National Plan of Action for Reducing the Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Australia's Longline Fisheries
Following international concern over the global bycatch of seabirds, member countries of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization endorsed an International Plan of Action for Reducing the Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries (IPOA-Seabirds) in 1999. The IPOA-Seabirds is a voluntary agreement created under the framework of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. As a member country, Australia endorsed the IPOA-Seabirds, and agreed to undertake a national assessment of longline fisheries to determine seabird bycatch rates, and to develop a National Plan of Action for Reducing the Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries (NPOA-Seabirds).
The draft NPOA-Seabirds has been prepared by DAFF in consultation with relevant, state, Northern Territory and Commonwealth organisations. The draft NPOA-Seabirds will be released nationally for public comment in the near future, and will be available on this website for comment.
The NPOA-Seabirds will complement the Threat Abatement Plan (TAP) for the Incidental Catch (or bycatch) of Seabirds during Oceanic Longline Fishing Operations. The TAP was revised in 2006 and applies to longline fisheries managed by the Commonwealth Government. The NPOA-Seabirds will extend the framework for action provided through the TAP as it will apply to all longline fisheries operating in Australian waters.