communities.
The future of the oyster industry relies not only on a healthy environment, but also on the ability to demonstrate that farmers are utilising the environment in a responsible, sustainable manner. One way of doing this is to develop an EMS.
An EMS is a simple yet powerful approach where farmers identify all environmental issues that pose a risk to their business and the wider catchment, and then systematically work to address those risks through on-the-ground action. These actions vary from upgrading to more environmentally friendly infrastructure, to raising awareness of catchment issues in local communities.
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What are the benefits of EMS?
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EMS database
How do I use the EMS and keep it up to date?
How to use the EMS to explain farming practices:
Every oyster EMS has an background section which provides information about the local industry. It discusses farming methods, species grown, and provides a brief explanation of the comprehensive water quality monitoring program that oyster farmers undertake to ensure a safe and premium quality product.
How to use the EMS to highlight high risk activities to the industry:
High risk activities to oyster farming have been identified through a risk analysis. This allows potential risks to be identified and ranked as low, moderate, significant or high depending on the likelihood of a risk occurring, and the severity of the consequence. Risks are typically split into two groups:
- External risks: May arise from other people’s activities, or from natural events such as extreme weather conditions
- Internal risks: May arise as a result of oyster farming operations
How to use the EMS to improve the environmental performance of the industry & conditions in the estuary:
An Environmental Improvement Plan, or Action Plan provides information on how the risks may impact on the oyster industry. This plan also outlines how oyster growers and other stakeholders can work to protect the waterway. An EMS is just a plan, it's what you can do with it that's important.
How to use the EMS to demonstrate that oysters farmers are continually improving their environmental performance:
Every year (or biennially) it is encouraged that oyster farmers review the environmental performance of the industry against the Action Plan. Undertaking this review allows farmers to see how successfully they are working towards implementing their EMS. A summary of the year’s achievements (and ongoing challenges) can be used as the basis of a media release to promote the work done by farmers.
How to keep the EMS up to date:
By undertaking an annual review of EMS actions, this provides an opportunity to highlight the ongoing challenges that farmers face. It also allows emerging risks to be discussed, and to work out how these risks may best be addressed. Every 3-4 years it is recommended that farmers review their full EMS, and update it to include issues that have emerged, and to remove risks that have been nullified.