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What is the Threatened and Migratory Species Fisheries Bycatch Mitigation Program?
The Threatened and Migratory Species Fisheries Bycatch Mitigation Program is a grant opportunity which aims to support Australian commercial wild-catch fisheries to be more sustainable by mitigating the bycatch of threatened and/or migratory species.
Background
The Threatened and Migratory Species Fisheries Bycatch Mitigation Program will run over three years from 2022-23 to 2024-25. Commercial fishing bycatch is a key threat to over 100 threatened and/or migratory species protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The Australian Government is supporting the development and implementation of practical measures to support the marine environment and sustainable fisheries by avoiding and mitigating the bycatch of threatened and migratory species.
Objectives
The objective of the program is to support Australian commercial wild-catch fisheries become more sustainable by investing in practical solutions that aim to mitigate the bycatch of species listed as threatened and/or migratory under the EPBC Act.
The intended outcomes of the program are:
- improved conservation outcomes for threatened and/or migratory EPBC Act list species that interact with commercial wild-catch fisheries
- increased uptake of bycatch mitigation measures in Australian commercial wild-catch fisheries
- increased industry capacity and capability to reduce the bycatch of threatened and/or migratory EPBC Act listed species.
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Funding
The Australian Government has announced a total of $3.9 million over three years for the program.
Funding available will be $50,000 to $500,000 covering up to 100% of eligible project expenditure.
Eligible Projects
Your project must:
- be located in Australia
- support on ground activities and actions to help mitigate the bycatch of species listed as threatened and/or migratory species under the EPBC Act which have interactions with Australian commercial wild-catch fisheries
- have at least $50,000 in eligible expenditure.
Focal species
The focal species of your project must:
- be listed as threatened and/or migratory under the EPBC Act and be protected as a ‘matter of national environmental significance’ (e.g., species listed as Migratory, Vulnerable, Endangered, and Critically Endangered. This does not include species listed as Conservation Dependent under the EPBC Act)
- interact with Australian commercial wild-catch fisheries.
You can use this grant funding for:
- salaries and on-costs (maximum of 30%) for personnel directly employed in delivering the project activities (on a pro-rata basis relative to their time commitment)
- contractor costs or expert advice
- costs for research and development activities
- costs for legal and financial advice
- costs for communication and engagement activities including promotional activities
- costs associated with managing collaborations and partnerships with Traditional Owners, ranger groups, industry and/or the local community
- costs associated with developing software, education and training
- costs associated to obtain planning, environmental or other regulatory approvals during the project period (associated fees paid to the Commonwealth, state, territory and local governments are not eligible)
- purchase or hire of equipment, materials and supplies (including bycatch reduction technologies or devices)
- domestic travel (eligible air transportation is limited to the economy class fare for each sector travelled; where non-economy class air transport is used only the equivalent of an economy fare for that sector is eligible expenditure. Where non-economy class air transport is used, the grantee will require evidence showing what an economy air fare costs at the time of travel)
- contingency costs of up to a maximum of 10% of the eligible project costs
- administrative costs
- the cost of an independent audit of project expenditure (where we request one) up to a maximum of 1% of total eligible project expenditure.
Not all expenditure on your project may be eligible for grant funding. The Program Delegate makes the final decision on what is eligible expenditure and may give additional guidance on eligible expenditure if required.
To be eligible, expenditure must:
- be a direct cost of the project
- be incurred by you for required project audit activities.
Need Assistance?
Call 1300 658 508
Eligible Applicants
You can apply if you have an Australian business number (ABN) and are one of the following entities:
- an entity incorporated in Australia (this includes Indigenous organisations registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations)
- a registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land council
- an Australian local government agency or body
- partnership
- cooperative
- publicly funded research organisation.
Timing
Applications close 23 January 2023.
