Building climate considerations into AFMA’s decision making

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority’s (AFMA) is strategically integrating climate information into the management of Commonwealth fisheries ensuring ecologically sustainable Commonwealth fisheries around Australia. 

Research shows that our oceans are absorbing a good deal of the additional heat from climate change caused by humans. The distribution, productivity and seasonality of marine resources are being affected, and these are key factors in managing our Commonwealth fisheries successfully.

With sea levels rising, stronger and more variable storms occurring, and increases in acidification and heatwaves, factoring in climate impacts is critical to the sustainability of fisheries.

AFMA incorporates research, information, and data on climate impacts into our decision‑making processes which is a crucial foundation in pursuing climate adaptive management across our fisheries. 

AFMA is taking action to ensure that we consider the available research and information on existing and predicted climate change impacts in our fisheries management, in our commission meetings, and in our management advisory and resource assessment groups . This will include developing climate and ecosystem status reports and updates, incorporating climate sensitivity and species projections into management discussions, and collecting climate research relevant for each fishery. 

Recognising the climate impact risk, AFMA and the CSIRO teamed up to produce the Guidance on Adaptation of Commonwealth fisheries to climate change project which developed fishery and regional sensitivity analyses, and a climate change adaption handbook that can assist in the identification of adaptation options. These tools are informing discussions on priority fisheries, allowing AFMA to build climate considerations into future planning for Commonwealth fisheries. 

Integrating information, data and research on climate impacts into AFMA’s decision-making processes is a necessary foundation to pursuing climate adaptive management across Commonwealth fisheries and securing Australia’s fishing future. 
 
Managing fisheries in a changing climate
Guidance on Adaptation of Commonwealth Fisheries management to climate change
Adaptation of Commonwealth Fisheries management to climate change

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