{"id":"F2025L01559","name":"Northern Prawn Fishery (Fishing Capacity) Determination 2025","slug":"northern-prawn-fishery-fishing-capacity-determination-2025","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":443083,"registerId":"F2025L01559-fast-fetch-1775957992615","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Northern Prawn Fishery (Fishing Capacity) Determination 2025","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n\n\n \n\nNorthern Prawn Fishery (Fishing Capacity) Determination 2025\n\n \n\nThe Australian Fisheries Management Authority makes the following determination.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nDated 9 December 2025\n\n \n\n| Helen Kroger | Ian Dutton | Brett McCallum |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Chair | Commissioner | Commissioner |\n| Wez Norris | Sevaly Sen | Scott Spencer |\n| Commissioner | Commissioner | Commissioner
|\n| Sally Troy | | |\n| Commissioner | | |\n\n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Definitions\n\n5 Repeal\n\n6 Determination of fishing capacity\n\nSchedule 1—Repeals\n\nNorthern Prawn Fishery Management (Fishing Capacity) Determination 2021\n\n \n\n \n\n1 Name\n\nThis instrument is the Northern Prawn Fishery (Fishing Capacity) Determination 2025.\n\n2 Commencement\n\n This instrument commences on 16 June 2026.\n\n3 Authority\n\n This instrument is made pursuant to paragraph 17(6)(aa) of the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (the Act) and under section 7A of the Northern Prawn Fishery Management Plan 1995 (the Plan).\n\n4 Definitions\n\nA term used in this instrument that is defined for the purposes of the Plan has the same meaning in this instrument as it has in the Plan.\n\nNote 1: Terms defined in the Act have the same meanings in this instrument\n\n \n\nIn this instrument:\n\nOtter board means a board or plate used on a fishing net which, when the net is being towed, keeps the mouth of the net open.\n\nTwin trawl net configuration means the use of two fishing nets designed or intended to be towed simultaneously by a boat and having the mouth or opening of each net being controlled by the use of otter boards.\n\nTwin tongue trawl net configuration means the use of two fishing nets designed or intended to be towed simultaneously by a boat and having the mouth or opening of each net being controlled by otter boards and at least one bridle extending from each warp wire to the centre or ‘tongue’ of the headrope of each net.\n\nTriple trawl net configuration means the use of three fishing nets designed or intended to be towed simultaneously by a boat and having the mouth or opening of each net being controlled by the use of otter boards.\n\nQuad trawl net configuration means the use of four fishing nets designed or intended to be towed simultaneously by a boat and having the mouth or opening of each net being controlled by the use of otter boards.\n\n \n\n5 Repeal\n\n This instrument repeals on 15 June 2036.\n\n6 Determination of fishing capacity\n\n1. The total length of operational headrope for a twin trawl net configuration that may be used under gear statutory fishing rights in the Northern Prawn Fishery area is 2203.25 metres. This equates to 6.2 cm per gear statutory fishing right.\n2. The total length of operational headrope for a twin tongue trawl net configuration that may be used under gear statutory fishing rights in the Northern Prawn Fishery area is 1982.65 metres. This equates to 5.6 cm per gear statutory fishing right.\n3. The total length of operational headrope for a triple trawl net configuration that may be used under gear statutory fishing rights in the Northern Prawn Fishery area is 1982.65 metres. This equates to 5.6 cm per gear statutory fishing right.\n4. The total length of operational headrope for a quad trawl net configuration that may be used under gear statutory fishing rights in the Northern Prawn Fishery area is 1982.65 metres. This equates to 5.6 cm per gear statutory fishing right.\n\n \n\nSchedule 1—Repeals\n\nNorthern Prawn Fishery Management (Fishing Capacity) Determination 2021\n\n1 The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument maintains its original narrow, technical purpose: setting quantitative limits on fishing gear capacity for the Northern Prawn Fishery. It is a direct replacement of the 2021 determination with updated measurements, not an expansion into new regulatory areas."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (approximately 1.5 pages of substantive content)","Only 6 defined terms, all technical fishing gear descriptions (otter board, twin/triple/quad trawl configurations)","Single operative provision (section 6) with four straightforward subsections setting numerical limits","No nested exceptions, conditional logic, or cross-references beyond basic 'terms defined elsewhere' incorporation","Simple repeal mechanism in Schedule 1","Self-executing sunset clause (automatic repeal after 10 years)"],"plain_english_summary":"This rule caps fishing capacity in the Northern Prawn Fishery by limiting total headrope length fishers may tow, with specific limits varying by net configuration (e.g., ≈2,203 m for twin trawl and ≈1,983 m for twin‑tongue, triple and quad setups). It applies to commercial operators holding gear statutory fishing rights and replaces the 2021 determination. It aims to curb overfishing while retaining operational flexibility, takes effect 16 June 2026, and expires 15 June 2036 unless replaced."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument repeals the entire 2021 Determination (Schedule 1) and replaces it with new, specific total headrope limits and per-right conversions for different trawl configurations (s6). The legal function—setting fishing capacity under the Plan and the Fisheries Management Act—remains the same (s3), but the concrete numeric caps, their per-right allocation, and the instrument's expiry date have been updated, requiring operators and administrators to adopt the new figures."},"complexity_factors":["Numeric allocations are explicit but vary by net configuration (twin, twin tongue, triple, quad) which requires operators to map their gear to the correct category (s6(1)–(4)).","Key technical terms and measurement units (eg, 'operational headrope', 'gear statutory fishing right') are defined in the Plan or the Act rather than in this instrument, creating dependency on external definitions for interpretation and compliance (s4; Note 1).","The instrument repeals the prior 2021 Determination and substitutes new capacity figures and an expiry date, so administrators and operators must transition to the new numeric regime and tracking (Schedule 1; s5; s6).","Commencement and repeal dates create a fixed regulatory window which affects investment and operational planning for the fleet (s2; s5).","Enforcement, monitoring and measurement methodology for verifying 'operational headrope' length are not specified here, implying practical compliance burden and administrative discretion lie with regulators under the Plan/Act (absence of methodology in s6; authority link s3).","Per-right conversions (cm per gear statutory fishing right) impose a calculable entitlement per right and therefore affect the economic value and transferability of those rights; operators and markets must apply the conversion in transactions and operations (s6(1)–(4))."],"plain_english_summary":"This determination sets fixed caps on the total operational headrope length that may be used under gear statutory fishing rights in the Northern Prawn Fishery and translates those totals into a length per gear statutory fishing right. It takes effect 16 June 2026 and runs until 15 June 2036, affecting vessel operators and holders of gear statutory fishing rights by limiting how much netting they may tow."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/northern-prawn-fishery-fishing-capacity-determination-2025","history":"/api/acts/northern-prawn-fishery-fishing-capacity-determination-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/northern-prawn-fishery-fishing-capacity-determination-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/northern-prawn-fishery-fishing-capacity-determination-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/northern-prawn-fishery-fishing-capacity-determination-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/northern-prawn-fishery-fishing-capacity-determination-2025/documents"}}