Commercial Fishing NSW Advisory Council
CommFish NSW
Following industry-wide consultation, CommFish NSW has been established to provide commercial fishing stakeholders greater representation as part of the provision of independent advice, to the Minister for Agriculture & Western New South Wales on strategic and policy issues relating to the commercial fishing industry in NSW.
The advice provided will assist the Minister (and DPI Fisheries) to develop sound policies and decisions to manage the fisheries resources and ecosystems of NSW, in accordance with the objects of the Fisheries Management Act 1994 which are to ‘conserve, develop and share the fishery resources of the State for the benefit of present and future generations’.
The Council operates under a Charter (PDF, 357.83 KB) which sets out the objectives and mode of operation of the Council and the roles and responsibilities of members.
Membership
Chairperson
The chairperson of CommFish NSW is appointed by the Minister for Agriculture & Western New South Wales. The chairperson must be a person who, in the opinion of the Minister:
- has no direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the fishery concerned;
- does not represent DPI Fisheries;
- does not represent any restricted fishery or share management fishery; has significant expertise and experience in the management of fisheries; and
- is not a member of CommFish NSW.
The chairperson does not have voting rights.
Members
Under clause 290 of the Fisheries Management (General) Regulation, CommFish NSW is composed of the following members
(13 in total):
(a) For each restricted fishery, one person who:
- (i) is an employee or office holder of an industry body that represents the fishery, or
- (ii) is an entitlement holder who, in the opinion of the Minister, has expertise (or has shown leadership) in the fishery or in the commercial sector of the fishing industry generally;
(b) For each share management fishery, one person who:
- (iii) is an employee or office holder of an industry body that represents the fishery, or
- (iv) holds shares in the fishery and who, in the opinion of the Minister, has expertise(or has shown leadership) in the fishery or in the commercial sector of the fishing industry generally;
(c) the person appointed to the Ministerial Fisheries Advisory Council as an expert in or representative of the commercial fishing industry;
(d) an Aboriginal person who is a commercial fisher; and
(e) a nominee of the Secretary of the Department of Industry(who does not have voting rights).
Chair: Mr Stuart Richey AM
Mr Stuart Richey AM has been appointed to the role of Chair of CommFish NSW. Mr Richey is a Tasmanian commercial fisher, a foundation member and former Deputy Chair on the Board of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, as well as the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. Mr Richey was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2005 for service to the commercial fishing industry, particularly the promotion of sustainable utilisation of Australian Government managed fisheries.
Media release
Members
Member | Fishery Represented |
|---|---|
Stephen Bunney | Abalone Share Managed Fishery |
Graeme Byrnes | Estuary General Share Managed Fishery |
Steve Everson | Estuary Prawn Trawl Share Managed Fishery |
Mark Cranstone | Lobster Share Managed Fishery |
Patrick Richardson | Ocean Hauling Share Managed Fishery |
Mitchell Sanders | Ocean Trap and Line Share Managed Fishery |
Darren Ward | Ocean Trawl Share Managed Fishery |
Taylor Henderson | Inland Restricted Fishery |
Craig Shephard | Sea Urchin & Turban Shell Restricted Fishery |
John Jarvis | Southern Fish Trawl Restricted Fishery |
Raymond Saunders | Aboriginal Commercial Fishers |
Greg Finn | Ministerial Fisheries Advisory Council |
Director – Fisheries & Aquaculture Management | Nominee of the Secretary |
CommFish NSW meetings
Meeting 25, 24-25 November 2022 – Merimbula
Meeting 24, 3-4 August 2022 – Tweed Heads
Meeting 23, 19 May 2022 – Sydney and Online
Meeting 22, 16-17 February 2022 – Newcastle and Online
Meeting 21, 22 October 2021 – Online
Meeting 20, 17 September 2021 – Online
Meeting 19, 28 May 2021 – Newcastle
Meeting 18, 23 February 2021 – Newcastle
Meeting 17, 27 November 2020 – Newcastle
Meeting 16, 2 October 2020 – Sydney
Meeting 15, 18 September 2020 – Sydney
Meeting 14, 7 August 2020 – Sydney
Meeting 13, 10 July 2020 – Sydney
Meeting 12, 12 June 2020 – Sydney
Meeting 11, 25-26 February 2020 – Sydney
Meeting 10, 6 March 2019 – Sydney
Meeting 9, 21-22 November 2018 – Sydney
Meeting 8, 11 September 2018 – Sydney
Meeting 7, 11 July 2018 – Sydney
- Chair's Summary - Meeting 7 (PDF, 350.96 KB)
- Minutes - Meeting 7 (PDF, 235.44 KB)
- Catch and effort industry consultation papers (PDF, 644.33 KB)
- Summary of submissions and DPI proposals – Catch and effort consultation (PDF, 88.3 KB)
- CommFish recommendations - Management arrangements to support new catch and effort quotas (PDF, 182.46 KB)
- Minister Blair's letter to Stuart Richey AM – Meeting 7 recommendations (PDF, 253.68 KB)
Meeting 6, 5-6 June 2018 – Ballina
Meeting 5, 14 March 2018 - Sydney
- Chair's Summary - Meeting 5 (PDF, 93.31 KB)
- Minutes - Meeting 5 (PDF, 231.9 KB)
- Stuart Richey’s AM letter to Minister Blair – Blue crab size limit (PDF, 61.22 KB)
- Minister Blair's response to Stuart Richey AM – Blue crab size limit (PDF, 235.34 KB)
- Stuart Richey’s AM letter to Minister Blair – Mulloway recommendations (PDF, 61.17 KB)
- Minister Blair's letter to Stuart Richey AM – Mulloway recommendations (PDF, 365.55 KB)
Meeting 4, 28-29 November 2017 - Coffs Harbour
Meeting 3, 18-19 September 2017 - Sydney
Meeting 2, 11-12 July 2017 - Sydney
Meeting 1, 25-26 May 2017 - Sydney
- Chair's Summary - Meeting 1 (PDF, 388.05 KB)
Minutes - Meeting 1 (PDF, 222.37 KB)- BAP management arrangements consultation papers (PDF, 353.61 KB)
- DPI proposals on BAP management arrangements (PDF, 141.49 KB)
- Stuart Richey’s AM letter to Minister Blair – Meeting 1 recommendations (PDF, 140.56 KB)
- Minister Blair's response to Stuart Richey AM - Meeting 1 recommendations (PDF, 260.25 KB)
Provide correspondence to CommFish
Undertake a correspondence submission to Commercial Fishing NSW Advisory Council.
