Media release
24 November 2010
The southern bluefin tuna will receive national
protection after federal environment minister
Tony Burke listed the species under national
environment law.
“I have taken the advice
of the independent Threatened Species Scientific
Committee and listed southern bluefin tuna
under the category it was nominated for—conservation
dependent.
“The species has declined
in the past, and while ongoing improvements
in management measures are helping to stabilise
the population, the breeding population
is still considered to be less than eight
per cent of unfished levels.
“This listing will not
prevent or restrict fishing or create additional
regulatory burden on the industry. Fishing
can continue under existing arrangements
but it will now be a legal requirement that
the species remain under a plan of management
that includes actions to stop its decline
and support its long-term recovery.
“Australia’s tuna fishers
are already working towards sustainable
management, such a plan is already in place.”
Mr Burke said that Australia
was also involved with the Commission for
the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna—the
group of countries that sets global southern
bluefin tuna catch levels and oversees the
global management of the species.
“Listing the southern
bluefin tuna in a category that allows ongoing
sustainable fishing ensures Australia continues
to be an important voice for its international
management and conservation,” Mr Burke said.
“Because of its highly
migratory nature, a global management strategy
is the only way to help the recovery of
southern bluefin tuna. A ban on southern
bluefin tuna fishing in Australia would
not necessarily result in a reduction of
global catch, as the global catch limit
may not change.”
Mr Burke said that as
a member nation of the international commission,
Australia supported recent management measures
the commission put in place.
“These measures included
agreement to develop a strategy to rebuild
the population, and to reduce the global
catch of southern bluefin tuna by 20 per
cent over 2010 and 2011 seasons,” Mr Burke
said.
“And at the 2010 Commission
meeting in October, member countries re-affirmed
their commitment to adopt and implement
a strategy to rebuild the southern bluefin
tuna spawning stock in 2011, which will
be used to set future global total allowable
catch for 2012 and beyond.”
+ More
Ten Queensland schools
have been rewarded for their committment
to protecting the Great Barrier Reef
Media release
18 November 2010
Tony Burke, Minister for the Environment,
said each of the ten schools located in
the Great Barrier Reef catchment would receive
a funding grant of $1000 to continue and
build on the good work they have already
undertaken.
"The Reef Guardian
Schools Program provides students, teachers
and their communities with the opportunity
to instigate positive change for the environment
in the face of threats like climate change,"
Mr Burke said.
"It is fantastic
to see the contribution our young people
are making to protect the World Heritage
listed Great Barrier Reef and reduce the
pressures on its ecosystem.
"The Great Barrier
Reef is home to over 5000 marine speacies
and is one of the healthiest coral reef
systems in the world.
"These awards and
funding grants will assist the schools to
further their onground projects and implement
their Reef Guardian Action Plans.
"I congratulate
all the schools receiving these awards and
applaud the many people in their school
communities who have worked together to
make their schools outstanding guardians
of one of Australia's national icons."
Reef Guardian Schools
are located throughout the Great Barrier
Reef catchment and each undertakes a variety
of activities aimed at ultimately improving
the Reef's health and resilience.
These activities include
rehabilitating creeks and wetlands, water
quality monitoring, recycling, and carbon
sequestration projects.
Through these activities
students learn about the connections between
the land and the Reef and the role they
can play in looking after it.
All Reef Guardian Schools
manage their own resources (energy, waste,
water and biodiversity), and educate their
friends, families and communities about
the difference we can all make to the future
health of the Reef by acting now.
The Reef Guardian Schools
program is an education initiative of the
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
Entering its eighth
year, this education program currently sees
more than 60 000 students from over 230
schools committed to the protection and
conservation of the World Heritage listed
Great Barrier Reef.
