Ecosystem based fishery management

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is leading the world in sustainable fisheries management through the adoption of an approach known as ecosystem based fisheries management (EBFM). EBFM is a significant departure from traditional fisheries management and considers the impact that fishing has on all aspects of the marine ecosystem, not just the target species. This includes bycatch and byproduct species (including protected species), habitats and communities.

Establishing EBFM across all Commonwealth managed fisheries is a considerable undertaking for AFMA and although this cannot be achieved over night, AFMA is well on its way through the implementation of a number of key initiatives. These initiatives will better position AFMA to target management effectively in fisheries to the benefit of industry and the long term sustainability of our marine ecosystems:

Ecological risk management
To assess, prioritise and respond to the risks that fishing poses to the ecological sustainability of the marine ecosystem, AFMA is implementing an ecological risk management framework across all Commonwealth managed fisheries.

Managing bycatch
The development of the Commonwealth and National bycatch policies demonstrates a commitment to ensure fisheries are ecologically sustainable through bycatch reduction, improved protection for protected species and minimising adverse impacts of fishing on the marine environment. Additionally AFMA has now established a bycatch and discard program to increase the pace of actions to address bycatch and discarding in fisheries.

Protected species
As part of its commitment to promoting sustainable use of fisheries resources, AFMA engages in many protected species issues. Two of the incentives include improving reporting interactions with protected species and producing a Protected Species ID Guide.

Page last updated 14 August, 2008