Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00257:body:0:p5
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00257
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 11411–14715

legislative and planning frameworks

      * reduce the spread of feral pigs to new areas within Australia, including via illegal releases

      * manage feral pigs based on the protection of values and assets

      * build Australia's capacity to address feral pig problems and improve feral pig management

      * raise awareness and motivation among Australians to strengthen their commitment to act on feral pig problems, and

      * monitor and evaluate the progress of Australia's feral pig management effort.

The successful implementation of this threat abatement plan will depend on a high level of cooperation between landholders, community groups, local government, state and territory conservation and pest management agencies, and the Australian Government and its relevant agencies. Success will depend on all participants assessing feral pig impacts and allocating adequate resources through available funding channels, programs, etc. to achieve effective on-ground control of feral pigs at critical sites, improve the effectiveness and humaneness of control programs, and measure and assess outcomes. Various programs in natural resource management, at national, state and regional levels, can make significant contributions to implementing the plan.

This threat abatement plan acknowledges the principles for effective pest animal management enshrined in the Australian Pest Animal Strategy (http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive-species/publications/australian-pest-animal-strategy).

2. Objectives and actions
The overarching goals of this threat abatement plan are to prevent further species and ecological communities from becoming threatened or extinct due to predation, habitat degradation, competition and disease transmission by feral pigs, and to improve protection for EPBC-listed species and ecological communities currently threatened by feral pigs. A reduction in the total number of EPBC-listed species and ecological communities threatened by feral pigs is also desirable but may be unlikely due to the extremely high and ongoing level of pig control this would require.

These goals can be achieved by improving our scientific understanding of the threatening process that feral pigs represent and its effects on native species and ecological communities, and improving management and control of feral pigs. To achieve these goals, the threat abatement plan has six objectives that were developed in consultation with experts in relevant jurisdictions. These objectives are to:

      1. Prioritise key species, ecological communities, ecosystems and locations across Australia for strategic feral pig management

      2. Encourage the integration of feral pig management into land management activities at regional, state and territory, and national levels

      3. Encourage further scientific research into feral pig impacts on nationally threatened species and ecological communities, and feral pig ecology and control

      4. Record and monitor feral pig control programs, so their effectiveness can be evaluated

      5. Build capacity for feral pig management and raise feral pig awareness amongst landholders and land managers, and

      6. Improve public awareness about feral pigs and the environmental damage and problems