News and media

Cooperation between the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and Maritime Border Command (MBC), a joint agency task force enabled by both the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF), has resulted in the removal of environmental hazards from the waters of northern Australia in recent months.

Black and white teatfish are species listed under the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II. The listing took effect on 28 August 2020.  This means that the species can only be exported under a CITES export permit, issued by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (the Department) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). 

The PZJA met on 27 August 2020 and agreed to release the draft Torres Strait Fisheries (Quotas for Tropical Rock Lobster (Kaiar)) Management Plan Amendment 2020 (the Plan Amendment) for public comment.

At its meeting on 27 August 2020, the Protected Zone Joint Authority (PZJA) made a number of decisions in relation to Torres Strait fisheries.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority’s (AFMA) National Compliance Operations Policy aims to effectively deter illegal fishing Commonwealth fisheries and the Australian Fishing Zone.

Inmarsat has advised the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) that a new Network Access Fee will be applied to existing and new owners of Inmarsat C terminals registered in Inmarsat’s Electronic Service Activation System (ESAS).

Last month, Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) fisheries officers based in Torres Strait investigated four fishing vessels suspected of gear and licencing breaches under the Torres Strait Fisheries ACT.