GARRETT BACKS DOWN ON MAKO BAN

Garrett said it was a requirement of the national environment law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation

(EPBC)

Act, enacted by the previous government, that species listed internationally under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) were automatically included on Australia’s national list of migratory species.

The Government said there was a lack of evidence to suggest that Australian populations of these sharks were threatened, as they were in other parts of the world.

“That’s why the Government will ensure that recreational fishers, including charterboat operations, are not unfairly impacted by this international decision, which was driven primarily by concern about northern hemisphere populations of these sharks,” said Garrett.

The Government singled out several political representatives, including Darren Cheeseman, federal member for Corangamite, and Sid Sidebottom, member for Braddon, for their efforts in promoting the need for a practical solution.

The Government has already announced that catch-and-release fishing is unlikely to be subject to enforcement action. Garrett also said he was directing his department to work with fishery managers to improve data on mako and porbeagle sharks in Australian waters.

Photo: TrailerBoat contributor John Willis addresses a meeting at the Torquay Boat Ramp, in Victoria, attended by more than 500 people.