The tuna industry is being urged to regulate bycatch – the capture of undersized specimens and fish other than tuna – to increase fishery sustainability, by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. The call comes as representatives of Australia’s tuna industry regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) gather in Brisbane for an international workshop on bycatch. The ISSF, a global partnership between scientists, the tuna industry and WWF, is urging RFMOs to... ...Read more »

Queensland’s iconic nut is losing ground in its home state, with new research by the WWF revealing that only around 3000 wild nut trees are still alive in their native habitat. The research, by WWF Australia and the Spatial Ecology Laboratory at the University of Queensland, found that only around 1000 smooth-shelled and less than 2000 rough-shelled Queensland nut trees remain in Queensland, with only 1.3% and 2.1% respectively growing in protected areas such as national parks and nature reserves. “The... ...Read more »

Mandatory labelling of food products in Australia that contain palm oil would open the “floodgates” of requests from activist groups on a wide range of issues not related to the contents or safety of a product, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) said today. AFGC highlighted that activist groups are now using food labels as a battleground for issues as diverse as deforestation, animal welfare and human rights. Food labels should only be used to highlight important product information... ...Read more »