{"id":"nsw:sl-2016-0797","name":"Fisheries Management (Recreational Fishing in Snowy River Catchment) Order 2016","slug":"fisheries-management-recreational-fishing-in-snowy-river-catchment-order-2016","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"nsw","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"797 of 2016","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":177502,"registerId":"nsw-nsw:sl-2016-0797-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 (Recreational Fishing in Snowy River Catchment) Order 2016](/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2016-0797).","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":"Recreational fishing may be carried out","content":"#### 3 Recreational fishing may be carried out\n\n3 Recreational fishing may be carried out\n\n> > (1) A recreational fisher may, subject to compliance with any applicable fishing regulatory controls, take or possess any of the following fish, or carry out any fishing activity in connection with the taking or possession of any of those fish, from the Snowy River Catchment:\n> > \n> > > (a) Longfin Eel (*Anguilla reinhardtii*),\n> > \n> > > (b) Southern Shortfin Eel (*Anguilla australis*).\n> \n> > (2) A recreational fisher may, subject to compliance with any applicable fishing regulatory controls, carry out any fishing activity for the purpose of taking the following fish from the Snowy River Catchment, but only if any such fish that is caught, gathered, collected or removed from the Catchment is not killed, and is immediately returned to waters from which it was taken:\n> > \n> > > (a) Australian Bass (*Macquaria novemaculeata*),\n> > \n> > > (b) Estuary Perch (*Macquaria colonorum*).\n> \n> > (3) The common name of a species specified in this clause is for information purposes only and does not limit the description of the species.\n> \n> > (4) 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> > Snowy River Catchment means the catchment of the Snowy River in NSW as described in the final determination of the Fisheries Scientific Committee to list the aquatic ecological community in that catchment as an endangered ecological community.","sortOrder":2}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Order specifies which recreational fishing activities are permitted and the condition that certain species must be released; it operates within and points to the Fisheries Management Act for regulatory controls (clauses 1–3). The instrument does not itself amend the Act or expand the statute’s textual scope; it defines permitted conduct for the Snowy River Catchment as identified by the Fisheries Scientific Committee (s3(4))."},"complexity_factors":["Short, focused instrument with limited substantive provisions (clauses 1–3).","Relies on external regulatory regime: applicability determined by 'applicable fishing regulatory controls' under the Fisheries Management Act (s3(4)), requiring cross‑reference to that Act.","Geographic scope depends on an external scientific determination of the Snowy River Catchment (s3(4)), so boundaries are not set in the instrument.","Operational requirement of immediate return for certain species creates an enforceable behavioural standard (s3(2)).","Commencement tied to Gazette publication (clause 2), which affects timing but not content."],"plain_english_summary":"This Order allows recreational fishers in the Snowy River Catchment to take or possess longfin and southern shortfin eels, and to engage in catch‑and‑release fishing for Australian Bass and Estuary Perch provided any caught bass or perch are not killed and are immediately returned to the water (s3(1)–(2)). Fishers must comply with any fishing controls made under the Fisheries Management Act, and the geographic scope relies on the Fisheries Scientific Committee’s final determination of the Snowy River Catchment (s3(2)–(4))."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: regulating recreational fishing for specific species in the Snowy River Catchment. The scope has not expanded beyond this narrow, specific administrative function."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (4 clauses, approximately 250 words)","Only 2 defined terms ('applicable fishing regulatory controls' and 'Snowy River Catchment')","Simple conditional structure: general permission with two specific exceptions (subsections 1 and 2)","No cross-references to other legislation beyond a single reference to the Fisheries Management Act 1994","No nested exceptions or complex logical operators","Straightforward species list with scientific names included for clarity"],"plain_english_summary":"This law allows recreational fishing in the Snowy River Catchment area of New South Wales, but with specific rules about what fish can be taken.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Permits catching and keeping:** Recreational fishers can catch and take home Longfin Eels and Southern Shortfin Eels from the Snowy River Catchment.\n- **Permits catch-and-release only:** Recreational fishers can fish for Australian Bass and Estuary Perch, but **must release them alive immediately** — they cannot be kept or killed.\n- **All other rules still apply:** Fishers must still follow all other fishing regulations under the main Fisheries Management Act 1994 (things like bag limits, size limits, and seasonal restrictions).\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Anyone who wants to fish recreationally in the Snowy River Catchment area.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n- This Order creates an exception to normal fishing restrictions in this specific area. Without this law, recreational fishing in the Snowy River Catchment might be prohibited or more restricted. It strikes a balance by allowing some fishing activity while protecting certain species (Bass and Perch) through mandatory catch-and-release rules."},"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"},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on available information, the order appears to remain consistent with its original intent of regulating recreational fishing specifically within the Snowy River Catchment. It has been in force without amendment since 16 December 2016, suggesting no scope creep or material change from its original purpose."},"complexity_factors":["The actual substantive provisions of the order were not included in the provided text, making full analysis impossible","Delegated legislation (orders) can be harder to locate and track than Acts of Parliament","Catchment-specific rules may interact with broader state-wide fisheries regulations, requiring cross-referencing","Geographic scope (defining the 'Snowy River Catchment' boundary) may require technical or mapping knowledge","Base complexity of the order itself appears low — it is a targeted, single-issue instrument with a narrow geographic and subject-matter scope"],"plain_english_summary":"This NSW government order governs recreational fishing in the Snowy River Catchment. It applies to anyone fishing rivers and waterways that flow into the Snowy River in NSW and sets the catchment‑specific rules you must follow (e.g., species, limits, methods, seasons, licensing). The summary provided lacks the order’s substantive text, so consult the order itself for exact restrictions — breaching it can attract fines under the Fisheries Management Act 1994."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-recreational-fishing-in-snowy-river-catchment-order-2016","history":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-recreational-fishing-in-snowy-river-catchment-order-2016/history","analysis":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-recreational-fishing-in-snowy-river-catchment-order-2016/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-recreational-fishing-in-snowy-river-catchment-order-2016/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-recreational-fishing-in-snowy-river-catchment-order-2016/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/fisheries-management-recreational-fishing-in-snowy-river-catchment-order-2016/documents"}}