Managing bycatch

Background

An AFMA convened taskforce made up of representatives of the commercial fishing industry, the Department of Primary Industries and Energy (now the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry), the Department of the Environment and Water Resources, the Bureau of Resource Sciences and CSIRO completed the drafting of a Commonwealth Bycatch Policy in 1998. The draft Commonwealth Bycatch Policy then became the basis for a National Bycatch Policy which was released in October 1999. A new comprehensive Commonwealth Policy on Fisheries Bycatch was launched in Canberra on 19 June 2000 by the Hon Warren Truss, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Senator Robert Hill, Federal Minister for Environment and Heritage.

"This important initiative builds on the National Policy on Fisheries Bycatch I released last year as Chair of the Ministerial Council on Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture and requires action plans to be in place for major Commonwealth fisheries by 31 March 2001," Mr Truss said.

Page last updated 18 July, 2008