{"id":"F2026L00302","name":"Small Pelagic Fishery (Total Allowable Catch) Determination 2026","slug":"small-pelagic-fishery-total-allowable-catch-determination-2026","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":443213,"registerId":"F2026L00302-fast-fetch-1775958111320","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Small Pelagic Fishery (Total Allowable Catch) Determination 2026","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\ntitle: small pelagic fishery TAC determination 2023\n---\n\n\n\n \n\nSmall Pelagic Fishery (Total Allowable Catch) Determination 2026\n\nThe Australian Fisheries Management Authority makes the following determination. \n\nDated 11 March 2026\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\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Cessation\n\n4 Authority\n\n5 Definitions\n\n6 Determination of total allowable catch\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n1 Name\n\n This instrument is the Small Pelagic Fishery (Total Allowable Catch) Determination 2026.\n\n2 Commencement\n\n This instrument commences on the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislation. \n\n3 Cessation\n\n This instrument ceases on 1 May 2027.\n\n4 Authority\n\n This instrument is made pursuant to subsection 17(1) of the Management Plan for the purpose of paragraph 17(6)(aa) of the Act.\n\n5 Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in section 3 of the Management Plan, including the following:\n\n1. total allowable catch or TAC\n2. sub-area\n3. western sub-area\n4. eastern sub-area\n5. Australian sardine sub-area\n\n\n In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Fisheries Management Act 1991.\n\nManagement Plan means the Small Pelagic Fishery Management Plan 2009. \n\n6 Determination of total allowable catch\n\n1. This section applies to the 2026-27 fishing season commencing on 1 May 2026 and ending on 30 April 2027. \n2. The total allowable catch determined in column 3 of the table is the total allowable catch of whole weight of fish listed in column 1. \n\n\n \n\n| Item | Column 1
Species of fish | Column 2
Sub-area of the fishery | Column 3
Total allowable catch |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| 1 | Australian sardine | Australian sardine | 8 870 tonnes |\n| 2 | Blue mackerel | Eastern | 15 550 tonnes |\n| 3 | Blue mackerel | Western | 4 320 tonnes |\n| 4 | Jack mackerel | Eastern | 13 650 tonnes |\n| 5 | Jack mackerel | Western | 8 490 tonnes |\n| 6 | Redbait | Eastern | 6 470 tonnes |\n| 7 | Redbait | Western | 4 010 tonnes |\n\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"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"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument does not amend the Management Plan or the Act; it only specifies total allowable catches for the 2026–27 season (s4, s6). Who decides: AFMA (s4). Who pays/adjusts behaviour: licence‑holders and vessels must constrain catches to the table tonnages (s6 table). Definitions and geographic scope remain as set in the Management Plan (s5), so the instrument does not broaden regulatory scope beyond setting TACs."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow regulatory function: single purpose instrument that sets year‑specific TACs (s6(1) and table).","Temporal limits: specific commencement and cessation dates require administrative renewal each year (ss2–3).","Multiple species/sub‑areas: separate tonnages for seven species/sub‑area combinations increase monitoring and accounting needs (s6 table).","Reliance on external definitions: key terms (TAC, sub‑area names) are defined in the Management Plan, requiring cross‑reference (s5; note to s5).","Statutory basis is explicit and straightforward: instrument made under the Management Plan/Act (s4), reducing legal interpretive complexity.","Compliance burden falls on fishers to monitor whole‑weight catches against sub‑area/species limits (s6(2) & table)."],"plain_english_summary":"**Small Pelagic Fishery (Total Allowable Catch) Determination 2026** sets fixed whole‑weight catch limits (TACs) for listed small pelagic species by sub‑area for the 2026–27 fishing season (1 May 2026–30 April 2027). It is made by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and runs until 1 May 2027. \n\nThe determination affects licence‑holders and vessels in the Small Pelagic Fishery by capping how much of each species may be taken in each sub‑area; compliance, reporting and fishing plans must align with the tonnages in the s6 table."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument performs exactly the function intended by its enabling legislation - setting annual catch limits for the fishery. It does not expand beyond the original purpose of the Management Plan or the Fisheries Management Act 1991."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (only 6 sections plus a table)","Minimal defined terms (only 2 explicit definitions in section 5, with 5 additional terms incorporated by reference from the Management Plan)","No nested exceptions or conditional logic - just straightforward catch limits in a table","Single cross-reference to the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Small Pelagic Fishery Management Plan 2009","Simple temporal scope (one fishing season only)","No operative provisions beyond setting the TAC figures"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a technical fishing regulation that sets catch limits for the Small Pelagic Fishery for the 2026-27 season. **What it does:** It legally caps how many tonnes of small schooling fish (like sardines, mackerel, and redbait) commercial fishers can catch in Australian waters. **Who it affects:** Commercial fishers operating in the Small Pelagic Fishery, which covers waters off southern Australia from Queensland to Western Australia. **Why it matters:** These catch limits (called \"total allowable catches\" or TACs) prevent overfishing and ensure fish populations remain sustainable. The limits vary by species and by sub-area (eastern, western, or Australian sardine sub-areas). For example, fishers can catch up to 8,870 tonnes of Australian sardine, but only 4,320 tonnes of blue mackerel in the western sub-area. The rules apply from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027, after which this determination expires."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/small-pelagic-fishery-total-allowable-catch-determination-2026","history":"/api/acts/small-pelagic-fishery-total-allowable-catch-determination-2026/history","analysis":"/api/acts/small-pelagic-fishery-total-allowable-catch-determination-2026/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/small-pelagic-fishery-total-allowable-catch-determination-2026/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/small-pelagic-fishery-total-allowable-catch-determination-2026/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/small-pelagic-fishery-total-allowable-catch-determination-2026/documents"}}