- NT Government commits to phasing out gillnets by 2028 and assembling advisory group to develop draft Barramundi Fishery Management Plan by 2027
- Territory's endangered species and critical habitats don't have two years to wait
- Finocchiaro government has opportunity to shine by protecting two globally recognised critical habitats for threatened species and implement monitoring of bycatch to help advisory group's work
The Finocchiaro government has the opportunity to stand out from its predecessors by taking decisive steps to ensure the Northern Territory's wild barramundi fishery is environmentally sustainable, the Australian Marine Conservation Society said after the government announced a stakeholder advisory group to develop a draft Barramundi Fishery Management Plan over the next two years.
AMCS shark scientist Dr Leonardo Guida said: "The new Finocchiaro government has the opportunity to take decisive steps to make the wild barramundi fishery environmentally sustainable and protect the Territory's threatened and culturally significant species such as the critically endangered freshwater sawfish.
"We welcome the Finocchiaro government's decision to assemble an advisory group to develop a draft Barramundi Fishery Management Plan over the next two years, but the Territory's endangered species and critical habitats need more than talk and don't have two years to wait.
"As a priority, the NT Government needs to protect Van Diemen Gulf and the southern Gulf of Carpentaria including the Roper River from commercial gillnetting before the end of 2025 - as these areas have been scientifically assessed as critical to the survival of sawfish, dugongs and inshore dolphins.¹
"The Australia Government's Threatened Species Scientific Committee considers several NT regions as 'irreplaceable' to sawfish populations,² and the southern Gulf of Carpentaria is designated an Important Marine Mammal Area globally because it's home to the highest density of dugongs in the NT (60% of the population) and a hotspot for snubfin dolphins.³
"The NT Government should provide fair compensation to fishers and buy out licences and associated fishing gear, so there's no risk of displacing and concentrating fishing activity into other areas when protecting Van Diemen Gulf and southern Gulf of Carpentaria.
"Starting this barramundi fishing season, the government needs to ensure bycatch is assessed so the advisory group has the best information to formulate its plan - and that would include cameras on all barra boats, robust reviewing of footage and regular public reporting of threatened species interactions."
¹ Udyawer V, Thums M, Ferreira LC, Tulloch V, Kyne PM (2021) 'Distribution and Habitat Suitability of Threatened and Migratory Marine Species in Northern Australia.' (National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub: Hobart)
² Threatened Species Scientific Committee TSSC (2024) Draft Conservation Advice for Pristis pristis (largetooth sawfish). Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water, Australia.
³ Southern Gulf of Carpentaria Important Marine Mammal Area
www.marinemammalhabitat.org/factsheets/southern-gulf-carpentaria/
