Publications
Prepared by
Biodiversity Group Environment Australia in consultation with the Threat Abatement Team
Environment Australia, 1998
ISBN 0 642 21420 4
This Plan was developed in consultation with the pelagic longline fishing industry, non-government conservation groups, scientists and government authorities responsible for conservation and fisheries management.
The Biodiversity Group initiated preparation of the Plan by convening four focus group meetings with stakeholders in 1996. Meetings were held with the longline fishing industry, non-government conservation organisations, scientists and government agencies. The purpose of the meetings was to identify issues which the groups felt needed to be considered in the Plan. The outcomes of the meetings were compiled into an issues paper for reference in drafting the Plan.
At the focus group meetings, representatives of each stakeholder group were nominated to participate in the Threat Abatement Team. The Team advised the Biodiversity Group on issues that arose during the drafting of the Plan and provided comments on the draft plan. The Team was formed in early 1997 and met five times. The current members of the Team are:
| Mr Nigel Brothers | Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania |
| Ms Katrina Maguire | Australian Fisheries Management Authority |
| Mr Ian Freeman | Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery Management Advisory Committee |
| Mr Brian Jeffriess | Tuna Boat Owners Association of Australia |
| Mr Hans Jusseitt | East Coast Tuna Boat Owners Association |
| Mr Alastair Graham | Humane Society International |
| Ms Marg Moore | World Wide Fund for Nature Australia |
| Mr Andrew McNee | Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia |
| Mr Barry Baker | Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia |
| Ms Narelle Montgomery | Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia |
During the development of the Threat Abatement Plan, other Team members included:
| Mr Jason Ferris | Consultant to Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia |
| Mr Nick Rayns | Australian Fisheries Management Authority |
| Ms Karen Weaver | Australian Fisheries Management Authority |
| Mr Ray Nias | World Wide Fund for Nature Australia |
| Mr Bill Foster | Humane Society International |
| Mr Steve Bolton | East Coast Tuna Boat Owners Association |
To provide advice on matters of a scientific or technical nature, the Biodiversity Group formed a Technical Working Group. This group included the CSIRO, Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, Australian Antarctic Division, AFMA and Biodiversity Group representatives.
Drafts of the Plan were prepared in consultation with the Threat Abatement Team. The final draft Plan was distributed for comment to the Management Advisory Committees for each of the longline fisheries in the AFZ and the Board of AFMA.
The draft Plan was released for a three month public comment period, as required under the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992. A diagram summarising the process of preparing the TAP is at Figure 1.
 |
|
Figure 1: Process of Preparing the Threat Abatement Plan
|