National estuarine environmental condition assessment framework round table report (2007)

Product Information

The round table was an opportunity to explore the potential for developing a national estuarine assessment framework based on existing initiatives.
Specifically the objectives of the NEECAF workshop were to:

• Identify the structure and candidate core components for a viable NEECAF
• Identify what needs to be done to produce and implement a NEECAF

To achieve these objectives, the roundtable was designed to provide a structured opportunity to:

• Clarify the need, purpose, scope and audience of a NEECAF
• Briefly review estuarine assessment frameworks/programs being used or developed at a state or regional level
• Clarify and seek agreement on definitions and terms used in the framework
• Assess and modify a proposed outline for a NEECAF that has been synthesised from the existing frameworks. By doing so,
• Identify core components required for an NEECAF.
• Identify content and methods of core components
• Discuss the necessary next steps for developing and implementing a NEECAF

The results of the roundtable will:

• Provide input to a scoping report which will recommend to the Audit a suitable assessment framework and mechanisms for conducting the national estuarine (and coast and marine) assessment (Scoping report due April 2008)
• Provide the foundation for a national workshop on NRM ECM report carding (~ March 2008)