Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to make a quick contribution on this report, and I note the comments that have just been made. I agree that it is an extremely important issue, but the progress that the Australian fishing industry in particular has made with respect to the protection of seabirds is quite often not recognised. Senator Bartlett indicated that he did not think that there had been all that much improvement in this area.

I am happy to put on the record a conversation I had about 12 months ago with a fishing company that does a lot of fishing in the Southern Ocean in the areas that Senator Bartlett was talking about. They had not caught a seabird for four years at the time of that conversation and, having recently confirmed the information for the last 12 months, it is now five years since they caught a seabird while they were longlining in the Southern Ocean. That is a fantastic result and it is as a result of the technologies that have been developed by the Australian fishing industry and which have been applied by those who operate in the industry. But it is also a result of the monitoring that they undertake. They are required to have monitors on their ships and to report the results so that the claims can be verified. There should be due recognition given to the significant amount of work that the Australian fishing industry has done to progress the work in this very important area. As Senator Bartlett said, it is an important issue for the industry to look at. They have, to their credit, taken up that issue and done the work.

It was interesting to note in that conversation that, in adjacent waters, where the French were fishing, there were significant numbers of seabirds taken in that area. So I think the work of the international treaty is extremely important and the continuation of monitoring and reporting of progress is important. But the one thing I am very pleased to be able to say is that, in this particular instance, the Australian fishing industry and the advances that they have made in the management of this issue can be taken as an international example. I would certainly place my commendation to them on the record and urge that other countries that are signatories to this treaty continue to do the work that needs to be done and consider watching what the Australian industry are doing and taking up some of their advances.

Question agreed to.