Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L01040:body:0:p5
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L01040
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 12143–15665

reduced across the species' range.
        * Actions have not been undertaken to address key threats limiting population growth and recovery.
        * Habitat quality has declined in key locations.

2 Introduction

This document constitutes the 'National Recovery Plan for the Giant Freshwater Crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi)'. The recovery plan considers the conservation requirements of the species across its range and identifies the actions to be taken to ensure the species' long-term viability in nature, and the parties that will undertake those actions.
This recovery plan is a revision of the Giant Freshwater Lobster (Astacopsis gouldi) Recovery Plan 2006-2010 (TSS 2006). The 2006 recovery plan was reviewed in 2015 by an expert panel that included representatives from DoEE, DPIPWE, CSIRO, the University of Tasmania (UTAS), FPA, Hydro Tasmania and independent researchers and species experts. This review acknowledged that while considerable progress had been made on implementing the 2006 recovery plan, continued efforts were required to secure the future of the species. In particular a more targeted approach was needed with a focus on building upon the actions already undertaken and identifying the actions that would be likely to be the most effective in improving the species' conservation status. Furthermore, the review concluded that a new recovery plan should be developed for the species that included actions such as the identification of key habitat that may benefit from greater protection and a shift in fisheries compliance activities to focus on illegal poaching, including greater collaboration with police. The 2006 recovery plan and the 2015 review of the recovery plan are available from:
http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/giant-freshwater-crayfish-astacopsis-gouldi-recovery-plan-2006-2010.

Table 1: A summary of the progress made against the objectives of the 2006 recovery plan
2006 Recovery Plan Objectives                                                                     Actions undertaken and progress against recovery objectives
Reduce and eliminate fishing pressure.                                                            Reductions in recreational fishing have been significant. Nevertheless, fishing is still an issue in terms of small numbers of people engaged in significant poaching activity that may have a large impact. Fishing pressure has not been eliminated, thus bans need to be maintained, even if the species conservation trajectory were to improve significantly.
                                                                                                  Some covenants have been enacted for protection of the species on private land. More funding would be beneficial to continue this initiative.

Prevent and ameliorate habitat degradation.                                                       A number of mechanisms have been developed to mitigate the impacts of forestry activities, including the establishment of streamside reserves, and restoration of streamside reserves in previously cleared areas now utilised for wood production. However, there is still scope to incorporate future research into ongoing forestry management. Mechanisms have been slower to improve in other sectors/tenures such as agriculture and dam constructions.

                                                                                                  Community awareness programs were very effective in the early days of the plan, however due to funding