Threatened species legislation in NSW consists of the NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994 (FM Act), and the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act). The FM Act deals with threatened fish and marine vegetation and associated threatening processes and is administered by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI). The TSC Act deals with all other threatened biota and threatening processes in the State and is administered by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC).

In November 2004, the NSW State Government amended the FM Act and the TSC Act through the introduction of the Threatened Species Legislation Amendment Act 2004. The amendments formed part of a broader natural resource management reform package in NSW. One of the elements of the reforms includes a requirement for the Director-Generals of NSW DPI and DECC to prepare and adopt a Priorities Action Statement (PAS). 

This site delivers the NSW DPI Priorities Action Statement and provides information on threatened fish and marine vegetation listed under the FM Act in NSW. A seperate PAS has been prepared by the DECC for species, populations and ecological communities covered under the TSC Act.

At present there are 23 species, populations and ecological communities of fish and marine vegetation listed as threatened with extinction in NSW. The PAS describes them, where they are found, the threats affecting them and what we can do to help them recover.