Direction No. HIMIFD 5 - Closure of the Area Outside of Heard Island Plateau to Mackerel Icefish Fishing

Administered by Department of Agriculture

Legislation au F2005B01848 Not in force Legislative Instrument

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FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ACT 1991

HEARD ISLAND AND McDONALD ISLANDS FISHERY
MANAGEMENT PLAN 2002

DIRECTION No. HIMIFD 5

CLOSURE OF THE AREA OUTSIDE OF HEARD ISLAND
PLATEAU TO MACKEREL ICEFISH FISHING

 

I, Leslie John Roberts, Acting Managing Director of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, as delegate make the following Direction under subsection 17(5A) of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and subsection 31(1) of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002.

 

Dated 1st April 2004

Les Roberts

Acting Managing Director
Australian Fisheries Management Authority

 

Citation

1. This Direction may be cited as Direction No. HIMIFD 5.

Commencement

2. This Direction commences on Gazettal.

Application

3. This Direction applies to a holder of statutory fishing rights in the fishery and to a person acting on behalf of the holder.

Period of Application

4. This Direction applies for a period of five years from the date of commencement.

Interpretation

5.1 In this Direction:

fishery” means the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery;

incidental take” means the taking of species unintentionally while engaged in commercial fishing;

mackerel icefish” means fish of the species Champsocephalus gunnari;

Plan” means the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002;

target” in relation to fishing means the commercial fishing activities engaged in with the intention of taking a particular species;

5.2 A term used in this Direction by way of priority, or if there is any inconsistency:

(a) takes the meaning given to it in the interpretation section of this Direction: then

(b) if no meaning is given to the word in the interpretation section of this Direction, takes the meaning given to it in the Plan; and then

(c) if no meaning is given to the word in this Direction nor in the Plan, takes the meaning given to that word under the Fisheries Management Act 1991.

5.3 The origin of geographical coordinates used in this Direction is the World Geodetic Datum System 1972 (WGS72).

Prohibition on fishing

6.1 No fishing is to be engaged in that targets mackerel icefish in the area of the fishery on the outside of the Heard Island Plateau as defined in Schedule 1.

6.2 The incidental take of mackerel icefish in the area of the fishery referred to in clause 6.1 will be decremented from a person’s quota holdings for that species in the same manner as it would be if mackerel icefish were a target species in that area.

Exemption to the Prohibition on fishing in clause 6.1

7. An exemption to the prohibition on fishing in clause 6.1 above applies to a person who fishes under a scientific permit in accordance with section 15 of the Plan.

Revocation of Direction No. HIMIFD 1

8. Direction No. HIMIFD 1 is revoked.

 

SCHEDULE 1

Area of Heard Island Plateau

 

Heard Island Plateau is defined as the area enclosed by a line:

i. starting at the point where the meridian of Longitude 72 degrees 15 minutes East intersects the Australia-France Maritime Delimitation Agreement Boundary then south along the meridian to its intersection with the parallel of Latitude 53 degrees 25 minutes South;

ii. then east along that parallel to its intersection with the meridian of Longitude 74 degrees East;

iii. then north-easterly along the geodesic to the intersection of the parallel of Latitude 52 degrees 40 minutes South and the meridian of Longitude 76 degrees East;

iv. then north along the meridian to its intersection with the parallel of Latitude 52 degrees South;

v. then north-westerly along the geodesic to the intersection of the parallel of Latitude 51 degrees South with the meridian of Longitude 74 degrees 30 minutes East; and

vi. then south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of commencement.

 

 

Overview

The Fisheries Management Act 1991, enacted by the Australian Parliament, was introduced to provide a comprehensive framework for the management of fisheries within Australia's jurisdiction, ensuring sustainable use and conservation of fishery resources. This Act was pivotal in addressing the need for coordinated and effective management of Australia's extensive marine territories, including offshore islands and exclusive economic zones. One of the legislative instruments under this Act is the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002, which was designed to regulate and protect the marine environment around these remote islands. Direction No. HIMIFD 5, made under the authority of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002, specifically targets the management of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery by prohibiting mackerel icefish fishing outside the Heard Island Plateau, aiming to safeguard the ecosystem and maintain the sustainability of fish stocks in this area.

Scope and Application

Direction No. HIMIFD 5, made under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002, applies to any holder of statutory fishing rights in the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery and to any person acting on behalf of such a holder. This Direction specifically prohibits the engagement in fishing activities targeting mackerel icefish in the area outside of the Heard Island Plateau, as defined in Schedule 1. This prohibition is intended to protect the mackerel icefish population and will be in effect for a period of five years from the date of commencement. Any incidental taking of mackerel icefish in the restricted area will be deducted from the person's quota holdings for that species. However, this prohibition does not apply to persons fishing under a scientific permit in accordance with section 15 of the Plan. The geographic scope of this Direction is limited to the waters surrounding Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and it revokes Direction No. HIMIFD 1, thereby clarifying and updating the regulatory framework governing fishing activities in this specific area.

Key Provisions

The Direction No. HIMIFD 5, issued under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002, establishes specific regulations pertaining to the fishing activities around the Heard Island Plateau. The primary operative section of this Direction is section 6.1, which prohibits the targeting of mackerel icefish in the area outside of the Heard Island Plateau as defined in Schedule 1 (subsection 6.1). Additionally, section 6.2 clarifies that any incidental catch of mackerel icefish in this prohibited area will be deducted from the quota of the person involved, similar to how it would be if the fish were the target species (subsection 6.2). Section 7 provides an exemption to this prohibition for individuals fishing under a scientific permit as outlined in section 15 of the Plan (subsection 7). The Act imposes clear obligations on the holders of statutory fishing rights and any person acting on their behalf, as outlined in section 3 (subsection 3). These parties must adhere to the prohibitions and requirements set forth in the Direction, specifically avoiding any fishing activities targeting mackerel icefish outside the defined Heard Island Plateau area. This includes ensuring that any incidental catches of the species are correctly accounted for in their quota holdings. Furthermore, section 8 revokes Direction No. HIMIFD 1, indicating that the new provisions replace previous regulations regarding the fishery (subsection 8). In terms of enforcement, breaches of the provisions set out in this Direction could result in civil or criminal consequences. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the Direction itself, violations of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 typically carry significant penalties, including fines and potential imprisonment, depending on the severity of the breach. The Act provides for maximum penalties, which can vary based on the specific offence and jurisdiction, but generally include fines of up to several thousand Australian dollars and potential imprisonment terms for more severe violations.

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