{"id":"nsw:sl-2011-0654","name":"Fisheries Management (Fishing Activities in Lowland Darling River Catchment) Order 2011","slug":"fisheries-management-fishing-activities-in-lowland-darling-river-catchment-order-2011","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"nsw","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"654 of 2011","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":178145,"registerId":"nsw-nsw:sl-2011-0654-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name of Order","content":"#### 1 Name of Order\n\n1 Name of Order\n\n> This Order is the [Fisheries Management (Fishing Activities in Lowland Darling River Catchment) Order 2011](/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2011-0654).","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"#### 2 Commencement\n\n2 Commencement\n\n> This Order commences on the day on which it is published in the Gazette.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Fishing activities that may be carried out","content":"#### 3 Fishing activities that may be carried out\n\n3 Fishing activities that may be carried out\n\n> > (1) The activities referred to in subclauses (2)–(4) may be carried out in the Lowland Darling River Catchment subject to compliance with any applicable fishing regulatory controls.\n> \n> > (2) A recreational fisher may take from the Lowland Darling River Catchment any of the following species of fish, may possess any such species of fish taken from the Lowland Darling River Catchment or may carry out any routine activity in connection with any such taking or possession:\n> > \n> > > (a) *Paratya australiensis* (freshwater shrimp),\n> > \n> > > (b) *Macrobrachium australiense* (freshwater prawn),\n> > \n> > > (c) *Caridina mccullochi* (freshwater shrimp),\n> > \n> > > (d) *Cherax destructor* (yabby),\n> > \n> > > (e) *Maccullochella peelii* (Murray cod),\n> > \n> > > (f) *Macquaria ambigua* (golden perch),\n> > \n> > > (g) *Nematalosa erebi* (bony bream),\n> > \n> > > (h) *Leiopotherapon unicolor* (spangled perch).\n> > \n> > Note—\n> > \n> > A recreational fisher is defined in the [Fisheries Management Act 1994](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1994-038) as a fisher who takes fish by any method, otherwise than for sale.\n> \n> > (3) A person holding a commercial fishing licence that has a Class A: Yabby and carp endorsement (transferable) in the inland restricted fishery may:\n> > \n> > > (a) take *Cherax destructor* (yabby) from the Lowland Darling River Catchment, or\n> > \n> > > (b) possess or sell *Cherax destructor* (yabby) taken from the Lowland Darling River Catchment, or\n> > \n> > > (c) carry out any routine activities in connection with any such taking, possession or sale.\n> \n> > (4) A broodstock collector may take from the Lowland Darling River Catchment any of the following species of fish, may possess any such species of fish taken from the Lowland Darling River Catchment or may carry out any routine activity in connection with any such taking or possession:\n> > \n> > > (a) *Maccullochella peelii* (Murray cod),\n> > \n> > > (b) *Macquaria ambigua* (golden perch).\n> \n> > (5) In this clause:\n> > \n> > applicable fishing regulatory controls means requirements imposed by or under the [Fisheries Management Act 1994](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1994-038) that apply to or in respect of the activities concerned.\n> > \n> > broodstock collector means a person who takes fish under the authority of a permit issued under section 37 of the [Fisheries Management Act 1994](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1994-038) for aquaculture purposes.\n> > \n> > inland restricted fishery has the same meaning as it has in the [Fisheries Management (General) Regulation 2010](/view/html/repealed/current/sl-2010-0475).\n> > \n> > Lowland Darling River Catchment means the aquatic ecological community in the natural drainage system of the lowland catchment of the Darling River (described in the recommendation of the Fisheries Scientific Committee to list that aquatic ecological community as the area covered by that recommendation).","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Repeal of interim order","content":"#### 4 Repeal of interim order\n\n4 Repeal of interim order\n\n> The [Fisheries Management (Continuation of Activities in Lowland Darling River Catchment) Interim Order 2011](/view/html/repealed/current/sl-2011-0292) is repealed.","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available metadata, the Order has not been amended since it was first made on 14 December 2011. There is no evidence of scope change. However, without the substantive provisions being visible in the provided text, a definitive assessment of whether the Order's practical scope has drifted from its original intent cannot be made."},"complexity_factors":["The actual substantive content of the Order is not available in the provided text — only metadata and navigation elements were included, preventing full analysis","Geographic scope requires knowledge of the Darling River catchment boundaries, which are not defined in the visible text","Made under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 (NSW), so interpreting this Order requires cross-referencing the parent Act","As a subordinate instrument (an Order rather than an Act), its legal effect depends on the enabling provisions of the parent legislation","The Order has remained unchanged for over 14 years, suggesting either narrow and uncontroversial scope, or administrative inertia — the reason is unclear without the full text"],"plain_english_summary":"The Order is a legally binding NSW fisheries rule (from 14 Dec 2011) that regulates fishing in the lowland Darling River catchment. It affects recreational and commercial fishers and anyone using fishing gear in those waterways, imposing measures intended to protect stressed native fish populations and river health. The specific restrictions aren’t in the provided text, but the Order remains in force in NSW."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Clause 4 repeals the interim order and Clause 3 specifies permitted activities limited to the listed species and actor categories in the same Lowland Darling River Catchment. On its face, the Order formalises those permissions without expanding the classes of people or species beyond those it lists; any further scope change would depend on the content of the repealed interim order or other instruments referenced."},"complexity_factors":["Direct enumeration of permitted species and activities (clear lists reduce interpretive complexity)","Cross-references to the Fisheries Management Act 1994 and Fisheries Management (General) Regulation 2010 create dependency on other instruments","Definition of the geographic scope by reference to a Fisheries Scientific Committee recommendation (external descriptive source)","Multiple actor categories (recreational fishers, Class A commercial endorsement holders, broodstock collectors) with different permissions","Operating subject to 'applicable fishing regulatory controls' introduces delegated rule-making and compliance obligations","Repeal of an interim order introduces a temporal/administrative transition for regulated parties"],"plain_english_summary":"This Order authorises specified fishing activities in the Lowland Darling River Catchment and repeals an earlier interim order. It permits recreational fishers to take listed freshwater species, allows holders of a Class A: yabby and carp commercial endorsement to take, possess and sell yabbies, and authorises broodstock collectors to take Murray cod and golden perch, all subject to existing fisheries regulatory controls."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation maintains its original narrow scope. It was clearly intended to be a specific, targeted order permitting certain fishing activities in a defined geographical area while replacing an interim order. There is no evidence of scope creep; the order does exactly what its title suggests and no more."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (4 clauses, approximately 1 page)","Only 4 defined terms in clause 3(5)","No nested exceptions or complex conditional logic","Simple structure: commencement, permitted activities list, repeal of previous order","Cross-references limited to 3 external instruments (Fisheries Management Act 1994, Fisheries Management (General) Regulation 2010, and the repealed interim order)","Straightforward permissions: three categories of fishers, each with a specific list of species they may take"],"plain_english_summary":"This law sets out what fishing activities are allowed in the Lowland Darling River Catchment in New South Wales. It replaces an earlier temporary order.\n\n**Who can fish and what they can take:**\n\n*   **Recreational fishers** (people fishing for fun, not to sell) can catch: freshwater shrimp, freshwater prawns, yabbies, Murray cod, golden perch, bony bream, and spangled perch.\n*   **Commercial fishers** with a specific licence (Class A: Yabby and carp endorsement) can catch, keep, and sell yabbies.\n*   **Broodstock collectors** (people with permits to catch fish for fish farming) can catch Murray cod and golden perch.\n\n**Important rules:**\n\n*   Everyone must still follow all other fishing rules under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 (things like size limits, bag limits, and seasonal restrictions).\n*   The \"Lowland Darling River Catchment\" is defined as the aquatic ecological community in the natural drainage system of the lowland catchment of the Darling River.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis order opens up fishing in a specific environmentally sensitive area that was likely previously restricted. It balances allowing fishing (for recreation, commerce, and aquaculture breeding) with protecting the ecosystem by requiring compliance with existing fishing regulations."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-fishing-activities-in-lowland-darling-river-catchment-order-2011","history":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-fishing-activities-in-lowland-darling-river-catchment-order-2011/history","analysis":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-fishing-activities-in-lowland-darling-river-catchment-order-2011/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-fishing-activities-in-lowland-darling-river-catchment-order-2011/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-fishing-activities-in-lowland-darling-river-catchment-order-2011/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-fishing-activities-in-lowland-darling-river-catchment-order-2011/documents"}}