Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2014L01089:reg:20:p17
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2014L01089
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 20 (pt 17/33)
Character Range: 77588–80576

and any state-managed fisheries that operate in Commonwealth waters must be assessed to determine the impacts of fishing operations on cetaceans, listed threatened species and ecological communities, migratory species, and listed marine species under the EPBC Act.

The assessments consider the impacts of the relevant fishery on target and non-target species and the impacts of fishing activities on the broader marine environment. As a listed threatened species, grey nurse sharks cannot be taken in fisheries in Commonwealth, New South Wales, Queensland or Western Australian waters and interactions must be reported. Interactions with grey nurse sharks, as well as the life status of the animal when it was captured (e.g. whether it is released alive), are considered in the assessment of fisheries operating in Commonwealth waters.

Other relevant management practices include management planning processes for areas which contain breeding and/or aggregation sites for grey nurse sharks and the incorporation of important sites into marine reserves, both at the Commonwealth (e.g. through the marine bioregional planning process) and state levels. Importantly, since 2002, the majority of known key aggregation sites for the grey nurse shark, in both Commonwealth and state waters, have been given some form of protection. Details of protection measures afforded to the grey nurse shark in each jurisdiction are outlined in the issues paper (DoE, 2014). The ongoing management and protection of grey nurse sharks at these sites is critical for the survival of the species.

Shark control activities are undertaken by the Queensland and New South Wales governments to protect bathers from shark attack. These states have mechanisms in place to monitor the impacts of these activities on protected species and, where possible without compromising bather safety, reduce those impacts. Data from the New South Wales program show that 22 grey nurse sharks were caught and killed through the program between July 2002 and July 2013, and eight were released alive following entanglement. In Queensland, 23 grey nurse sharks were caught between 2001 and October 2013. Further details of shark control programs are outlined in the issues paper (DoE, 2014). The actions set out in this recovery plan in regards to shark control activities focus on maximising the useful data the programs can provide on grey nurse shark biology and ecology and minimising the impact of these activities on non-target species without reducing the effectiveness of the programs in maintaining bather safety.

    10.1  Marine bioregional plans

Marine bioregional plans have been prepared under section 176 of the EPBC Act for the South-west, North-west, North and Temperate East marine regions of Commonwealth waters around Australia. Each marine bioregional plan describes the conservation values of the region and identifies and characterises the pressures affecting these conservation values. The plans also