Through its policy on fisheries bycatch, the Commonwealth acknowledges that ecological sustainable development must be based on a strategic approach to addressing bycatch interactions. There is a need to mitigate fishery interactions with non-target species, particularly threatened, endangered and protected (TEP) species, consistent with AFMA’s aim of promoting the sustainable use of fisheries resources by conserving marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Industry, AFMA and researchers have previously collaborated to address bycatch issues in Commonwealth fisheries, with outputs including the implementation of mitigation devices in specific fisheries, the development of bycatch action plans, bycatch workplans and the ecological risk management (ERM) process. In many cases, however, industry cannot readily demonstrate the benefits of these activities, which is critical for differentiating Australian seafood products from those of less environmentally-friendly competitors.

There is a need for an overarching approach to bycatch mitigation to ensure consistent standards across fisheries and transparent indicators of performance. Bycatch issues are often fisheries specific, but the development of mitigation strategies in individual fisheries needs to address the same core elements, e.g. stakeholder consultation, performance testing, monitoring and compliance. Standards are required to ensure that each of these core elements are adequately addressed in response to the emergence of a bycatch issue.

Standards will also assist the fishing industry in fostering positive public perception and meeting legislative requirements, e.g. strategic assessments under the EPBC Act . Standards are particularly important to fisheries seeking to move to co-management where there is a need for greater transparency and accountability.

The need for this project was clearly identified in the WorkCover NSW funded research project on Manual Handling Methods in the Seafood Industry that was undertaken in 2002.

One of the key recommendations from that project was the need for “a strategic, co-ordinated and national approach” for “OHS education and training for all people working in the industry”.

This project meets the FRDC Program 2: Industry Development Priority for Occupational Health and Safety as it will increase and apply knowledge of occupational health and safety in the fishing industry. It would also fall under the Legislative, institutional, compliance and policy arrangements and their Impacts priority area of this Program.

In addition the project is in conformance with SSA’s Segment 5 market segment priority by contributing to ensuring that industry is operating to best practice occupational health and safety standards.