BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS: Friday 24 November 2006

Sustainable seafood is not just about fish stocks – government policy in action making a difference

Anissa Lawrence - OceanWatch Australia

OceanWatch Australia is a national environmental, not-for-profit company that works to achieve sustainability in the Australian

seafood industry through protecting and enhancing fish habitats,improving water quality and advancing the sustainability of fisheries. OceanWatch forges action based partnerships with the Australian

seafood industry, governments, natural resource managers, private enterprise and the community. OceanWatch Australia has managed the Natural Heritage Trust funded SeaNet Environmental Extension Service to the Australian fishing industry for the last eight years and

more recently several National Landcare Program funded Tide to Table - restoring aquatic habitat projects. This seminar will provide

an overview of these projects, key achievements and how government natural resource policies relating to coastal and marine

management are being delivered on the ground and making a difference.

Sustainable seafood is not just about fish stocks, it's about a healthy catchment and healthy ocean:

government policy in action making a difference

Anissa Lawrence, Chief Executive OfficerBRS Seminar 24 November 2006

Outline

Overview of our programsCase studies of government policy in action

Our vision

Healthy catchments and healthy oceans for sustainable, quality Australian seafood

Our mission

To achieve sustainability in the Australian seafood industry by protecting and

enhancing fish habitats, improving water quality and advancing the sustainability of

fisheries through action based partnerships with the Australian seafood industry,

government, natural resource managers, private enterprise and the community.

Towards ecosystem based fisheries management

Three core programs:Aquatic habitat protection and enhancementAquatic habitat rehabilitationAdvancing sustainable fisheries

Aquatic habitat protection & enhancement

Educate and provide advice on NRM issues impacting on the seafood industry – all levelsCommunity engagement

Equipping tomorrow’s generation for better management of our coastal marine environment

Our valuable estuaries

Participation in learning fosters behavioural change

Community engagement

Marine debris TAP

Beach cleanups

Gulf ghost nets

Plastics removal and reduction

Awareness campaigns

Pollution & climate change

Alternate fuels

Habitat resilience

Waste facilities and mgt

1372 kg of rubbish removed (excluding 666 recycled floats, bait baskets and 102 lids)

Aquatic habitat protection and enhancement

Aquatic habitat rehabilitation

Undertake on-ground works to rehabilitate and enhance priority fish habitat areas across AustraliaPartnerships for improving productive fish resources Integration of marine based primary industry into regional NRM

$794k NLP 3 NRM regions

On ground regional delivery

More habitat = more fish

From the tide to the table –making the connections

Working with the Australian seafood industry to develop cost effective and practical solutions to reducing the environmental impacts of commercial & recreational fishing.

Advancing sustainable fisheries

SeaNet Environmental Extension ServiceBycatch reduction Mitigating impacts of fishing activities Increasing uptake of environmentally sound fishing techniquesIncreasing industry’s understanding of management requirementsLinking industry stakeholders and researchersImplementing actions from EPBC fisheries assessments and other agency priorities

Addressing environmental priorities for commercial fisheries

Consult with the Australian seafood industry on how to manage marine pests and develop voluntary best practice biofouling guidelinesRoll out National System and guidelines to industry

Invasive marine species

Rollout of national system for the prevention and management of marine pest incursions

EPBC and threatened species recovery plans

Acoustic alarmsWhale entanglement codes of practiceTurtle and seal excluder devicesTori linesDehookersRemoval of plastics

Threatened and protected species

AG bycatch policySquare meshCircle hooksFish boxT90 codendGear and practice modificationOthers

Halving bycatch by 2008

Environmental Management SystemsA systematic approach to current environmental management (ISO14001).Complements regulations and contributes to the sustainability of the fishery. Increases community understanding of the environmental management of the fishery.Platform for fishers to link with community and NRM groups.

Environmental stewardship

Empowering industry

Training

Codes of practice

Technical references

addresses death and injury to wildlife caused by littered recreational monofilament line. installation of 400 bins at key recreational fishing locations within coastal NSW. a targeted education campaignrecycling of line

Marine debris & recreational fishing

www.oceanwatch.org.auPhone (02) 9660 2262

Healthy catchments and healthy oceans for sustainable, quality Australian seafood