Protected species

As part of its commitment to promoting sustainable use of fisheries resources, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) engages in many protected species issues.

A number of marine species are listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 including seals and sea lions, sharks, turtles, seabirds and cetaceans (whales and dolphins). The fishing industry interacts with these species and as such must be accredited to do so.

Species listed fall into four main categories:

  1. a member of a listed threatened species or listed threatened ecological community,
  2. a member of a listed migratory species,
  3. a member of a listed marine species; or
  4. a cetacean.

Information on protected species is available through our Threatened, Endangered, Protected (TEP) species Management Fact Sheets and Protected Species ID Guide (3.5MB).

TEP Species Management Fact Sheets
Introduction to TEP Management Fact Sheets 123kb
No.1 Seals & Sea Lions 191kb
No.2 Dolphins and Porpoises 167kb
No.3 Seabirds 131kb
No.4 Sawfishes 167kb
No.5 Sharks 129kb
No.6 Seasnakes 316kb
No.7 Marine Turtles 170kb
No.8 Syngnathids 169kb
No.9 Whales 148kb
No.10 Dugongs 128kb

Interactions with protected species

An interaction is any physical contact a person, boat or gear has with a protected species including catching and colliding with any of these species.

As a result of being a wild animal harvesting industry, the fishing industry may interact with protected species. All AFMA managed fisheries have accreditation under Part 13 of the EPBC Act 1999 for interactions with protected species. Without this accreditation, fishing operators may be liable for prosecution for the capture of protected species. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (763kb) between AFMA and the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPAC) allows AFMA to report interactions with protected species on behalf of Commonwealth fishers. As long as operators are fishing in accordance with the accredited fishery management arrangements it is not an offence to interact with a protected species. However, it is an offence not to report these interactions in their AFMA logbook. So, don’t get caught – just report!

All interaction reports are provided to SEWPAC quarterly and are available below.

Protected species interaction reports from AFMA logbooks
1 October to 31 December 2011 PRELIMINARY 154kb
1 July to 30 September 2011 45kb
1 April to 30 June 2011 46kb
1 January to 31 March 2011 54kb
1 October to 31 December 2010 68kb
1 July to 30 September 2010 55kb
1 April to 30 June 2010 31kb
1 January to 31 March 2010 27kb
1 October to 31 December 2009 36kb
1 July to 30 September 2009 46kb
1 April to 30 June 2009 43kb
1 January to 31 March 2009 43kb
Archived interaction reports -

To find out more about protected species interactions with fisheries contact our Environment section on 1300 723 621.