Resource Sharing Framework
In 2003, through the Commonwealth Fisheries Policy Review: Looking to the Future, stakeholders identified a need for the Government to formally address the ongoing issue of resource sharing between users of Commonwealth fisheries resources(Outcome No. 22 of Looking to the Future: A Review of Commonwealth Fisheries Policy).
As a result, the Australian Government, in consultation with the states, the Northern Territory (NT) and other stakeholders, developed a framework for resource sharing and management between sectors that utilise Commonwealth-managed fisheries resources. The framework includes:
- the Australian Government’s Resource Sharing Principles for Commonwealth Fisheries, which build on the principles of the Coolangatta Workshop held with stakeholders in 2002
- the Australian Government’s Consultative Process for Resource Sharing in Commonwealth Fisheries
- a Resource Sharing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Australian Government and the states/NT for the state/NT management of any non-commercial component of resource sharing arrangements.
The framework has been used to finalise resource sharing arrangements in the Southern and Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery and is currently being used to guide the development of resource sharing arrangements in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery. As the need arises in other Commonwealth managed fisheries, further resource sharing arrangements may be developed.