Untitled document
Fisheries Amendment Act 2015
No. 64 of 2015
table of provisions
Section Page
1Purpose
2Commencement
3Licences or permits must be returned to Secretary
4Cancelled transferable licences may be transferred
5New Division 5 of Part 8 inserted
6New Schedule 4 inserted
7Repeal of amending Act
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Endnotes
1 General information
Fisheries Amendment Act 2015
No. 64 of 2015
[Assented to 1 December 2015]
The Parliament of Victoria enacts:
1Purpose
The main purpose of this Act is to amend the Fisheries Act 1995 to establish a scheme—
(a)to phase out commercial net fishing in Port Phillip Bay; and
(b)to provide for a limited non-net fishery to operate there on and after 1 April 2022; and
(c)to compensate persons whose fishery licences are surrendered under, or affected by, the scheme.
2Commencement
(1)Subject to subsection (2), this Act comes into operation on a day or days to be proclaimed.
(2)If a provision of this Act does not come into operation before 1 January 2016, it comes into operation on that day.
3Licences or permits must be returned to Secretary
In section 58A(2) of the Fisheries Act 1995, after "57(10)" insert "or cancelled under Division 5 of Part 8".
4Cancelled transferable licences may be transferred
In section 60(1) of the Fisheries Act 1995—
(a)in paragraph (b), for "section 61." substitute "section 61; or";
(b)after paragraph (b) insert—
"(c)a licence cancelled under Division 5 of Part 8.".
5New Division 5 of Part 8 inserted
After section 153C of the Fisheries Act 1995 insert—
"Division 5—Restriction against commercial net fishing in Port Phillip Bay
153DDefinitions for this Division
In this Division—
Corio Bay means any of the waters of Port Phillip Bay west of longitude 144°30';
election year means a 12 month period commencing on 1 April;
licence holder means—
(a)the holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence; or
(b)the holder of a Purse Seine (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence;
Port Phillip Bay means all the waters within the bays lying north of a line from the most seaward point of Point Lonsdale to the most seaward point of Point Nepean and includes the waters of Hobsons Bay and Corio Bay, but not the waters of Swan Bay;
Purse Seine (Port Phillip Bay) Fishery Access Licence means a licence belonging to the class of access licences of that name created by regulations made for the purposes of section 38;
Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence means a licence belonging to the class of access licences of that name created by regulations made for the purposes of section 38.
153ERestriction against commercial net fishing in Port Phillip Bay
(1)Despite anything to the contrary in this Act or any regulations made under this Act—
(a)a licence holder is not authorised to use any fishing net in Corio Bay on and after 1 April 2018; and
(b)a holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence is not authorised to use any fishing net anywhere in Port Phillip Bay on and after 1 April 2022.
(2)On 1 April 2022, each holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence that is in force on that day is entitled to be paid an amount of $205 000 out of the Consolidated Fund (which is, by this subsection, appropriated to the extent necessary).
(3)Despite anything to the contrary in sections 64 and 64A, the Minister must not make an order in relation to the commercial fishery operating in Western Port and Port Phillip Bay for the 12 month period commencing on 1 April 2022 that—
(a)sets a total allowable catch that exceeds 88 tonnes of snapper; or
(b)allocates quota units to each holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence that are other than the equivalent of 11 tonnes of snapper.
153FElection to retain licence
(1)Before 1 April 2016—
(a)a holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence may elect to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022; and
(b)the Secretary must determine which of those elections are successful.
(2)The procedure by which a holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence may elect to retain their licence and by which the Secretary determines which elections are successful is set out in Part 1 of Schedule 4.
(3)The holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence who is notified by the Secretary in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 4 that their election is successful is entitled to retain that licence on and after 1 April 2022.
153GElection to surrender licence
(1)Before 1 April 2016—
(a)any licence holder may elect to surrender their licence; and
(b)an election to surrender by a licence holder who is the holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence may be made concurrently with an election to retain their licence referred to in section 153F(1).
(2)In each of the following election years until 1 April 2021, a licence holder, other than a licence holder who is entitled under section 153F(3) to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022, may elect to surrender their licence.
(3)The procedure by which a licence holder may elect to surrender their licence is set out in Part 2 of Schedule 4.
153HPower of Secretary to cancel licence
(1)Before 1 April 2016, the Secretary must cancel the licence of any licence holder who—
(a)has elected to surrender their licence under section 153G(1); and
(b)in the case of a licence holder who is the holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence, has not successfully elected to retain their licence under section 153F.
(2)In each of the following elections years until but not including the election year commencing 1 April 2021, the Secretary must cancel the licence of any licence holder who has elected to surrender their licence.
(3)On or after 1 April 2021 and before 1 April 2022, the Secretary must cancel the licence of any remaining licence holder other than a licence holder who is entitled under section 153F(3) to retain their licence.
(4)For the purposes of this section, the Secretary may specify a day on which the cancellation of a licence takes effect, being a day occurring before—
(a)the commencement of the following election year, in the case of the cancellation of a licence under subsection (1) or (2); or
(b)1 April 2022, in the case of a cancellation under subsection (3).
153ICompensation
(1)A licence holder whose licence is cancelled by the Secretary under section 153H is only entitled to be paid compensation calculated in accordance with, and limited to, Part 3 of Schedule 4.
(2)The compensation is to be paid out of the Consolidated Fund (which, by this section, is appropriated to the extent necessary).
153JState not liable
(1)Despite any Act or law to the contrary and except as provided in this Division, the State of Victoria is not liable in any way for any loss, damage or injury whatsoever resulting directly or indirectly from or arising out of any action taken or decision made under this Division or Schedule 4.
(2)For the avoidance of doubt, the reference in subsection (1) to an action taken or a decision made includes, but is not limited to—
(a)the restriction on the use of any fishing net in Corio Bay; and
(b)the restriction on the use of any fishing net in Port Phillip Bay; and
(c)the determination of which of the holders of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence may retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022; and
(d)the amount paid under section 153E(2) to the holders of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence who retain their licence on an after 1 April 2022; and
(e)the cancellation by the Secretary of a licence following an election by the licence holder to surrender their licence; and
(f)the cancellation by the Secretary of a licence after 1 April 2021; and
(g)the determination, in accordance with section 153I, of the amounts payable to a licence holder whose licence is cancelled.
153KDelegation
The Secretary by instrument may delegate any power, duty or function of the Secretary under this Division or Schedule 4, other than this power of delegation, to any person including a body corporate.
153LTransfer of licence
(1)A holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence who has made a successful election to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022 may, in accordance with this Act and the regulations, transfer the licence to another person before that date.
(2)Any reference in this Division or Schedule 4 to a licence holder who is entitled to retain a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence on or after 1 April 2022 is taken to include a reference to any person to whom the licence is transferred before that date.".
6New Schedule 4 inserted
After Schedule 3 to the Fisheries Act 1995 insert—
"Schedule 4—Restriction of net fishing in Port Phillip Bay
Sections 153F, 153G and 153I
Part 1—Election to retain licence
1Notice of election to retain licence
(1)The Minister must give notice in accordance with this clause that each holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence may elect to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022.
(2)The notice must be—
(a)published in the Government Gazette; and
(b)sent by letter to each holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence.
(3)The notice must state the following—
(a)that each holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence may elect to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022;
(b)the opening and closing date for the making of the election;
(c)that the election must be made in writing addressed to the Secretary and signed by the licence holder;
(d)the address to which the election must be sent;
(e)the information that must be included in the election, which must include the name of the licence holder and the licence number;
(f)that making an election does not entitle the licence holder to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022 unless the Secretary notifies the licence holder in writing that the election is successful.
2Election to retain licence
An election by a holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022 must—
(a)be made in writing to the Secretary and received by the Secretary within the period stated in the notice under clause 1; and
(b)be signed by the licence holder; and
(c)include the information required by the notice under clause 1.
3Determination of successful elections
(1)After the closing date specified in the notice under clause 1 for making an election, the Secretary must determine in accordance with this clause which of the elections to retain a licence are successful.
(2)If 8 or less holders of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence have made an election in accordance with clause 2, the Secretary must determine that the election of each of those licence holders is successful.
(3)If more than 8 holders of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence have made an election in accordance with clause 2—
(a)the Secretary must determine the non‑net catch of each of those licence holders over the survey period based on the records held by the Secretary; and
(b)the Secretary must rank the licence holders from the highest non-net catch determined under paragraph (a) to the lowest; and
(c)the Secretary must determine that—
(i)the election of each of the 8 highest ranked licence holders is successful; and
(ii)the remaining elections are unsuccessful.
(4)In this clause—
non-net catch, of a licence holder, means the total weight in kilograms of the non-net catch of all species caught under the licence (whether or not the licence holder held the licence for the whole of the survey period);
records held by the Secretary means the records of catch history as recorded in the Integrated Catch and Effort System maintained by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources on behalf of the Secretary;
survey period means the 5 year period from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2014.
4Notification of outcome of election
After determining which of the elections made by the holders of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence to retain their licence are successful, the Secretary must notify in writing—
(a)each of the licence holders who made a successful election stating that—
(i)the election made by the licence holder is successful; and
(ii)the licence holder is entitled to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022; and
(b)each of the licence holders (if any) who made an unsuccessful election stating that the election made by the licence holder is unsuccessful.
Part 2—Election to surrender licence
5Definitions
In this Part—
continuing licence holder means a licence holder who is entitled under section 153F(3) to retain a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence on and after 1 April 2022;
election period means—
(a)the initial election period; or
(b)the 12 month period commencing on—
(i)1 April 2016; or
(ii)1 April 2017; or
(iii)1 April 2018; or
(iv)1 April 2019; or
(v)1 April 2020;
eligible licence holder means—
(a)in the case of the initial election period—all licence holders;
(b)in the case of any other election period—all remaining licence holders;
initial election period means the period commencing on the day section 5 of the Fisheries Amendment Bill 2015 comes into operation and ending immediately before 1 April 2016;
licence holder has the same meaning as in section 153D;
remaining licence holder means a licence holder who is not a continuing licence holder.
6Notice that licence holder may elect to surrender licence
(1)On or after the commencement of each election period, the Minister must give notice in accordance with this clause that each eligible licence holder may elect to surrender their licence.
(2)The notice must be—
(a)published in the Government Gazette; and
(b)sent by letter to each eligible licence holder.
(3)The notice must state the following—
(a)that each eligible licence holder may elect to surrender their licence;
(b)the opening and closing date for the making of the election;
(c)that the election must be made in writing addressed to the Secretary and signed by the licence holder;
(d)the address to which the election must be sent;
(e)the information that must be included in the election, which must include the name of the licence holder and the licence number;
(f)in the case of the notice given in the initial election period—
(i)that the holder of a Western Port/Port Phillip Bay Fishery Access Licence may elect to surrender their licence even if they also elect to retain their licence; and
(ii)the election to surrender is conditional on the election to retain the licence being unsuccessful;
(g)if the licence holder elects to surrender their licence and that election is successful, the licence will be cancelled before the end of the election period in which the election is made.
(4)In addition, the notice sent to each eligible licence holder must state the amount of compensation payable to the licence holder if the licence is cancelled in the current election period.
7Election to surrender licence
An election by an eligible licence holder to surrender their licence must—
(a)be made in writing to the Secretary and received by the Secretary within the period stated in the notice under clause 6; and
(b)be signed by the licence holder; and
(c)include the information required by the notice under clause 6.
8Determination of successful elections
(1)After the closing date specified in the notice under clause 6 for making an election and subject to subclause (2), the Secretary must determine that each of the elections to surrender a licence made in accordance with clause 7 is successful.
(2)The Secretary must not determine that an election by a licence holder to surrender their licence is successful if—
(a)the election to surrender was not made in accordance with clause 7; or
(b)the Secretary has determined that an election by the licence holder to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022 is successful; or
(c)an election by the licence holder to retain their licence on and after 1 April 2022 remains undetermined.
9Notification of successful election
After determining which of the elections made by licence holders to surrender their licence are successful, the Secretary must notify in writing—
(a)each of the licence holders who made a successful election stating—
(i)that the election made by the licence holder to surrender their licence is successful; and
(ii)the effective date of the cancellation of the licence; and
(iii)the amount of compensation to which the licence holder is entitled; and
(b)each of the licence holders who made an unsuccessful election stating that the election made by the licence holder to surrender their licence is unsuccessful.
Part 3—Calculation of compensation
10Calculation of compensation
(1)The amount of compensation payable to a licence holder whose licence is cancelled under section 153H is determined in accordance with Table 1 where—
Tis the annual average catch value of the catch taken under the licence held by the licence holder over the survey period (whether or not the licence holder held the licence for the whole of that period).
Table 1
Column 1
Period in which licence cancelled
Column 2
Formula for determining compensation
Initial election period An amount (A)
= $385 000 + (3×T)Election period commencing 1 April 2016 An amount (B)
= A × 9/10Election period commencing 1 April 2017 An amount (C)
= B × 9/10Election period commencing 1 April 2018 An amount (D)
= C × 9/10Election period commencing 1 April 2019 An amount (E)
= D × 9/10Election period commencing 1 April 2020 An amount (F)
= E × 9/10After 1 April 2021 An amount (G)
= F × 9/10(2)For the purposes of subclause (1), the annual average catch value taken under a licence over the survey period (T) is determined as follows—
(a)for each species specified in column 1 of Table 2—
(i)the total catch, in kilograms, of that species is determined based on the catch history of the licence over the survey period indicated in the records held by the Secretary; and
(ii)the total catch is multiplied by the value per kilogram specified opposite in column 2 of Table 2 to determine the total catch value of the species over the survey period; and
(iii)the total catch value of the species over the survey period is divided by 5 to determine the annual average catch value of the species; and
(b)the annual average catch values of each of the species, as determined under paragraph (a) are added together.
Table 2
Column 1
Species
Column 2
Value (per kg)
All Other $4.14 Anchovy, Southern $2.47 Australian salmon $0.69 Bream, Black $11.00 Calamary, Southern $12.89 Flathead, Rock $6.65 Flathead, Sand $4.33 Flathead, Yank $4.00 Flounder, Unspecified $9.00 Garfish, Southern sea $7.36 Leatherjacket $3.40 Morwong, Dusky $4.00 Morwong, Jackass $4.00 Mullet, Yellow-Eye $1.96 Pike, Unspecified $4.51 Ruff $4.00 Sardine, Australian $3.00 Shark, Gummy $11.00 Skate $4.00 Snapper $9.40 Sprat, Sandy $2.00 Trevally $3.64 Whiting, King George $22.00 Yellowtail $2.00 (3)In this clause—
records held by the Secretary means the records of catch history as recorded in the Integrated Catch and Effort System maintained by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources on behalf of the Secretary;
survey period means the 5 year period from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2014.".
7Repeal of amending Act
This Act is repealed on 1 January 2017.
Note
The repeal of this Act does not affect the continuing operation of the amendments made by it (see section 15(1) of the Interpretation of Legislation Act 1984).
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Endnotes
1 General information
See for Victorian Bills, Acts and current authorised versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.
Minister's second reading speech—
Legislative Assembly: 22 October 2015
Legislative Council: 12 November 2015
The long title for the Bill for this Act was "A Bill for an Act to amend the Fisheries Act 1995 to establish a scheme to phase out commercial net fishing in Port Phillip Bay, to provide for a limited non-net fishery to operate there on and after 1 April 2022 and to compensate persons whose fishery licences are surrendered under, or affected by, the scheme and for other purposes."
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