The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has published a framework for integrating climate-related risks into decision-making for Commonwealth fisheries.
The impact of climate change on marine ecosystems is increasingly apparent around the world. Its effects on fisheries are complex and vary by location, habitat and species.
AFMA developed the Climate Risk Framework in consultation with world-leading experts and fishery stakeholders, to ensure the available information on climate risks is routinely considered in management advice to the AFMA Commission.
The finalised Framework replaces a draft version published by AFMA in 2024, which was used in a trial during 2024 and 2025 across several fisheries.
The trial covered a diverse range of species, fishing gear types, harvest strategy approaches and locations with significant variance in data availability and sensitivity to climate change.
The Framework is based on a risk assessment approach to integrate climate-driven ecosystem and environmental considerations and uncertainty into existing management frameworks.
It employs a four-step process to evaluate the climate-driven risk to a species from readily available information, then determine whether additional measures are required to respond to the risk.
- Evaluate the overall risk to the species, integrating climate change impacts with the stock's biological status, using the best available information.
- Identify current science, management or industry measures that offer sufficiently robust responses to the full spectrum of climate change impacts, both positive and negative.
- Evaluate the impact of response measures identified at Step 2 and determine the residual risk remaining to the species.
- Where necessary, recommend to the AFMA Commission any additional measures needed to respond to climate change impacts.
The Climate Risk Framework is part of AFMA's Climate Adaptation Program, which aims to ensure current and projected climate impacts are integrated with decision-making processes.
