EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULE 1988 No. 51
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy
FISHERIES LEVY ACT 1984
FISHERIES LEVY (NORTHERN PRAWN FISHERY)
REGULATIONS
Paragraphs 5(bc) and (bd) of the Fisheries Levy Act (‘the Act’) provide for the imposition of levy on the allocation and renewal of allocation, respectively, of units of fishing capacity, being units of fishing capacity prescribed for the purposes of those paragraphs.
The regulations specify amounts of levy in respect of different classes of units which authorise fishing in various areas of the Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF) during specified periods between 15 April 1988 and 30 April 1989 inclusive.
The NPF is divided into two sub-areas for management purposes. Sub-area 1 is that area of the NPF between Darwin and Cape York. Sub-area 2 is the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, west of Darwin.
Access to the fishery is allowed only when the applicable number of Class A units and a Class B or a Class C unit are assigned to the boat. A Class A unit is a measure of the size and engine power of a boat. An average-sized boat requires 375 Class A units. A Class B or Class C unit represents the boat itself. Class A units may also be held independently of any other class of units. These are called “surplus units”.
Management costs for the NPF are recoverable through levy imposed under the Fisheries Levy Act 1984. The levy is calculated for specified periods by reference to the number of surplus units held or to the number of Class A units assigned to a boat together with a Class B or a Class C unit, as the case may be.
The regulations impose levy on the allocation of units on 15 April 1988 and, depending on the sub-area, provide for one or two renewals during the ensuing year.
The levy arrangements are as follows:
AMOUNTS PAYABLE
RENEWAL DATE | SUB-AREA 1 | SUB-AREA 2 | SURPLUS UNITS |
15.4.88 | $6.50 | $3.25 | $6.50 |
1.5.88 | $12.50 if 375 A units or less | N/A | $22.50 |
| $22.50 if more than 375 A units |
|
|
1.9.88 | $15 if 375 A units or less | $15 if 375 A units or less |
|
| $25 if more than 375 A units | $25 if more than 375 A units | $25 |
The regulations repeal and replace existing Fisheries Levy (Northern Prawn Fishery) Regulations. The regulations will take effect on gazettal.