Southern Freedivers has representation on the fisheries round table, and that gives us early warning about some matters. There are proposals to change the snapper regulations. I attach related documents. A quick skim of the documents suggests that the proposed changes should have little impact on divers. The bad news is that the changes have been proposed because there have been several years of poor breeding, suggesting that there may be a reduced abundance of snapper in coming years.
Ric
Fisheries Act 1995 DRAFT FISHERIES NOTICE NO. X/2012 I, Anthony Hurst, Executive Director Fisheries Victoria and delegate of the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, make the following Fisheries Notice under Section 152 of the Fisheries Act 1995 (the Act) and after conducting consultation according to Section 3A of the Act. Dated: Anthony Hurst Executive Director Fisheries Victoria FISHERIES (SNAPPER COMMERCIAL CATCH LIMIT) NOTICE NO. X/2012 1. Title This Notice may be cited as the Fisheries (Snapper Commercial Catch Limit) Notice No. X/2012. 2. Objective The objective of this Notice is to implement measures that will protect snapper populations by establishing catch and trip limits and reporting requirements for the Trawl (Inshore) Fishery and reporting requirements for the Western Port/ Port Phillip Bay Fishery. 3. Authorising Provision This Notice is made under Section 152 of the Fisheries Act 1995. 4. Commencement This Notice comes into operation on XX. 5. Definitions In this Notice – ‘Fishing trip’ means the interval between the vessel leaving a port or mooring and returning to a port or mooring. ‘Eastern Zone’ means Victorian waters east of a line running south of the Wilsons Promontory lighthouse not including Corner Inlet. ‘Western Zone’ means Victorian waters west of a line running south of the Wilsons Promontory lighthouse. ‘Snapper’ means Pagrus auratus. ‘Snapper Zone’ means any one of the following: (a) Eastern Zone; or (b) Western Zone. ‘Aggregated amount’ means the total amount of snapper taken by all fishers operating in the Trawl (Inshore) Fishery from 1 October 2012. ‘Specified snapper details’ means – (1) for the purposes of clause 10(1)(a) of this Fisheries Notice – (a) the number allocated by the Secretary to identify the access licence; (b) the estimated weight (in kilograms) of snapper on board the vessel; (c) the snapper zone from which the snapper were taken; (d) the vessel name and identifying mark; (e) the port or mooring area the vessel will enter; (f) the estimated time at which the vessel will enter the port or mooring area; and (g) the amount of snapper in kilograms, even if nil, taken from each snapper zone between 1 October 2012 and the commencement of this Fisheries Notice. (2) for the purposes of clause 10(1)(f) of this Fisheries Notice – (a) the number allocated by the Secretary to identify the access licence; and (b) the total net weight (in kilograms) of snapper landed under the licence. (3) for the purposes of clause 10(3) of this Fisheries Notice – (a) the number allocated by the Secretary to identify the access licence; and (b) the total net weight (in kilograms) of snapper landed under the licence during the week beginning Sunday at 12.00 AM and ending the following Saturday at 11.59 PM; and (c) the amount of snapper in kilograms, even if nil, taken between 1 October 2012 and the commencement of this Fisheries Notice. 6. Daily trip limit The holder of a Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access must not – , (a) take during any fishing trip or on any day; (b) land following a fishing trip or on any day; or (c) possess on-board a boat; more than 50 kilograms of snapper. Penalty: 50 penalty units 7. Snapper must be landed before boat departs port or mooring The holder of a Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence must ensure that when the boat authorised to be used under the licence departs any port or mooring there are no snapper in or on the boat. Penalty: 50 penalty units 8. Fishing in more than one zone prohibited (1) The holder of a Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence must not take snapper in more than one snapper zone during any fishing trip or on any day. Penalty: 50 penalty units (2) The holder of a Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence must not use commercial fishing equipment in more than one snapper zone on any fishing trip or on any day if – (a) the licence holder has snapper in their possession or control; or (b) there are snapper on-board the boat authorised to be used under the licence. Penalty: 50 penalty units 9. Exemptions (1) A Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence holder is exempt from clause 6 of this Fisheries Notice, if – (a) Eastern zone – i. the person is operating in the eastern zone; and ii. an aggregated amount of less than 10 tonnes of snapper has been caught under Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licences in the eastern zone since 1 October 2012 to 30 September 2013; or (b) Western zone – i. the person is operating in the western zone; and ii. an aggregated amount of less than 35 tonnes of snapper has been caught under Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licences in the western zone since 1 October 2012 to 30 September 2013. (2) A Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence holder is exempt from sub-clause 10(1)(f) of this Fisheries Notice, if – (a) Eastern zone – i. the person is operating in the eastern zone; and ii. an aggregated amount of more than 10 tonnes of snapper has been caught under Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licences in the eastern zone since 1 October 2012 to 30 September 2013; or (b) Western zone – i. the person is operating in the western zone; and ii. an aggregated amount of more than 35 tonnes of snapper has been caught under Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licences in the western zone since 1 October 2012 to 30 September 2013. (3) A Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence holder is exempt from sub-clause 5(1)(g) of this Fisheries Notice if this information has been provided to the Secretary. (4) A Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence holder is exempt from sub-clause 5(3)(c) of this Fisheries Notice if this information has been provided to the Secretary. 10. Reporting, landing and record keeping (1)A Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence holder must – (a) ensure that the specified snapper details are provided to the Secretary at least 2 hours before the vessel specified in the licence enters a port or mooring area on any day if the vessel has any snapper on board; and (b) ensure that any snapper on-board the boat are landed at the port or mooring specified to the Secretary under sub-clause (a); and (c) ensure that no snapper are landed from the boat specified in the licence before the estimated time for entering a port or mooring area provided to the Secretary under sub-clause (a); and (d) ensure than all snapper on-board the boat specified in the licence are landed no later than one hour after arriving at the port or mooring specified to the Secretary under sub-clause (a); and (e) ensure that any snapper landed from the boat specified in the licence are weighed no later than 2 hours after landing; and (f) ensure that the specified snapper details are provided to the Secretary no later than 2 hours after landing; and (g) ensure that all details of the daily catch record are completed in the manner required by the Secretary before providing any details to the Secretary under sub-clause (f); and (h) ensure that no snapper taken under the licence enters any vehicle that already contains fish, is sold or leaves the place of landing of the snapper or enters any premises to which fish is processed or held, until the licence holder has complied with sub-clause (f). Penalty: 50 penalty units (2) A Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence holder must ensure that the daily catch record book is on board the boat specified in the licence at all times – (a) when the licence holder or any person acting on behalf of the licence holder is on-board the boat; or (b) when snapper is on board the boat. Penalty: 50 penalty units (3) A Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence holder must ensure that between 1 October 2012 and 31 March 2013 and when their snapper catch exceeds 100 kilograms in a week, the specified snapper details are provided to the Secretary each week before 5.00 pm the following Sunday. Penalty: 50 penalty units Note: Reporting and record keeping requirements specified in clause 10 of this Fisheries Notice are in addition to the reporting requirements specified in the Fisheries Regulations 2009. 11. Transfer of snapper at sea prohibited (1) The holder of a Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence must ensure that snapper are not – (a) transferred in, under or on any waters from the boat specified in the licence to any other boat; or (b) sold, transferred or delivered to another person in, under or on any waters. Penalty: 50 penalty units (2) The holder of a Trawl (Inshore) Fishery Access Licence must ensure that snapper taken by a person who is not acting on behalf of the licence holder are not transferred in, under or on any waters to the possession or control of the licence holder or any person acting on behalf of the licence holder (whether on board the boat or not). Penalty: 50 penalty units (3) Sub-clause (1) does not apply to a licence holder who allows snapper to be transferred to a tender boat prior to landing, if that boat proceeds directly to the port or mooring notified to the Secretary in accordance with clause 10(1)(a). 12. Fisheries reserves For the purposes of section 152(4) of the Act, this notice also applies to any fisheries reserve. 13. Revocation Unless sooner revoked, this Fisheries Notice will be automatically revoked 12 months after the day on which it comes into operation. Note Penalties under this notice are set in accordance with section 152(7)(c) of the Fisheries Act 1995 which allow the imposition of penalties not exceeding 50 penalty units for a contravention of an offence under a fisheries notice.
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Summary of Proposed Management Arrangements The proposed management arrangements for limiting snapper harvest in the Victorian inshore trawl fishery (VIT) and additional reporting requirements for the Western Port/ Port Phillip Bay (WPPPB) fishery will be implemented using a Fisheries Notice. The following provides a summary of key proposed management actions. Please refer to the draft Fisheries Notice for specific requirements, prohibitions and exemptions. Please make submissions on this proposal to Bill Lussier, Manager Marine and Estuarine Fisheries, at GPO Box 4440, Melbourne 3001 or <bill.lussier@dpi.vic.gov.au> by 5 November 2012. Proposed management arrangements for the Victorian inshore trawl fishery •Establish an annual 35 tonne total catch limit on snapper taken west of the Wilson Promontory Lighthouse (the western zone) and an annual 10 tonne total catch limit east of the Wilson Promontory Lighthouse (the eastern zone). •Establish a 50 kilogram trip limit for landing snapper from a zone once the total catch limit for that zone is reached. •Require VIT fishers who land snapper to report their intention to land, the estimated weight of landed fish, landing location, estimated time and vessel details, report the amount they landed, land snapper within one hour of arriving at a port or mooring and weigh snapper within two hours of landing. •Require VIT fishers who land snapper to report the total amount of snapper for each zone, even if nil, caught between 1 October 2012 and the commencement of the proposed Fisheries Notice. •Prohibit fishing in more than one zone in a day, transporting snapper between moorings and ports unless in a tender vessel and transferring catch between vessels. The reporting required under this Fisheries Notice is in addition to that required under the Fisheries Act 1995. Proposed reporting arrangements for the Western Port/ Port Phillip Bay fishery •WPPPB fishers must report their weekly snapper catch between Sunday at 12.00 AM and ends the following Saturday at 11.59 PM when it exceeds 100 kilograms for that week. •Fishers must report this information to DPI before 5:00 PM of the next day (Sunday). •WPPPB fishers must report this information to DPI until 31 March 2013. •WPPPB fishers who land snapper must report the total amount of snapper, even if nil, caught between 1 October 2012 and the commencement of the proposed Fisheries Notice. The reporting required under this Fisheries Notice is in addition to that required under the Fisheries Act. ========================================================
There is also a pdf cover letter, which I am trying to copy onto the forum, but with little success. I will try again in a later posting.
Ric
_________________ Ric Fallu started spearfishing in Pt Phillip in the early 1960s, and never really stopped
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