Fisheries resource re-allocation proposals
Resource sharing issues can be highly complex, emotive and difficult to resolve. From time to time a fishing sector approaches Government seeking consideration of a redistribution of the access or fishing effort/harvest allocation on the basis of equity, or to increase overall community benefit and wellbeing.
Local communities also seek consideration of a redistribution of localised access or fishing effort for socio-economic reasons.
The Ministerial Fisheries Advisory Council (MFAC) developed a Policy to assist Government decision making on resource allocation.
In summary, the Policy provides a strategic, transparent and consistent approach to guide government decision making on sharing the State's sustainably exploitable fisheries resources between the various commercial, recreational, charter and Aboriginal cultural fishing sectors in accordance with the objects of the Fisheries Management Act 1994.
Individuals or groups who want the Government to consider the reallocation of fisheries resources can apply to have their proposal considered in line with the policy.
The proposal will be dealt with in a staged process commencing with the proponent lodging an application underpinned by factual information specified in the Policy and evidence of the views of other key stakeholder groups on the proposed allocation outcome. This factual information should include estimates of the level of positive or negative impact on social and economic factors, seafood supply, environmental outcomes etc.
The application will then be considered by a Working Group of stakeholders who will work with the proponent to ensure that adequate information is provided to allow a reasonable assessment of the proposal.
The Working Group, MFAC and DPI Fisheries then consider the application and prepare advice and recommendations for the Minister for Primary Industries. The Minister will consider this advice and make a decision whether to reject the proposal, accept it as proposed, or accept it with modification.
For proposals where there is likely to be significant impact on one or more stakeholder groups, where there is apparent risk of unknown outcomes, or where there are gaps in key areas of information, the Minister may choose to proceed to detailed assessment and consultation. The Minister will then make a final decision on whether to implement the change to resource sharing arrangements.
The individual or group coming up with the proposal will be responsible for collecting and collating factual information and for contributing to costs associated with the process (i.e. cost of assessing the application $1,150 and cost of establishing and running the Working Group $10,000).
