Environment

Environment

KPA Environmental Policy and Plans

The Kimberley region is recognised for it’s environmental, cultural and heritage significance.  KPA understands the importance of environmental protection and is committed to acting in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. 

Port of Broome has an Environmental Management System (EMS) in accordance with AS/NZS ISO 14001:2015. Port of Broome also has an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) which provides strategies to manage and retain the environment on Port of Broome lands and waters.

 

Critically endangered flora – Seringia Exastia 

Environmental Monitoring

In order to understand the impacts that port operations have on the surrounding marine and landside environments Kimberley Ports Authority has implemented a range of comprehensive environmental monitoring and management programs. Some of the key environmental monitoring and management programs include:

Groundwater monitoring: water quality sampling and testing across a network of groundwater monitoring bores at the Port of Broome.

Marine monitoring: routine marine monitoring including marine sediment and water quality sampling and testing, mangrove and benthic habitat surveys.

Invasive Marine Pest Species Monitoring

Invasive Marine Pest Species Monitoring:

KPA participates in the State Wide Array Surveilance Program (SWASP) with the Department of Fisheries to monitor for the presence of invasive marine pests.  The SWASP involves the deployment of arrays on the wharf to monitor for growth and shoreline searches.

 

Arrays before and after deployment

Sea Stars (Cenolia) seen during seagrass monitoring

Environmental Initiatives

KPA provides financial support for the Broome Community Seagrass Monitoring Project.
The community-led seagrass monitoring program provides an ongoing health check and early warning system to protect Roebuck Bay’s benthic mudflats, which are among the richest in the world and have been declared a wetland of international significance.

 

Sea Stars (Cenolia) seen during seagrass monitoring