The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has developed a free app to help fisheries officers across the Pacific break down the language barrier during at-sea and in-port inspections of foreign fishing vessels. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a global problem. Increasingly, countries are working together through memberships in regional fisheries management organisations to protect fish stocks that migrate or straddle multiple exclusive economic zones and the high seas.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has published the 2023-25 National Compliance and Enforcement Program.   The program outlines how AFMA will deliver cost effective and efficient fisheries compliance services to manage Commonwealth fisheries on behalf of the Australian public. This includes effectively deterring illegal fishing, with strict management rules and regulations, to ensure Australian fish stocks and the fishing industry are viable now and into the future.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) observer program collects scientific data by highly trained specialists while on board domestic, and if required, foreign vessels fishing within the Australian Fishing Zone and some adjacent high seas areas under international arrangements. Observers are trained in specialised sampling techniques including the collection of otoliths (fish ear bones), biological samples such as the sex and length of a fish and environmental observations.

Climate-driven changes in the marine environment are accelerating with record high sea surface temperatures and record low Antarctic sea ice being recorded this year. The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is working closely with world-leading scientists at CSIRO to understand what this means for Australia’s fisheries both now and into the future.

In 2023, women remain a minority in STEM education and careers. This is also the trend for women in fisheries science.  Increased participation of women in fisheries science will build a more diverse, skilled workforce, ready to tackle the emerging technological, environmental, and economic challenges to ensure the efficient management of Commonwealth fisheries and the security of the Australian fishing industry. 

Inmarsat C Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) devices have now reached ‘end of life’.The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) advises all Commonwealth fishers to replace these devices before 22 March 2024 as they are not permitted for use in Commonwealth Fisheries as a VMS device after this time.Operators are advised to replace any remaining Inmarsat C devices, fitted/used to meet Commonwealth VMS requirements, as soon as practical, and by no later than 22 March 2024.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is seeking applications for the conservation member on our Tropical Tuna Management Advisory Committee (TTMAC).  The term for our conservation member is from the date of appointment to 30 June 2024.