Priorities Action Statement - Actions for Southern Bluefin Tuna

Southern bluefin tunaSouthern Bluefin Tuna


© Pat Tully

Recovery Actions

Collate and review existing information

  • Compile existing information on Southern Bluefin Tuna and identify knowledge gaps for the purpose of targeting future research activities (Low priority).

Community and stakeholder liaison, awareness and education

  • Collaborate with recreational and commercial fishing magazines to enhance publicity about Southern Bluefin Tuna to improve species identification, the reporting of interactions with Southern Bluefin Tuna, and to promote best practice techniques for handling and releasing (High priority).
  • Encourage community reporting of Southern Bluefin Tuna via the NSW DPI Threatened and Pest Species Sightings Program online form (Medium priority).
  • Implement education initiatives to improve awareness of the status of the Southern Bluefin Tuna and ways to minimise impacts on the species by preparing and distributing appropriate advisory material (Medium priority).

Compliance / enforcement

  • Maximise compliance activities at identified important sites (High priority).
  • Continue existing compliance operations of recreational and commercial fisheries (including AFMA accredited compliance operations of commercial managed fisheries) to reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities (High priority).

Enhance, modify or implement NRM planning processes to minimize adverse impacts on threatened species

  • Consider existing knowledge of Southern Bluefin Tuna in the development of marine parks and marine estate planning decisions (High priority).
  • Ensure actions to reduce levels of Southern Bluefin Tuna mortality are considered when relevant State and territory fisheries management plans are reviewed (High priority).

Research / monitoring

  • Quantify Southern Bluefin Tuna bycatch and mortality in commercial and recreational fishing sectors (High priority).
  • Improve estimates of recreational take of Southern Bluefin Tuna in NSW to improve management by other jurisdictions including the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Australian Fisheries Management Forum and Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (High priority).
  • Actively encourage community involvement in aspects of Southern Bluefin Tuna research and monitoring programs (Medium priority).
  • Monitor Southern Bluefin Tuna population over time to assess trends in abundance and distribution and to identify emerging threatening processes (Medium priority).
  • Conduct research on the biology and ecology of Southern Bluefin Tuna, particularly the species' ecological role, environmental tolerances, factors influencing population dynamics, age and growth, life cycle and diet (Low priority).
  • Undertake research to identify, prioritise and improve understanding of the threatening processes and causes of decline of Southern Bluefin Tuna (Low priority).
  • Actively seek grants or investor partnerships to fund research and monitoring programs for Southern Bluefin Tuna (Low priority).

Survey / mapping

  • Collect data on the presence/absence of Southern Bluefin Tuna during incidental surveys (Medium priority).
  • Conduct targeted surveys to determine the current distribution and abundance of Southern Bluefin Tuna (Low priority).