AFMA and trawl-fishers act to protect seabirds

19 July 2011

Questions and Answers

Why do birds interact with trawlers?

Birds are attracted to trawl boats to feed on both the fish caught in the nets and fish scraps discarded by the vessels during the sorting and cleaning of the catch.

Which seabirds are affected?

Various species of Shearwaters, Albatross and Petrels are particularly attracted to trawl vessels.  These species are protected species in Australian waters.

What is the level/rate of interaction?

Accurate figures on the level/rate of interaction are not available and anecdotal information suggests that the risks to seabirds vary by area and fishery.

Often seabird-trawl interactions are hidden from view due to the location and speed of the interactions.  Dedicated scientific observers have collected some information on interaction rates but this data is limited and generally pre-dates introduction of mitigation measures to reduce the risks to seabirds.

Increased monitoring including the use of cameras will be necessary to get an accurate estimate of interaction rates.  Since 1 July 2011 all AFMA observers have been required to specifically observe the warp lines to detect any seabird interactions. AFMA is working with industry to trial cameras in the trawl fishery.

What has AFMA and the industry done to address this problem?

Stringent management measures have been in place in Australia’s Antarctic fisheries for many years and these have been highly successful.

Over the last few years, AFMA and the fishing industry have supported scientific studies into the interaction rates in other Commonwealth-managed trawl fisheries and in particular those operating in southern waters adjacent to Tasmania and the Australian mainland.

In advance of the research results becoming available, most trawl operators in the south east and Great Australian Bight fisheries have voluntarily implemented Seabird Management Plans and AFMA has now made these plans compulsory for all Commonwealth-managed trawl vessels in these areas

AFMA will monitor the effectiveness of the new management arrangements and will implement additional controls if necessary.

How will Seabird Management Plans help?

Seabird Management Plans set out a variety of proven mitigation measures that are tailored to each vessel in each fishery.

Seabird Management Plans identify physical mitigation measures to stop seabirds from interacting with the warp wires and other fishing gear. They also include measures dealing with the discharge of biological waste from vessels to reduce seabird attraction and interaction.

Further ‘common-sense’ measures are employed by fishers to help reduce the risk of interactions, including reducing the time the nets are on the surface of the water and cleaning the net of fish when re-setting. This reduces the likelihood of seabirds using the nets as a food source and consequently getting entangled.

How does AFMA know boats are following their Seabird Management Plans?

AFMA will monitor industry adherence to Seabird Management Plans including through its independent observer program and compliance and enforcement program.

The trawl industry in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery, with funding from AFMA, is working with OceanWatch to evaluate awareness of methods to avoid interactions with seabirds and behavioural change in the fishery.  Results from this study will be used by AFMA to assess the effectiveness of current management arrangements and if changes are required.

How will AFMA respond to ongoing seabird interactions?

AFMA will continue to monitor the issue to ensure that accidental interactions between trawlers and seabirds are as close to zero as possible.