Strategies for mitigating species interactions

NSW Department Primary Industries Fisheries is working closely with the commercial fishing industry to find ways to reduce interactions between commercial fishing and threatened and protected species, such as migrating whales.

Commercial fishers are testing new technology to help reduce whale entanglements in set fishing gear.

Commercial fishers operating in the fish trawl sector of the Ocean Trawl Fishery (OTF) have also voluntarily agreed to new seabird management plans to prevent seabirds coming into contact with fishing equipment.

Statewide

Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries

• NSW commercial fishers
• Department of Planning and Environment - Environment, Energy and Science
• Professional Fishermen’s Association
• Oceanwatch Australia
• National Parks and Wildlife Service

• East Coast Whale Entanglement Mitigation Program Workshop final report
• Characterising seabird vessel interactions associated with demersal ocean trawling: vessel attendance depends on intrinsic and extrinsic predictors
• Oceanwatch Australia National Marine NRM News November 2020