This page provides information for the offshore energy industry, including petroleum and wind power, on consulting with the Commonwealth commercial fishing industry.
Offshore energy industry activities – such as seismic surveys, exploration, drilling, pipeline construction, oil and gas production and wind energy projects – often occur in the same places as fishing.
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) ensures any broad-scale impacts of offshore energy industry development on Commonwealth fisheries are considered. AFMA does this by engaging directly with relevant Australian Government departments – including the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water – on activities that may have a significant impact on a fishery.
All activities proposed by offshore energy companies are subject to environmental approvals.
Offshore energy operators must submit to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority:
- an Environment Plan
- an Emergency Response Plan
- an Oil Spill Contingency Plan (where relevant).
Consultation with relevant stakeholders, including the fishing industry, is required during the development of these documents. Communication with stakeholders may also be required in the event of an emergency or other incident.
Offshore energy companies are encouraged to consult directly with fishing operators when preparing these plans. An appropriate level of consultation with the fishing industry is a legal requirement.
The level of consultation required is directly related to the type and scale of the activity and the likelihood of impact on fishing.
Offshore energy activities can have direct impacts on fish species and habitats, as well as indirect impacts on commercial fishing. For example, infrastructure construction may affect reef substrates, and this may impact fish breeding. Indirect impacts may relate to scientific data collection efforts, for example, such as long-term surveys used to build fish population models that underpin fisheries management.
The spatial distribution and intensity of fishing operations can be highly variable over time. The only way to reliably determine future activity is by consulting relevant fishing operators. Even if there has been low or no activity over a certain period, this does not mean there will be none in the future. For example, fisheries can have stock rebuilding strategies, which might include closing the fisheries for periods of time.
AFMA expects offshore energy operators to consult directly with fishing operators about all activities and projects which may affect day-to-day fishing activities.
The Commonwealth Fisheries Association is the peak body representing the commercial fishing industry in Commonwealth fisheries. Other associations also represent the industry in certain specific Commonwealth fisheries.
AFMA has a list of fishing industry contacts, including associations relevant to specific fisheries, where these exist. Some fishing industry associations are developing fee-for-service models to identify fishing industry issues and liaise with the fishing sector. Private consultants are also active in this field.
Offshore energy operators may apply to access the contact details of individual holders of Commonwealth statutory fishing rights, fishing permits and high seas permits from the statutory register by contacting AFMA Licensing on 1300 723 621.
Note: where such a request is approved, recipients of contact details from the register will need to enter into a deed of confidentiality covering the disclosure of the information.
Overlay maps of Petroleum, Minerals and Energy Resource Title and Commonwealth Fisheries boundaries are available on the Australian Marine Spatial Information System (AMSIS).
The AFMA website also hosts maps of Commonwealth fisheries boundaries. Please note these are in the process of being updated.
Traditional Indonesian fishing activities are permitted in an area of Australian water in the Timor Sea, under a 1974 memorandum of understanding between Australia and Indonesia. This area, known as the MoU box, is shown on the AMSIS website.
If an offshore energy activity occurs in this region, the following advice may be relevant to risk assessments.
- Traditional fishers can be found in any part of this area and in adjacent Australian waters where they may stray from time to time.
- Traditional vessels are only sail powered and therefore unable to readily take evasive action to avoid collision.
- Few traditional vessels carry navigational lights or radar reflectors. The hulls are timber and present poor radar targets.
- While peak activity for traditional fishers is outside of the cyclone season, some fishing is done throughout the year.
These fishing industry association contacts are for offshore energy operators to use when consultation with fishing operators is required. Please note that this is a contact list for Commonwealth licenced operators and that various state-managed fisheries may also be relevant. Offshore energy proponents should contact the relevant state peak industry body for additional fishing industry contacts.
It is important that these contact details stay current to enable consultation with the fishing industry. To update any of these contact details, email OffshoreEnergy@afma.gov.au.
Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery
Bass Strait Scallop Industry Association
10 Warleigh Grove
Brighton VIC 3186
Phone: 0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council (TSIC)
PO Box 878
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
Phone: 03 6224 2332
Email: tsic@tsic.org.au
Seafood Industry Victoria
C/O Melbourne Seafood Centre
133 Kensington Road
West Melbourne VIC 3003
Phone: 0491 200 570
Email: admin@siv.com.au
Coral Sea Fishery
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7066
0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Norfolk Island Fishery
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Northern Prawn Fishery
The Northern Prawn Fishery Industry Pty Ltd
PO Box 756
Caloundra QLD 4551
Phone: 07 5437 0513
Email: ceo@npfindustry.com.au
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
North West Slope Trawl, Western Deepwater Trawl
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Small Pelagic Fishery
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association (SETFIA)
PO Box 1125
Lakes Entrance VIC 3909
Phone: 0428 141 591
Email: webenquiries@setfia.org.au
Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery
South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association (SETFIA)
PO Box 1125
Lakes Entrance VIC 3909
Phone: 0428 141 591
Email: webenquiries@setfia.org.au
Southern Shark Industry Alliance Inc.
Phone: 0428 141 591
Email: simon@atlantisfcg.com
Great Australian Bight Fishing Industry Association Inc. (GABIA)
PO Box 3350
Port Lincoln SA 5606
Phone: 0428 233 200
Email: eo@gabia.com.au
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
Phone: 0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Southern Squid Jig Fishery
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
Phone: 0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Torres Strait Fisheries
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
Phone: 0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery
Tuna Australia (ETBF Industry Association)
PO Box 6 Civic Square
Canberra ACT 2608
Phone: 0427 837 966
Email: CEO@tunaaustralia.org.au
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
Phone: 0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Skipjack Tuna Fisheries
Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association (ASBTIA)
PO Box 1146
Port Lincoln SA 5606
Phone: 08 8682 3257
Email: sbt_research@bigpond.com
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
Phone: 0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery
Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association (ASBTIA)
PO Box 1146
Port Lincoln SA 5606
Phone: 08 8682 3257
Email: sbt_research@bigpond.com
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
Phone: 0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery / Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery
Austral Fisheries Pty Ltd
Po Box 42
Mt Hawthorn WA 6915
Phone: 08 9217 0100
Email: austral@australfisheries.com.au
Australian Longline Fishing Pty Ltd
Ground Floor
85 Macquarie St
Hobart TAS 7000
Phone: 03 6244 2609
Email: admin@australianlongline.com.au
Commonwealth Fisheries Association (CFA)
PO Box 804
Sandy Bay TAS 7006
Phone: 0408 131 204
Email: ceo@comfish.com.au