The (then) Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (now Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) released the revised policy for public comment over the five week period ending 9 June 2017.

Public Submissions on the revised Harvest Strategy Policy

All submissions that were received by the government have been published to the extent possible.

Submissions denoted by ‘*NFP’ (not for publication) relate to:

​​​In December 2005, the Australian Government Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation issued a ministerial direction to the Australian Fisheries Management Authority under section 91 of the Fisheries Administration Act 1991.

2005 ministerial direction to AFMA PDF​  [300 KB, 5 pages]

Commonwealth fisheries are a shared resource that provide a range of benefits to the Australian community. With many groups accessing Commonwealth fisheries, sharing these resources fairly has been a priority for the government and Australian fishers for many years.

The Commonwealth fisheries resource sharing framework outlines the government’s approach to sharing fisheries resources across commercial, recreational, and Indigenous fishing sectors and between the Commonwealth and the states and the Northern Territory.

Australia's commercial fishing and aquaculture industry is worth around $3.6 billion per year (ABARES 2023) and employs about 17,000 people (ABARES 2019). Each year, Commonwealth managed fisheries generate over $370 million in value alone, which represents about 27% of the total value of all seafood produced by wild caught fisheries in Australia(ABARES 2022).

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry manages 8 Japan quotas including preserved meats 1 and 2. These quotas were put in place by the Japan–Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) and allow Australian exporters to export specific quantities of preserved meats 1 and 2 product at reduced tariff rates.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry manages 8 Japan quotas including poultry. These quotas were put in place by the Japan–Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) and allow Australian exporters to export specific quantities of poultry to Japan at reduced tariff rates.

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment manages 8 Japan quotas, including pork. These quotas were put in place by the Japan–Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA).

Australian exporters can export up to 14,000 tonnes of pork products at reduced tariff rates through this quota. Access to the quota is on a first-come first-served (FCFS) basis until the available quota amount has been exhausted.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry manages 8 Japan quotas including honey. These quotas were put in place by the Japan–Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA).

Australian exporters can export a specific amount of honey to Japan on a first-come, first-served (FCFS) basis until the available quota amount has been exhausted.