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

Reducing red tape and removing unnecessary restrictions




90. Amend legislation to enable online licensing transactions.
    In the coming years, Fisheries Queensland will be providing authority holders with the capacity to
    perform more licensing functions online. To aid in this process, certain provisions of the Fisheries
    Regulation would need to be amended to allow basic licensing transactions (such as temporary
    transfers) to be made automatically rather than be subject to approval by the chief executive.
91. Remove the existing 70 hull unit restriction and extend the existing effort unit conversion
    factor to 120 hull units.
    The number of effort units deducted for a night’s fishing is based on a formula, known as the effort
    unit conversion factor, which takes into account each trawl vessel’s dimensions. The resulting
    factor is referred to as hull units, which is currently restricted to 70 hull units. It is proposed to
    remove any hull unit restriction on vessels. The existing 20 m maximum vessel length would be
    retained. The effort unit conversion factor displayed in legislation would be extended for vessels up
    to 120 hull units. Vessels larger than this would be advised of their conversion factor upon
    application.
92. Remove the existing 300 Kw main engine restriction.
    It is proposed to remove the existing 300 Kw main engine restriction. Fishing power would be
    collected through gear sheets and logbooks, and incorporated into revised stock assessments for
    each of the proposed management regions.
93. Remove the existing two-for-one boat replacement requirements for Moreton Bay trawlers
    (M2).
    It is proposed to remove the existing requirement to surrender an M2 fishery symbol to replace a
    boat in the Moreton Bay trawl area. Effort in this management region would be managed through
    the new effort unit system, total allowable catch effort and harvest strategy.
94. Amend provisions relating to unloading coral reef fin fish during the spawning closure.
    Under current arrangements, all vessels participating in the Coral Reef Fin Fish Fishery must be at
    their unloading place before the start of the spawning closure. This requirement leads to
    bottlenecks at ports along the coast as fishing vessels compete for access to unloading facilities.
    To ease this congestion and ensure the quality of live fish, it is proposed that vessels would be
    allowed to anchor within a defined area (e.g. within 5 nautical miles of a port) prior to the start of
    the closure until they are able to unload.
95. Amend the provisions for the possession of crab and lobster meat.
    The rules around the possession of crab and lobster meat are very strict, as the processing of
    animals provides a means of undermining size limits and the prohibition on taking female crabs.
    However, to provide some flexibility for commercial operators who process on land, it is proposed
    to allow possession of crab meat if:
       the person is a commercial fisher with C1, C2, C3 or R fishery symbols, or a relevant
        commercial fishing business (seafood processors, seafood wholesalers and seafood retailers)
       the person can provide evidence they have Safe Food Queensland accreditation for a land-
        based processing facility.


                                                                                                        26