A bycatch action plan for the Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery.

The effect of commercial fishing on bycatch species and the marine ecosystem generally, has emerged as a significant national and international issue. Environmental issues associated with bycatch – including impacts on the ecology of non-target species of fish and wildlife – are important issues to address in reducing the impacts, or potential impacts, of commercial fisheries. In 1998, the National Standing Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture developed a national policy on fisheries bycatch. In 1999, the (then) State Minister for Fisheries adopted the national policy as his position on bycatch for Western Australia. The main objective of the policy is to ensure that populations of bycatch species are maintained through reducing bycatch, improving protection of vulnerable species and minimising adverse impacts of fishing on the aquatic environment. Owing to differing fishing operations and environmental conditions, bycatch issues are quite specific for individual fisheries. The development of fishery-specific Bycatch Action Plans reflects this situation, as they are tailored to meet the unique requirements of each Fishery. The development of Bycatch Action Plans for the State’s commercial fisheries is considered important to progress the reduction of bycatch in a transparent way, which also sets out specific objectives for monitoring and evaluation