Study Notes on Fisheries Management and Policy in Australia

Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Introduction

• Speaker: Jessica Hoey, Director - Sustainable Fisheries & CITES Policy

• Focus: Role of science in informing fisheries policy and regulation.

Sustainable Fisheries – Federal Department

• Purpose: Assess the environmental performance of Australia’s wild caught commercial fisheries.

  • Fisheries must:

  • Operate in Commonwealth waters.

  • Export products.

  • Include approximately 130 fisheries across Commonwealth, state, and Northern Territory.

Legal Framework and Requirements

• Why We Do It:

  • Mandated by Australian law.

  • EPBC ACT 1999 (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act):

  • Requires assessment of fisheries' environmental performance.

  • Promotion of ecologically sustainable fisheries management.

  • Decision-Making Principles:

  • Based on scientific evidence.

  • Adherence to the precautionary principle.

Approval Processes Under the EPBC Act

• Relevant Parts:

  • Protected Species (Part 13)

  • Wildlife Trade Export Approval (Part 13A)

• Key Obligations:

  • Minimize impacts on protected species:

  • Must not kill, injure, or adversely affect survival or recovery.

  • Possible Exemptions: Accredited fishery management plans.

• Guideline Principles:

  1. Assess target stocks.

  2. Evaluate bycatch and impacts on protected species and ecosystems.

  • Follow the precautionary principle and international requirements (CITES).

• Focus: Improving fisheries management amid risks to the environment.

Fisheries Export Assessment Process

1. Conduct scientific literature review.

2. Gather expert advice.

3. Negotiate recommendations.

4. Formulate decisions.

5. Ensure fishery operations do not lead to overfishing, with a high probability of recovery for overfished stocks.

Ecological Impact Management

• Management Goals:

  • Fishing operations should minimize ecological impacts:

  • Preservation of structure, productivity, function, and biological diversity of ecosystems.

Main Risks Affecting Fish Stocks

• Identified Risks:

  • Climate Change.

  • Overfishing.

  • Bycatch.

• Regulatory Challenges:

  • The combined risks create significant challenges (ex: South Australia Algal Bloom).

  • Importance of data confidence in fisheries management.

Risk Assessment and Management Strategies

• Approach:

  • Risk-based assessment informed by data to issue permits.

  • Investigate and fund mitigation actions (e.g., bycatch reductions).

  • Influence strategic changes, including standards development and legal reform.

Science Informing Policy and Management

• Key Components:

  • Ecological Risk Assessment.

  • Stock Assessment.

  • Harvest Strategy Development.

  • Monitoring and Reporting Compliance & Enforcement.

  • Utilization of peer-reviewed science, life-history traits studies, and habitat state assessments.

  • Implementation of spatial and temporal studies with scientific observers.

Example Data Handling: Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA)

• Gathering of fisheries data:

  • Independent monitoring and validation of logbooks.

  • Collect data on catch times and catch data.

  • Focus on interactions with protected species, aiming for data confidence through independent monitoring.

Electronic Monitoring (EM) in Australian Fisheries

• Current Status (2023):

  • Implementation rates vary across fisheries:

  • 55.5% implemented in some areas, while 0% in others.

• Challenges Associated with EM:

  • Privacy concerns for fishers, cost implications, and scrutiny.

  • Accessibility of data for eNGOs and governmental transparency needs.

Bycatch Mitigation Strategies

• Technological Innovations:

  • Tom’s Fisheye and Turtle Excluder Device:

  • Preliminary results indicate a 65% reduction in sea snake captures in trawl nets.

  • Seabird Streamers by QLD Government and NOAA.

Case Studies in Fisheries Management

• East Coast Inshore Finfish Fishery:

  • Transitioning from gill nets by 2027 due to monitoring and bycatch concerns.

  • Implementation of electronic monitoring.

• Torres Strait Rock Lobster Fishery:

  • Established monitoring regime leading to 10-year Wildlife Trade Operation approval in 2023.

  • Hand collection method (lower risk) was utilized, along with independent pre-season surveys.

  • Transition to alternative gears by 2027 due to limited bycatch concerns.

CITES Overview

• CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

  • Aims to ensure international trade does not threaten species' survival in the wild.

  • Involves 184 parties and holds meetings every 3 years (next in Uzbekistan 2025).

CITES Appendices

• Regulatory Frameworks:

  • Appendix I: Species threatened with extinction; commercial trade prohibited.

  • Appendix II: Trade must be controlled to prevent detrimental impacts on species.

Upcoming CITES Conference (CoP20) - Uzbekistan 2025

• Focus Areas:

  • 51 different listing proposals, 11 of which are marine-related.

  • Importance of assessing proposals relative to CITES criteria and determining Australia's position.

CoP Decision-Making Process

• Voting Mechanism:

  • Proposals debated with consensus preferred but voted on otherwise; requires a 2/3 majority.

Criteria for Amending CITES Appendices

• Consideration of Species Variability:

  • Different approaches necessary for various species (e.g., sharks vs. corals).

  • Precautionary principle emphasized in situations of uncertainty.

Summary and Conclusions

• Main Takeaways:

  • Fisheries management extends beyond simple catch limits and gear types.

  • Federal Environmental Law promotes sustainability and requires risk mitigation for protected species.

  • Reliable and transparent fisheries data is paramount for informed decision-making and sustainability validation.

  • Data must lead to actionable steps to mitigate risks affecting fisheries and ecosystems, requiring integrated environmental, social, and economic responses.