The bycatch of dolphins and other protected/listed species in the PFTIMF has been recognised as being too high by the WA Minister of Fisheries and the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. In 2005, the Minister wrote to industry participants expressing his concern for the “…real or perceived lack of adequate action being undertaken to address this serious bycatch issue…”. He indicated that he was prepared to close the fishery to protect the industry’s reputation should progress not be made. Semi-flexible exclusion grids reduced the dolphin catch rate by almost 50% in 2006, but the Minister has stated that further reductions are necessary if the fishery is to continue.

In 2007, the need for a renewed approach to resolving the PFTIMF bycatch issues were further highlighted in reports from DoF to DEWHA and the Draft Bycatch Action Plan: There are significant differences in bycatch reporting between trips with and without independent observers on board; Observer coverage was set at a minimum 22% to gain data that would prove statistically robust, but only 19% was achieved in the first half of 2007; Temporal/spatial data on bycatch has been collected, but the data has proven inconclusive or has not been analysed in detail; A deck-mounted electronic observer system designed to replace on-board observers has proven unsuitable thus far; and, bycatch continues.

There are both biological and political needs for an immediate effort to further reduce bycatch. Common themes to successful implementation of bycatch reduction include: Collaborations between industry, scientists and resource managers; Pre- and post-implementation monitoring; and, compliance via enforcement and incentives. This project has been designed to conform to these themes and to meet the need of assisting industry in moving from ‘Interim Managed’ to ‘Managed’ fishery status and fulfilling the requirements of the EPBC Act.