Australia’s rich marine life provides food and livelihoods for communities and households. But fishing can exact a heavy toll on ocean wildlife and habitats.
Decades of growth in consumer demand, alongside advancements in technology and industrial-scale fishing, have led to widespread unsustainable practices, both on the global stage and in our waters. This results in countless threatened species being caught as bycatch in nets and on lines, damage to habitats, and a decline in fish populations. Meanwhile, poor labelling and traceability often leave us uncertain about the species, origin and sustainability of the seafood we are eating.
Despite the progress we’ve made, there is much urgent work still to do.
People want sustainably produced seafood, and Australia has the expertise and ability to do so. Yet we are still putting ocean wildlife and habitats at risk. For example, despite being listed as in need of protection, deep-sea orange roughy continue to be targeted, using fishing gear that damages ancient deep-sea ecosystems.
For more than 20 years, AMCS has spearheaded Australia’s sustainable seafood movement, supporting consumers to make good choices, driving systematic change, better seafood import standards, and supporting sustainable fisheries and seafood markets to prosper and grow. But we must strengthen our efforts to change the systems and processes that enable continued unsustainable commercial fishing – holding the government and industry to account.
Your support will help AMCS drive powerful national campaigns to shed light on destructive fishing that harms threatened marine life and habitats, and stop illegal, unreported and unregulated imported seafood from coming into Australia. You will contribute towards species and habitat-focused fisheries reforms, legislative changes and partnerships with local fishers and seafood suppliers to promote sustainable seafood practices in Australia.
Join us in transforming the seafood sector for a future that supports a healthy ocean and sustainable livelihoods.
If you are interested in funding this work, explore these special projects below
All donations over $2 are 100% tax-deductible. The projects featured in the Funding Prospectus are priority campaign activities and needs for which we are urgently seeking funds – current at the time of posting or going to press. As time progresses, there may be some cases in which the project you have selected may already be fully funded. In that instance, we would be delighted to discuss where the need is greatest at the given time. All of our campaigns work in symbiotic support of our mission to protect our oceans. Please be assured your gift will go to work to be the voice for Australia’s oceans, working on the big issues that risk our ocean wildlife.
