News and media

Media release from the Australian Border Force

An unlicensed fish receiver operating in the Torres Strait, was convicted in the Thursday Island Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 13 October 2020, for offences identified in late 2019. The man was found in illegal possession of 41.3 kilograms of processed sea cucumbers (also known as beche de mer) and operating an unlicensed fish receiving operation in the Torres Strait Protected Zone (TSPZ).

Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) help the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) to monitor vessel position, course and speed of all 300+ Commonwealth fishing vessels. This helps to ensure that operators are complying with the rules and regulations for fishing in Australian waters.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has extended the application deadline for the upcoming vacant Chair position on the Scallop Management Advisory Committees (ScallopMAC) until Friday 6 November 2020.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has amended the list of approved Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) unit types for use on Commonwealth nominated fishing vessels.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is seeking applications for an upcoming vacant Chair position on one of its Management Advisory Committees (MAC) for the Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery (BSCZSF).

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) would like to remind operators of the updates to the concession conditions made at the start of the 2020 Eastern Tuna and Billfish (ETBF) fishing season, specifically as relate to seabird mitigation and reporting requirements.

Media release from Senator the Hon Jonathon Duniam Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries