This species is protected in Australia by State Conservation agencies under numerous independently enacted state laws, the earliest dating back to 1889. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999 provides protection for all pinnipeds in Australia. The Australian Sea Lion was listed as a Threatened species in the Vulnerable category in 2005. In South Australia, it was listed in February 2008 as Vulnerable under the National Parks and Wildlife Act of 1972. Fisheries are regularly monitored for evidence of marine mammal by-catch (Shaughnessy 1999). Australian fisheries have also attempted to reduce marine mammal by-catch through the development of several action plans and the development of a code of conduct for responsible fishing for at least one fishery. Several NGOs monitor by-catch issues and have prepared publications on ways to reduce marine mammal mortality in Australia?s fisheries (see Shaughnessy et al. 2003).