In ABC reporting (both broadcast and online) of 17 and 18 September 2015, it is implied that seals and dolphins caught by the Geelong Star are threatened species. This is not the case as suggested by comments from Professor Jessica Meeuwig (not Jennifer Meewuig as initially stated in online reporting).
Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), Australian fur seals and common dolphins (the specific species taken) are not listed as threatened species. The EPBC Act is the Australian Government’s central piece of environmental legislation to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places.
ABC’s online article of 17 September 2015, Fisheries regulator AFMA ‘not sure’ it can stop factory trawler Geelong Star killing seals, dolphins, also incorrectly states the contents of email from an AFMA official, claiming he was, ‘not sure more seal or dolphin deaths could be could be avoided in future’. Dolphins were not referred to in this correspondence between AFMA officers obtained by the ABC on 15 September 2015.
Minimising the risk of marine mammal interactions during commercial fishing is, and will continue to be, a priority of AFMA in the regulation of all Commonwealth fisheries, including the Small Pelagic Fishery.
AFMA took urgent action in response to the unacceptable rate of common dolphin mortalities on the Geelong Star’s first two trips and implemented the Small Pelagic Fishery (Closures) Direction No.1 2015. The strict trigger limit, whereby any dolphin death will result in the closure of the relevant zone for six months, remains in place.