The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is the statutory authority responsible for the efficient management and sustainable use of Commonwealth fish resources on behalf of the Australian community.
We need to ensure that fishing is conducted in a sustainable way so as to provide the benefits we get today such as healthy seafood and employment, while also making sure that there will be fish around for future generations to enjoy.
AFMA manages fisheries within the 200 nautical mile Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ), on the high seas, and, in some cases, by agreement with the States to the low water mark.
As a general rule of thumb, AFMA looks after commercial fisheries from three nautical miles out to the extent of the AFZ. The states and the Northern Territory generally look after recreational fishing, commercial coastal and inland fishing and aquaculture.