Media release
25 February 2010
Environment Minister
Peter Garrett today introduced a new bill
into the House of Representatives to allow
the continuation of recreational fishing
of mako and porbeagle sharks.
Mr Garrett said the
amendments to the Environment Protection
and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC
Act) provide for a balance between protecting
the shark species in a way that reflects
our national circumstances and does not
disproportionately affect recreational fishers.
"The recent listing
of mako and porbeagle sharks under the Convention
on Migratory Species (CMS), which was based
primarily on concerns for northern hemisphere
populations, meant that they automatically
had to be protected under the national environment
law.
"However, with
a lack of evidence to suggest that Australian
populations of these shark species face
the same threats as other parts of the world,
and as there would be no demonstrably significant
conservation benefit from banning recreational
fishing for these species, the Government
is acting to ensure that recreational fishers
can continue to catch these sharks,"
Mr Garrett said.
"Australia takes
its international obligations seriously,
however we also believe that our national
environment law should properly reflect
our international obligations while also
providing the flexibility to properly take
into account our particular domestic circumstances.
That is what this change will achieve."
Mr Garrett said the
decision to make the change was backed by
an independent review of the national environment
law handed to the Government late last year,
which identified that the EPBC Act was too
inflexible in requiring species on Appendix
II to the CMS to be automatically listed
as migratory, and by having only limited
exceptions when it comes to interactions
with listed species.
"While the Government
will consider this recommendation in the
context of a broader review of the EPBC
Act, this amendment cannot wait for the
full review process.
"A number of Government
MPs, including the Member for Corangamite,
Darren Cheeseman, and the Member for Braddon,
Sid Sidebottom, have been promoting the
need for a practical solution to this issue
within Government, and I'm pleased to say
we will deliver that and I look forward
to this bill passing through the Parliament
quickly."
Mr Garrett said the
Environment Department had been working
with fishing tournament organisers to enable
events to proceed in the interim period
since January 29 when the listing of the
species took effect. The Government had
also indicated that catch and release fishing
for the shark species was not expected to
have a significant impact on populations
and was therefore unlikely to be subject
to enforcement action.
The Environment Department
is also working with fishery managers to
improve data on mako and porbeagle sharks
in Australian waters, to provide a more
comprehensive information base on these
shark species for the future.
The Government is working
to ensure shark conservation globally, including
by pursuing a global Memorandum of Understanding
on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks
earlier this month. This MOU is one example
of Australia's commitment to shark conservation,
and is a welcome step towards enhanced international
cooperation and collaboration on the conservation
of these species, in keeping with our obligations
under the Convention.
