EDO NSW BULLETIN – 19 January 2012: Number 743

Clarification to Item 21: Notification of fishing closure

In yesterday's bulletin we included an alert about a fishing closure applying to commercial fishing licence holders. We are advised that this is in fact a renewal of a fishing restriction that has already been in place for several years, so is not a new restriction.

That alert should have also indicated that the closure only applies to ocean waters more than 3 nautical miles from the coast. Commercial fishers who hold a boat licence with an offshore general 1 condition (OG1) are able to continue fishing in those waters.

Please see below for the full gazette notification. We apologise for any confusion we may have caused.

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ACT 1994

Section 8 Notification – Fishing Closure

OG1 – Offshore Commercial Fishing

I, PETER TURNELL, Acting Executive Director, Fisheries NSW, with the delegated authority of the Minister for Primary Industries and the Director-General of the Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services pursuant to sections 227 and 228 of the Fisheries Management Act 1994 (“the Act”) and pursuant to section 8 of the Act, do by this notification prohibit the taking of fish by all methods of fishing by the holder of a commercial fishing licence from ocean waters more than three nautical miles from the baselines from which the territorial sea is measured, except from a boat that has a fishing boat licence which is subject to a condition specified in the licence permitting that boat to operate in those waters (described on the licence as “OG1”). This fishing closure is effective for a period of five (5) years from the date of publication of this notification, unless sooner amended or revoked.

Dated this 10th day of January 2012.

PETER TURNELL,

Acting Executive Director, Fisheries NSW,

Department of Primary Industries,

(an office within the Department of Trade and

Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services)