Despite the increasingly widespread use of sustainability indicators
across
all fisheries management jurisdictions, there is so far little evidence
for consistency of approach. To the extent that such consistency can be achieved, it will assist both individual jurisdictions and individual
fisheries to better achieve ESD objectives, and would also assist in
national reporting of ESD performance in fisheries management.
Final report
Ecologically sustainable development (ESD) has been accepted as the foundation for the management of natural resources in Australia since 1992, when the National Strategy for ESD was released. ESD was specifically identified as an objective of fisheries management in the 1991 Commonwealth Fisheries Management Act. It is also a key management objective in fisheries legislation in most States and Territories. One aspect of the ESD strategy is to develop and apply sustainability indicators to measure performance against ESD objectives.
National coordination of R&D on the definition and use of sustainability indicators was suggested or agreed to by all jurisdictions. A recommendation is the development of a nationally coordinated R&D program on sustainability indicators. The main aims of the program would be to develop options for sustainability indicators and guidelines for their use that are acceptable to all jurisdictions. The program would be linked to Standing Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (SCFA) processes and be inclusive of all jurisdictions.
