Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a)

acknowledges and supports the Government’s position to adopt an immediate ban on all unmanaged high seas bottom trawling;

(b)

acknowledges the Australian position for a ban on fishing practices which have destructive impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems in areas beyond national jurisdiction from 1 August 2007 where Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) are under negotiation, unless and until conservation and management measures are implemented; and a ban from 1 January 2008 within existing RFMOs, unless and until conservation and management measures are implemented;

(c)

supports the commitment to applying the precautionary approach with independent peer review so that bans on high seas bottom trawling cannot be lifted unless it can be shown scientifically that it will not damage fragile marine ecosystems;

(d)

acknowledges the commitment to strengthen conservation and management of deep sea biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction;

(e)

welcomes the efforts of the Australian delegation to advance the position on high seas bottom trawling within the United Nations (UN) General Assembly negotiations; and

(f)

urges the Government to pursue all diplomatic avenues to ensure that this position prevails when a formal decision is taken in the UN General Assembly in early December 2006.

Question agreed to.