Commonwealth managed fisheries

The implementation of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) allows the Australian Government to assess the environmental performance of fisheries and promote ecologically sustainable management.

An independent assessment of all export and all Australian Government managed fisheries is required. These assessments ensure that, over time, fisheries are managed in an ecologically sustainable way.

Fishery assessments under the EPBC Act

Commonwealth managed fisheries
Fishery assessments Fishery export
approval expires
Australian export from New and Exploratory Fisheries in the CCAMLR Statistical Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2 27/11/2025
Australia's High Seas Permits 09/10/2026
Bass Strait Scallop Central Zone Fishery 09/10/2026
Coral Sea Fishery 07/01/2024
Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery 19/08/2025
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery 09/10/2026
Informally Managed Fishing Permits Expired
Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery 09/10/2026
New and Exploratory Fisheries in the CCAMLR Region (Statistical Subareas 58.4.1, 58.4.2, 58.4.3a and 58.4.3b) Expired
Northern Prawn Fishery 06/01/2024
Ross Sea Exploratory Toothfish Fishery in the CCAMLR Region (Statistical Subareas 88.1 and 88.2) 27/11/2025
Skipjack Tuna Fishery 09/10/2026
Small Pelagic Fishery 21/10/2026
Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery 12/02/2025
Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery 11/11/2025
Southern Squid Jig Fishery 09/10/2026
Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery 30/11/2026
Torres Strait Crab Fishery Not exporting
Torres Strait Finfish Fishery 01/11/2026
Torres Strait Pearl Shell Fishery Not exporting
Torres Strait Prawn Fishery 09/10/2026
Torres Strait Trochus Fishery 09/10/2026
Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery 04/12/2033
Torres Strait Turtle and Dugong Fishery Not exporting
Western Trawl Fisheries 30/11/2026
Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery 11/11/2025