2019-07-18 OM Agenda - Item 1 - Attachment 2 - Fisheries Regulation Discussion Paper

25. Amend the use of river set nets under the N2 fishery symbol.
    It is proposed to amend the netting requirements for river set nets under the N2 fishery symbol to
    reduce some restrictions (number of nets), enabling an overall reduction in the length of net in the
    water and helping to reduce the number of species of conservation interest interactions in this part
    of the fishery:
       reduce the total head rope length that can be used in nearshore waters and rivers and creeks
        to 600 m overall; and
       allow up to four nets to be used in rivers and creeks (an increase of one) with a total head rope
        length of 240 m (a reduction of 120 m), and simultaneously use three foreshore nets up to
        360 m (a reduction of 240 m).
26. Amend the maximum mesh size under the N1 and N2 fishery symbols.
    It is proposed to amend the maximum allowable mesh size used to 178 mm (7 inches), or less
    where currently regulated, to minimise the risk of protected species interactions.
27. Implement a maximum ply rating for use in nearshore and offshore (N1, N2 and N4) net
    fisheries.
    It is proposed to regulate the ply rating of mesh nets in both nearshore and offshore net fisheries to
    minimise the risk to protected species.
28. Amend the incidental shark catch limits for commercial line fishers.
    To minimise discarding sharks incidentally caught by commercial line fishers, it is proposed to
    amend the incidental catch limits (excluding hammerhead sharks) for commercial fishers without
    an ‘S’ fishery symbol from 4 to 10 sharks per trip.

Proposed changes to charter fishing
29. Introduce new arrangements for charter fishing operators.
    In 2018, the Queensland Government released the Charter fishing action plan 2018–2021, which
    outlined a number of actions to support growing the charter fishing sector. To implement actions
    under the plan, the following amendments are proposed:
    a. introduce a new ‘restricted charter fishing’ authority to require
            charter operations restricted to fishing in smooth or partially smooth waters, freshwater
             and stocked impoundments
            charter operators to register with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (and receive
             a ‘restricted charter fishing’ authority at no cost)
            charter operators to provide data on their fishing activities either through logbooks or a
             fishing app
    b. amend the existing licensed charter ‘unrestricted charter fishing’ authority to require
            charter operations allowed in any waters including offshore (i.e. unrestricted)
            charter operators to provide data on their fishing activities either through logbooks or a
             fishing app
            charter operators to fit and maintain vessel tracking equipment to their vessels
   There would be no change to the existing annual fees for the ‘unrestricted charter fishing’ authority
   ($327.65).


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