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Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery - Application 2016

« Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery

Environmental Assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Australian Fisheries Management Authority April 2016

Agency application on ecological sustainability

About the application

The current export approval for the Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery is valid until 16 December 2016 and the fishery is now due for assessment for ongoing export accreditation. The Department of the Environment received an application, AFMA Submission – EPBC Act Reassessment, Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery, April 2016, from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority in April 2016. The application has been prepared to address the Australian Government ‘Guidelines for the ecologically sustainable management of fisheries – 2nd edition’ and to provide updates on the implementation of recommendations made in the previous Australian Government assessment. The application will be used to assess the operation of the fishery for the purposes of Parts 13 and 13A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

Consideration will be given to:

  • declaring the Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery, as managed consistent with the Commonwealth Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Fisheries Management Regulations 1992, as an approved wildlife trade operation under section 303FN of the EPBC Act, and
  • including in the list of exempt native specimens, specimens harvested in the Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery under the provisions of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Fisheries Management Regulations 1992.

In accordance with the provisions of sections 303FR and 303DC of the EPBC Act, you are invited to comment on this proposal.

Download the application

AFMA Submission – EPBC Act Reassessment Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery (includes Attachment A) (PDF - 829.52 KB)
AFMA Submission – EPBC Act Reassessment Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery (includes Attachment A) (DOC - 2.29 MB)
Attachment B - Level 2 SBT Fishery Ecological Risk Assessment (PDF - 354.17 KB)
Attachment C - SBT Fishery Residual Risk Assessment (PDF - 1.85 MB)  
Attachment D - SBT Fishery Level Three Rapid Qualitative Risk Assessment (PDF - 152.79 KB)
Attachment E - SBT Fishery Ecological Risk Management Strategy (PDF - 838.39 KB) 

The call for public comments is open from 22 April 2016 until 20 May 2016.

Please submit your comments to:

The Director
Sustainable Fisheries Section
Department of the Environment
GPO Box 787
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Submissions may also be sent by fax to (02) 6274 2875, or email to sustainablefisheries@environment.gov.au

Any comments received will form part of the documentation provided to the Australian Government Minister for the Environment for a decision. Copies of comments may be made available to other persons with a particular interest in the application. If you wish to claim confidentiality for any part of your comments, would you please discuss the matter with the Director of the Sustainable Fisheries Section (02) 6274 1917.