Multilateral
There are several overarching international agreements and arrangements to which Australia is a signatory or a Party. These include:
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
- Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (UN Fish Stocks Agreement)
- FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing, and
- FAO Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas (Compliance Agreement).
Australia works closely with other parties to promote international fisheries cooperation. The department is regularly involved in a number of multilateral forums to ensure the sustainable use of shared resources, including:
Regional
Australia works closely with its near neighbours to promote regional fisheries cooperation.
Regular bilateral meetings are held to address issues such as:
- shared stocks management
- illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and
- fisheries and aquaculture development.
Australia also has a number of bilateral agreements or arrangements and facilitates regional dialogue with neighbouring countries (see links below) to ensure the sustainable use of shared resources.