Southern bluefin tuna decisions—Frequently asked questions
The federal environment minister has made two decisions in relation to the southern bluefin tuna under national environment law (the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999):
- He has agreed to list the species as conservation dependent under national environment law. Media release
- He has re-accredited the Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery for export until July 2013.
These decisions were based on thorough and comprehensive assessments, which involved full public consultation.
Why are these decisions together the best option for the conservation of the southern bluefin tuna?
The decisions to list the southern bluefin tuna as conservation dependent, while at the same time allowing export to continue, give the species its best chance at recovery by protecting the species under national environment law.
This is because:
- being highly migratory, the species is considered a single, global population, so a globally coordinated management strategy is needed—the species is managed internationally by the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, of which Australia is a member
- the Threatened Species Scientific Committee is satisfied international measures put in place by the commission could be effective, as long as they are diligently implemented—these include developing a strategy to rebuild the population, and reducing global catch by 20 per cent over the 2010 and 2011 fishing seasons
- Australia is an important voice for international management and conservation of southern bluefin tuna, and a ban on fishing for southern bluefin tuna domestically could limit our future influence within the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna. This would compromise the positive cooperative steps being taken to ensure fishing of southern bluefin tuna remains sustainable, and it would not necessarily result in a reduction of global catch, as the global fishing limit may not change.
These two decisions achieve the right balance between sustainable commercial fishing and the conservation of the southern bluefin tuna.
What international measures are being taken?
The international Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna—the group of countries that sets the southern bluefin tuna catch levels and oversees the global management of the species—agreed to develop a strategy to rebuild the population, and to reduce the global catch of southern bluefin tuna by 20 per cent for the 2010 and 2011 fishing seasons.
At the October 2010 meeting, all member nations of the commission re-affirmed their commitment to adopt and implement a strategy in 2011 and to rebuild the southern bluefin tuna spawning stock, which will be used to set future global total allowable catch for 2012 and beyond.
The members also agreed to a work plan to help the commission adopt a strategy in 2011, which includes Australia hosting a special meeting in August 2011 to evaluate and adopt a management procedure.
What is conservation dependent listing under national environment law?
Species that are found to be threatened due to historic decline but are now under sustainable management arrangements may be listed as conservation dependent under national environment law.
A fish species can be listed under this category:
- if it is already subject to a plan of management that includes actions to stop its decline and support its long-term recovery
- where not having this management plan would adversely affect the species’ conservation.
Because of heavy fishing pressure the southern bluefin tuna declined by more than 90 per cent between the 1950s and mid-1990s. But management measures in recent years have helped stabilise the population, and the species is now under a plan of management aimed at rebuilding stocks. This makes it eligible for the conservation dependent category.
The listing means the southern bluefin tuna must always remain under a plan of management that includes actions to stop its decline and support its long-term recovery. This ensures the plan’s actions to stop the species’ decline and support its recovery continue in the long term.
Species listed as conservation dependent are not nationally protected matters, so do not trigger the offence provisions under national environment law.
What does the conservation dependent listing mean for fishing of southern bluefin tuna?
The conservation dependent listing will not prevent or restrict commercial fishing of southern bluefin tuna. Because a plan of management plan is already in place for the southern bluefin tuna, fishing and export will continue under existing arrangements with no additional regulatory burden on the industry.
The listing means the southern bluefin tuna must always remain under a plan of management that includes actions to stop its decline and support its long-term recovery. This ensures the plan’s actions to stop the species’ decline and support its recovery continue in the long term.
The listing does not restrict or prevent recreational and game fishing of southern bluefin tuna, and the species continues to be subject to existing state fisheries management arrangements.
Commonwealth fisheries are managed under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 or the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984. The Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery is managed under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery Management Plan 1995. A requirement of national environment law is that fisheries management plans are assessed and accredited by the environment minister.
What happens if southern bluefin tuna stocks show an improvement?
It is possible for a species to be taken off the national threatened species list if a thorough re-assessment by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee determines there has been an improvement in population numbers over the past 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer. In the case of the southern bluefin tuna, generation length is estimated as 16-18 years, so a re-assessment would look at stock levels over the previous 48 years.
What does the export re-accreditation mean?
The export re-accreditation granted to the Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery means the fishery can continue to export its catch until July 2013 under national environment law, subject to strict conditions and recommendations being met within this period.
For example, a method for getting statistically robust estimates of recreational and charter fishing catch in Australian waters will be developed.
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority will continue to investigate catch monitoring technologies to ensure monitoring continuously improves, including by introducing stereo video technology.
The authority will also continue to have observers monitor and record catch and mortalities during various operations.
These conditions will ensure the fishery remains sustainable in the long term.
The Australian Government is working with relevant state governments to improve the monitoring and management of recreational fishing for southern bluefin tuna around Australia.
Why does the federal environment minister need to accredit the Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery for export?
National environment law requires that all Commonwealth-managed fisheries and state wild capture marine fisheries with an export component be assessed to ensure they are being managed in an ecologically sustainable way.