International fisheries

Several fishery resources of commercial importance to Australia can only be managed effectively through cooperative regional action.  Accordingly the Fisheries Branch: 

• provides policy advice and coordination on fisheries issues involving neighbouring countries
• seeks to secure cooperation from countries with whom we share resources to improve standards of fisheries management in those countries, and
• seeks to influence the standard of regional fisheries management through participation in relevant regional bodies.

DAFF leads Australia's engagement in the following regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs):

• Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT)
• Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)
• Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
• South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO)
• Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA).

DAFF is also active in a range of other multilateral and regional fisheries forums, some of which are:

• APEC Fisheries Working Group
• Forum Fisheries Agency
• United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
• FAO Committee on Fisheries
• Pacific Ocean Fora, US Treaty
• FAO Agreement on Port State Measures 

Other responsibilities include:

• combating Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, and
• Australia’s bilateral relationships

Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMOs)/Conventions

• Indian Ocean Tuna (IOTC)
• Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT)
• South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO)
• Western and Central Pacific (WCPFC)

Regional cooperation

• East Timor
• Indonesia
• Papua New Guinea
• New Zealand