Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery Transfer Weighing Determination 2020 (Cth)

Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery Transfer Weighing Determination 2020

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority makes the following determination in accordance with a decision made by the Commissioners under section 23 of the Fisheries Administration Act 1991. 

Dated   22 November 2019

Andrew Pearson

Executive Secretary

for and on behalf of the Commission of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority

1  Name

This instrument is the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery Transfer Weighing Determination 2020.

2  Commencement

This instrument commences on 1 December 2019.

3  Revocation

This instrument is revoked on 1 December 2020 unless earlier revoked. 

4  Authority

This instrument is made pursuant to subsection 17(6)(aa) of the Act for the purpose of subclause 22B.2 of the Management Plan.

5  Definitions

(1)  In this instrument:

Act means the Fisheries Management Act 1991.

Management Plan means the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery Management Plan 1995. 

(2)  A term used in this instrument that is defined for the purposes of the Plan has the same meaning in this instrument as it has in that Plan.

Note:          Terms defined in the Fisheries Management Act 1991 have the same meaning in this instrument (see paragraph 13(1)(b) of the Legislation Act 2003). 

6Determination of transfer weighing methods

Southern Bluefin Tuna must not be transferred from a tow cage to a farm without a transfer weighing of the fish, conducted by AFMA or an Agent of AFMA using the procedures set out below as directed by AFMA or an Agent of AFMA.

A weighing is a transfer weighing only if it meets the requirements of clause 7. 

7Transfer weighing procedures

A transfer weighing of fish is to be conducted in the following manner:

(a)     At least 100 fish of 10 kilograms or greater are to be taken from the tow cage and the average weight of those fish must be determined to 2 decimal places;

(b)   A video recording is to be made of the transfer of the fish from the tow cage to the farm;

(c)    The video is to depict a side view covering the opening between the tow cage and the farm in order that all southern bluefin tuna transferred will appear on the video recording;

(d)   Once the transfer is complete, a farm representative and AFMA or an Agent of AFMA are to view the recording and tally the number of fish transferred; and

(e)    The weight of fish in the transfer weighing is the weight obtained by multiplying the average weight determined under paragraph (a) by the number of fish determined under paragraph (d).