AECOM Australia was engaged by the Boating Industry Association Victoria (BIAVIC) to prepare this report on behalf of the Gippsland Lakes Ministerial Advisory Committee and Gippsland Ports, undertaking economic research to determine the economic value of boating and marine industries associated with the Gippsland Lakes (including ocean access through the entrance).

The key objectives of the project were:

1. To undertake a boating usage and demand study of commercial and recreational boating in the Gippsland Lakes region.

2. To estimate the economic contribution of commercial and recreational boating to the Gippsland Lakes region.