Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01633:body:0:p11
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01633
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 29315–32369

of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Australian EEZ generally extends to 200 nautical miles (approximately 370 kilometres) offshore, but extends further in some areas to cover offshore territorial waters and islands. The Australian EEZ includes the waters around the Australian Antarctic Territory and external territories including Christmas, Cocos (Keeling), Norfolk, Heard and Macdonald islands.

Within the Australian Whale Sanctuary it is an offence to kill, injure, take, trade, keep, move or interfere with a cetacean. Penalties apply to anyone convicted of such offences. The EPBC Act also makes it an offence for Australians to carry out any of these actions in international waters. Other than in the case of killing, or taking for live display, permits may be issued by the Minister for the Environment to carry out some activities that interfere with this species (e.g. for the purpose of research).

Under the EPBC Act, environment assessments are undertaken to support environmental and heritage protection and biodiversity conservation. A person must not take an action that has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on any of the matters of environmental significance without approval from the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment. An action is a project, a development, an undertaking, an activity or a series of activities, or an alteration of any of these things.

Assessments for offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas activities in Commonwealth waters, including seismic surveys in the oil and gas sector, are currently undertaken by the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA).
Under the EPBC Act, several other measures are currently in place to guide the management of human interactions with whales. These include the EPBC Act Policy Statement 2.1 – interaction between offshore seismic exploration and whales and Australian National Guidelines for Whale and Dolphin Watching 2005 for whale watching from private or commercial boats and aircrafts.
Management Plans for Commonwealth Marine Protected Areas under the EPBC Act allow the Director of National Parks to take management actions such as control of activities through zoning prescriptions and authorisations to mitigate potential threats and protect key areas and habitats for blue whales and other associated marine species. Several Commonwealth Marine Reserves (CMRs) have identified Blue whales as a major conservation value including Apollo, Murray, Nelson, Zeehan, Western Kangaroo Island, Western Erye, Great Australian Bight, South-west Corner, Perth Canyon, Two Rocks, Jurien, Abrolhos, Shark Bay, Gascoyne, Argo Rowley, Mermaid, Kimberley and Ashmore and CMRs.
To regulate the impact of fishing on whales, including by-catch and entanglements, Australian, state and territory governments are working together with the fishing industry and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority to develop methods to minimise these impacts.
Marine bioregional plans have been prepared under section 176