Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018C00161:reg:1:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018C00161
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 1 (pt 1/4)
Character Range: 4007–7217

1  Introduction

This threat abatement plan (TAP) establishes a national framework to guide and coordinate Australia's response to the impacts of European red foxes on biodiversity. It identifies the research, management and other actions needed to ensure the long-term survival of native species and ecological communities affected by predation by European red foxes. It replaces the TAP for predation by European red foxes published in 1999 (EA 1999a).

This plan should be read in conjunction with the publication Background document for the threat abatement plan for predation by the European red fox (DEWHA 2008). The background document provides information on fox characteristics, biology and distribution; impacts on environmental, economic, social and cultural values; and current management practices and measures.

1.1  Threat abatement plans

Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), the Australian Government develops TAPs and facilitates their implementation. To progress the main strategic development actions, the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) assesses the potential for partnerships and co-investment with other government agencies, industry and other stakeholders. An important part of implementation of the TAP is ensuring that knowledge of improved abatement methods is disseminated to potential users.

Mitigating the threat of invasive species is not simply a matter of providing better technical solutions, such as improved baits for pest animal control. It also involves understanding and addressing social and economic factors; for example, through supporting the efforts of private landholders and leaseholders to manage invasive species on their lands for biodiversity conservation and primary production. In addition, research and development programs for controlling vertebrate pest species need to integrate the interests of both primary production and environmental conservation.

Regional natural resource management plans and site-based plans provide the best scale and context for developing operational plans for controlling invasive species. They allow primary production and environmental considerations to be jointly addressed, and control to be integrated across the local priority vertebrate pests within the scope of other natural resource management priorities.

The national coordination of pest animal control activities occurs under the Australian Pest Animal Strategy, released in 2007 by the Natural Resource Management and Primary Industries Ministerial councils. The Vertebrate Pests Committee, comprising representatives from all Australian, state and territory governments, has responsibility for implementation of the strategy. This TAP provides guidance for management of foxes within that broader context.

1.2  Threat abatement plan for the European red fox

1.2.1  The threat

The European red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was first brought to Australia by English settlers in the 19th century (Rolls 1984), and by the 1870s fox populations had become established in the wild. Today, foxes are widely distributed across the Australian mainland and are confirmed to be present