How are endangered fish being legally exported?

Endangered species in Australia’s waters are facing imminent peril. From coral reefs bleaching and marine habitats deteriorating to dwindling fish populations, the state of our oceans is worsening at an alarming rate.

Yet, despite these dire conditions, some of Australia’s most endangered fish species are legally exported, exposing critical flaws and loopholes in existing environmental protections.

New research raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of current laws in safeguarding the future of endangered fish, particularly those that continue to be exported.

Exposing the legal loophole

A team of researchers from the University of Queensland has identified four threatened species – the orange roughy, blue warehou, school shark, and southern bluefin tuna – that are still finding their way into international markets.

This is despite that fact that these species are listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, legislation the was designed to protect threatened species.

“Since the inception of the Act, 10 percent of all Australian seafood exports, or 107 kilotons, have been of these four listed threatened species,” said study lead author Rosa Mar Dominguez-Martinez.

“You might naively believe that there are plenty more fish in the sea, but these species, are in real danger.”

Endangered fish being exported

In fact, Australia’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee, the expert group responsible for providing listing advice and recovery strategies, found that all of these species were eligible for listing in higher threat categories.

But how did these endangered species end up being sold internationally? The researchers identified a loophole within the legislation that allows this to happen.

The EPBC Act includes a category unique to Australia, known as “Conservation Dependent,” which applies only to marine fish species. Eight species are listed under this category, and all are caught in commercial fisheries.

“When a species is listed as threatened under the EPBC Act, conservation advice and in some cases a recovery plan, are developed to assist its recovery,” noted the researchers. “However, Conservation Dependent species are not eligible for recovery plans, and currently none have conservation advice.”

Protection for commercial fish species

The status of these species, except for the southern bluefin tuna, has not improved. They either remain overfished or are unassessed in Australia.

“While the EPBC Act is under federal review, we’re calling for Australia’s new legislation to treat commercially harvested threatened species the same as other threatened species,” said Dominguez-Martinez.

Their current classification exempts the species from the stricter regulations that would apply if they were listed under standard threat categories such as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered.

Regular reviews for threatened species

Study senior author Professor Carissa Klein recommends two significant changes that could be made to better protect Australia’s threatened marine species.

“Australia’s new environmental protection legislation must mandate regular review of the conservation status of all threatened species,” said Professor Klein.

If more regular reviews were conducted, species like the southern bluefin tuna would be de-listed from the EPBC Act more swiftly.

Threatened species legislation

Professor Klein also suggests that species acknowledged as threatened under international listings, such as the IUCN Red List or global conventions, should be assessed in Australia’s new threatened species legislation.

According to Professor Klein, these recommendations are nonnegotiable to prevent further extinctions in Australian waters.

Environmental law reform

As the call for environmental law reform amplifies, we are reminded that protecting our marine biodiversity is not merely a moral obligation but also an economic necessity.

Preserving endangered species goes beyond saving individual creatures – it’s about protecting entire ecosystems.

Each species contributes to the delicate balance of marine environments, which are vital for biodiversity, climate regulation, and the resources people rely on.

When species like the orange roughy or southern bluefin tuna dwindle in numbers, the impact ripples through the ocean, affecting other marine life and even human livelihoods.

Ensuring the survival of these species is essential to keeping our oceans healthy. By closing legal loopholes and bolstering environmental protections, we can help secure vibrant, diverse seas for future generations.

The study is published in the journal npj Ocean Sustainability.

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