The Australian Fisheries Management Authority must make agreements under Division   1 for the assessment of actions in fisheries managed under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 . An agreement must be made whenever it is proposed to make a management plan or a determination not to have a plan. An agreement must be made within 5 years of the commencement of this Act for all fisheries that did not have plans at that commencement.

The Minister administering the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984 must make agreements under Division   1 for the assessment of actions permitted by policies or plans for managing fishing in Torres Strait. All policies or plans must be covered by an agreement within 5 years after the commencement of this Act.

A further agreement for assessment must be made if the impact of the actions is significantly greater than assessed under an earlier agreement.

If the Minister endorses a policy or plan assessed under an agreement under Division   1, the Minister must make a declaration that actions under the policy or plan do not need approval under Part   9 for the purposes of section   23 or 24A (which protect the marine environment).