New quota shares issued

In October 2018, the Minister for Primary Industries issued new quota shares for 17 species/species groups, as well as effort in the inshore/offshore prawn trawl sector of the Ocean Trawl fishery. This implemented the final recommendations of the Independent Allocation Panel (IAP) on the allocation of new species and effort quota shares.

The new quota shares provide an ongoing right to receive a share of the Total Allowable Catch or Total Allowable Effort. Each year, catch or effort quota will be allocated to owners of the relevant quota shares.

The creation and issue of the new quota shares (as well as arrangements to support quota management, such as real-time reporting and bag limits), are provided for by the Fisheries Management Legislation Further Amendment Regulation 2018 (PDF, 424 KB).

Who were the new shares issued to?

The new quota shares were issued to eligible shareholders who held shares in relevant classes on 28 September 2018. See Table of eligible shareholders (PDF, 287.54 KB)

The Fisheries Management (Issue of Quota Shares) Instrument 2018 (PDF, 975.46 KB) was published in the Government Gazette on 26 October 2018.

For a general explanation of how the numbers of shares were calculated, see this factsheet on the calculation of new species and effort quota shares (PDF, 348.33 KB).

Share appeals process

Applications to the Share Appeal Panel (against the number of shares issued to a shareholder) closed on 28 November 2018.

The Share Appeal Panel is currently considering appeals.

Shares that are ‘subject to appeal’ are marked as such in the Share Register, and the transfer of these shares is not permitted until the appeal is resolved or withdrawn.

See Frequently Asked Questions about share appeals.

How much quota will fishers get?

Along with their new fishing business determination certificates, shareholders have been sent information sheets showing how the numbers of shares were calculated. These sheets also show the approximate quota per share for each species.

However, quota will only be allocated to shareholders immediately before the start of the first fishing period, and will be rounded to the nearest 0.1kg (or nearest whole number for beachworms and nippers) for each fishing business.

Fishers can calculate the approximate amount of quota they were allocated for the 2019/20 fishing period using the table below.

Note 1: Quota will be issued to fishing businesses immediately prior to each fishing period.

Note 2: Beachworm and Ghost nipper quota will be rounded to the nearest whole number.

Note 3: Kilogram quota will be rounded to the nearest one decimal place.

When did quota management start?

To allow more time for industry adjustment, the Minister decided to commence quota management for the new species in 2019, rather than December 2018.

For the ocean fisheries (Ocean Trap and Line - Line East, Ocean Hauling - Purse Seine, Ocean Trawl - Inshore and Offshore Prawn and Fish Trawl North), quota management commenced on 1 May 2019 to align with the Commonwealth quota period.

For Estuary General - Hand Gathering, quota management commenced on 1 July 2019 to align with existing quota periods in other Estuary General share classes.

Total Allowable Catch Determinations

The Minister directed the Secretary of the Department of Industry to make an annual fishing determination for these 17 new species or species groups under the provisions of the Fisheries Management Act 1994. The 2019/20 fishing determinations only apply to the relevant commercial sector.

See TACs and summary information for each of the 17 new species or species groups.

See Frequently Asked Questions about the process of setting TACs.