As part of DRI’s ongoing commitment to creating impact for dolphins, whales and the environment, we are proud to work alongside the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) on the Port Phillip Bay Environmental Management Plan (EMP) 2017-2027.
The EMP is a 10-year plan to ultimately achieve ‘a healthy Port Phillip Bay that is valued and cared for by all Victorians’. This will be implemented through action and investment into:
- Stewardship of the Bay, fostered across community, industry and government
- Improving water quality
- The Bay’s habitats and marine life
To evaluate the health of Port Phillip Bay, common dolphins were selected as an indicator due to their positioning as an apex predator in the marine food web.
The below document provides data on common dolphins in the Bay from the 2005 to 2022 time period, collected and provided to DEECA by DRI. This data was incorporated into the 2021-2022 Annual Report of the Port Phillip Bay EMP.
DRI is the only organisation currently monitoring and reporting on common dolphins in Victorian waters, and we have done so since 2005. Our data is shared with state and federal government and other environmental managers to ensure that the best decisions are made for our marine life.
