Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024N00546:schedule:1:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024N00546
Segment Type: schedule
Provision Reference: sch 1 (pt 2/2)
Character Range: 5509–7997

include the adoption and enforcement of appropriate bycatch reduction measures on all licenced eel fishers, until such time as the detailed bycatch risk assessment is completed. A copy of the plan and the interim bycatch reduction implementation measures must be provided to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

  b)      By 31 August 2025, the Victorian Fisheries Authority must provide an update on the implementation and effectiveness of the interim bycatch reduction measures to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

  c)      By 30 November 2026, the Victorian Fisheries Authority must develop and implement risk mitigation measures for all risks identified as being moderate or higher in the bycatch risk assessment and demonstrate that all reasonable steps have been taken to reduce, and where possible avoid bycatch of air-breathing vertebrates and species protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Condition 9:

By 20 June 2025, the Victorian Fisheries Authority must implement an independent monitoring and validation program in the fishery to provide information on catch composition, bycatch and protected species interactions.

This may involve the expansion of Fishery Officer inspections, surveys, electronic monitoring or other means. The information collected and spatial/temporal coverage must be sufficient to assess the accuracy of reported catch, bycatch and protected species interaction data collected via logbooks.

Bycatch and protected species interactions, particularly mortalities, must be reported to the species level wherever possible.

Condition 10:

Export of glass eels harvested in the Victorian Eel Fishery is limited to 50kg per year until robust data is presented to the satisfaction of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, demonstrating commercial scale glass eel harvest and export will be sustainable.

   a)      The Victorian Fisheries Authority must inform the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, of any future glass eel fishery trials (beyond the scale of the current market assessment trial) to be undertaken under the current wildlife trade operation. Comprehensive plans for future trials must be provided to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water at least 6 months before commencement of any trial, for review and endorsement by the department.