On 23 April 2013, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) announced a 2 year continuation of closures in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery that have been in place since May 2011. The closures aim to protect Australian Sea Lions, which are listed as vulnerable under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The closures also include two additional areas around Australian Sea Lion colonies recently identified as being at high risk of localised extinction. These closures are in response to commercial gillnet fishing being identified as the main cause of a lack of recovery in populations of Australian Sea Lions in South Australia. AFMA believe that without these closures the fishery’s environmental accreditation, and therefore future operation, could be at risk. Over the past two years these closures have played a part in the significant fall in catch in the South Australian portion of the fishery. A Regulation Impact Statement was prepared by AFMA and assessed as adequate by the Office of Best Practice Regulation.
- Managing interactions with Australian Sea Lions in the Gillnet Hook and Trap Sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery RIS [
6 MB] - Managing interactions with Australian Sea Lions in the Gillnet Hook and Trap Sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery RIS [
2 MB]