June 6 2011 In 2010, a report1
was published outlining the impacts on Australian Sea Lions from a South
Australian shark fishery, which estimated that 256 sea lions were being killed
each year. The Australian Sea Lion is listed as a threatened species under
federal environmental legislation and is Australia’s only endemic sea lion.
Since then, HSI has been working closely with government and fishery management
agencies in an effort to ensure that all sub-populations of the Australian Sea
Lion are not only protected but allowed to recover. This is important as for
many sub-populations, the death of just one Australian Sea Lion is too much for
the species to withstand.
Following months of analysis of
the problem and successive unsuccessful strategies, the Australian Fisheries
Management Authority (AFMA) put in place revised management procedures on
a six-month temporary basis as of 1st May 20113. These
management arrangements sanction the killing of 104 Australian Sea Lions, or 52
female sea lions a year before the fishery is
closed4.
It seems that our Government is
happy for the lives of 104 threatened Australian Sea Lions to be sacrificed to
allow the fishery to continue, despite the fact that the tourism industry around
Australian Sea Lions is worth ten times the value of the fishery to the South
Australian economy. At this level of deaths, populations are unlikely to be able
to recover and will face further decline.
HSI is demanding that
AFMA tell us how many dead Australian Sea Lions is too many? Both
Australian and international scientists agree that deaths of the sea lions need
to be reduced to as close to zero as possible so that they face a chance of
recovering. Fishers claim they don’t catch Australian Sea Lions and yet they
appear unwilling to accept lower thresholds of sea lion deaths before fishery
closures are invoked.
Whilst some efforts have been
put in place by AFMA to address sea lion bycatch, such as 100% observer
coverage and the implementation of closure areas to protect sea lions, these are
not sufficient to allow the recovery of all sub-populations of the species,
which is required as a condition under the export approval for the
fishery.
We therefore need your help
to let the Australian Government know that you will not accept the continuing
deaths of a threatened endemic species so that a handful of boats can continue
to fish in denial of both the animal welfare costs and the science.
!ACTION required
Write to the Minister for
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig by email to joe.ludwig@maff.gov.au or by fax 02
6273 4120; and
to his Parliamentary Secretary the Hon Dr Mike Kelly AM MP by
email to parlsec@daff.gov.au or by fax to 02 6277
8556
Write to the Environment
Minister, the Hon Tony Burke MP by email to Tony.Burke.MP@aph.gov.au or by fax to
02 6273 6101
Tell the Ministers
that:
- the Australian Sea Lion is an
endemic species, found nowhere else in the world. The Australian Government
therefore has a responsibility to provide the species with the highest level of
protection;
- you welcome the efforts made to
date by the Government, which include 100% observer coverage and closed areas to
protect the Australian Sea Lion, but explain that these are not sufficient to
allow the recovery of all Australian Sea Lion populations;
- the Government sanctioning of
‘trigger levels’ set by AFMA of 104 Australian Sea Lions (or 52 females)
is unacceptable for an endemic species listed as vulnerable under federal
environmental legislation;
- the proposed deaths of
Australian Sea Lions is contrary to the scientific evidence and advice which
calls for the bycatch of Australian Sea Lions to be as close to zero as
possible, a figure not only appropriate for conservation reasons but also for
welfare to ensure suffering of these animals through drowning in gillnets is
minimised;
- waiting for more data to be
available is prolonging the suffering of Australian Sea Lions. More data will
not solve this issue with any satisfaction;
- if fishers claims are correct,
that they do not catch Australian Sea Lions, then they should be agreeable to a
trigger level of 1 to ensure the recovery of all Australian Sea Lion
sub-populations;
- if increased protection cannot
be afforded to the Australian Sea Lion then the Environment Minister must revoke
the export approval for the fishery.
Please write as
soon as possible!
Further
information
- In April 2010 a report revealed
an estimated 374 Australian Sea Lions are killed each breeding season (17.5
months), or 256 per year, in the Gillnet, Hook and Trap Sector of the Southern
and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery. The report, Mitigating
Seal Interactions in the SRLF and the Gillnet Sector SESSF in South Australia
2007/041 can be downloaded from http://www.frdc.com.au/research/recent-final
- As part of this fishery’s right
to export its products, the Federal Environment Minister gave fishery managers
and industry until 30 June 2010 to implement measures, including closures, to
enable the recovery of all Australian Sea Lion sub-populations.
- On 1st May 2011,
changes were made to fisheries management for the Gillnet, Hook and Trap (GHAT)
Sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery to afford better
protection to Australian Sea Lions and increase data available on interactions
in the fishery with other threatened, endangered and protected species. http://www.afma.gov.au/managing-our-fisheries/fisheries-a-to-z-index/southern-and-eastern-scalefish-and-shark-fishery/notices-and-announcements/changes-in-the-gillnet-hook-and-trap-sector-of-the-southern-and-eastern-scalefish-and-shark-fishery/
- The new bycatch triggers per
zone can be found at: http://www.afma.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/ASL-zone-triggers-27-April.pdf
- The Gillnet, Hook and Trap
Sector of the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery targets gummy
sharks, which are subsequently sold as flake in fish and chip shops.
Please send us copies of any
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