Bycatch: Commonwealth policy
Bycatch, defined as all material, living or non-living, which is caught while fishing, except for the target species, has long been recognised as an issue requiring attention. Bycatch includes by-product, discards and that part of the catch not landed but affected by interaction with the fishing gear.
The Australian Government's policy on fisheries bycatch is titled the Commonwealth Policy on Fisheries Bycatch. It was released jointly in June 2000 by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Note: Media releases and speeches by former Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries can be located at: Pandora - Australia's Web Archive
The primary reason for a Commonwealth Bycatch Policy is to ensure that direct and indirect impacts on marine systems are taken into account and managed accordingly. The policy covers fisheries managed by AFMA and represents a significant commitment by the government, industry and conservationists to ensure fisheries are managed on an ecologically sustainable basis. This is done through mechanisms that reduce bycatch, improve the protection for vulnerable/threatened species and minimise the adverse impacts of fishing on the marine environment.
Under this policy, Bycatch Action Plans have been developed for all major fisheries managed by AFMA. Ongoing consultation with all stakeholders will be undertaken throughout the implementation of these Bycatch Action Plans.
By-product species are already managed through formal management arrangements, such as fishery-specific management plans, therefore these Bycatch Action Plans deal specifically with those aspects of bycatch that are not currently subject to commercial management provisions, namely:
- the part of a fisher's catch which is returned to the sea either because it has no commercial value or because regulations preclude it being retained (known as discards)
- the part of the catch that does not reach the deck of the fishing vessel but is affected by interaction with the fishing gear.
Bycatch is that part of the commercial fishing catch not targeted by the fisher. It includes by-product, discards and that part of the catch not landed but affected by interaction with the fishing gear.
For more information about Bycatch Action Plans go to the AFMA website.
Commonwealth Policy on Fisheries Bycatch - June 2000 
PDF [456kb]
Also available Bycatch: National policy
