{"id":"F2025L01637","name":"Torres Strait Fisheries (Prawn) Management Instrument 2025","slug":"torres-strait-fisheries-prawn-management-instrument-2025","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":443116,"registerId":"F2025L01637-fast-fetch-1775958032272","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Torres Strait Fisheries (Prawn) Management Instrument 2025","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nTorres Strait Fisheries (Prawn) Management Instrument 2025\n\nThe Protected Zone Joint Authority make the following instrument.\n\nDated 19 December 2025  \n\n \n\nThe Hon Julie Collins MP, Commonwealth Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry\n\n\nThe Hon Anthony (Tony) Perrett MP, Queensland Minister for Primary Industries\n\n\nMr George Nona, Chairperson, Torres Strait Regional Authority\n\n\n\nFor and on behalf of the Protected Zone Joint Authority\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Schedules\n\n6  Description of closed areas and anchorage zones\n\n7  Prohibition on the taking, processing or carrying of prawns\n\n8  Exemptions to the prohibitions\n\n9  Treaty endorsements\n\n10  Prohibition on the use of certain equipment\n\n11  Prohibition on possession or control of certain equipment\n\n12  Prohibition on taking, processing or carrying of Moreton Bay bugs\n\nSchedule 1—Closed areas\n\nSchedule 2—Anchorage zones\n\nSchedule 3—Otter trawl equipment\n\nSchedule 4—Repeals\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 10\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 11\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 2\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 4\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 17\n\nSchedule 5 – Repeals\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries (Torres Strait Prawn Fishery Total Allowable Effort) Determination 2020\n\n \n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Torres Strait Fisheries (Prawn) Management Instrument 2025.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n  This instrument commences on the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 16(1) and section 35(1)(a) of the Act.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in section 3 of the Act, including the following:\n\n1.      boat;\n2.      fish;\n3.      Torres Strait Treaty;\n4.      traditional inhabitant;\n5.      traditional fishing;\n6.       Treaty endorsement.\n\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984.\n\nanchorage zones means the areas described in Schedule 2.\n\nclosed areas, known as East of Warrior Reef Closed Areas, means the areas described in Schedule 1.\n\nclosure period means the period commencing at 1700 hours local time on 1 February in a year and ending at 1700 hours local time on 31 July in the same year.\n\nexclusion zones means the area described in Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Management Plan.\n\nfishery means the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery as described in the Management Plan.\n\nfishing day means fishing day as defined in section 1.3(1) of the Management Plan.\n\nfishing season means the period determined under section 2.3 of the Management Plan.\n\nlocal time means the time of day in the State of Queensland.\n\nManagement Plan means the management plan determined by the PZJA under section 15A and section 35(1)(a) of the Act in relation to the fishery as may be in force from time to time, currently entitled the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery Management Plan 2009\n\nMoreton Bay bugs means fish of the genus Thenus spp.\n\nprawns means all species of fish that are listed in Parts 1 and 2 of Schedule 3 of the Management Plan, including Moreton Bay bugs.\n\nprawn fishery means the area described in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Management Plan, excluding the area described in Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Management Plan.\n\nprawn licensed person means a person who has been granted a licence under subsection 19(1), 19(2) or 19(3) of the Act that authorises the taking, processing or carrying of prawns in the area of the prawn fishery.\n\nprawn trawling equipment means otter trawl equipment as specified in Schedule 3.\n\n5  Schedules\n\n  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.\n\n6  Description of closed areas and anchorage zones\n\n1.  The position of a geographical coordinate for the description of the closed areas in Part 1 of Schedule 1 is to be determined by reference to the Australian Geodetic Datum 1966 (AGD66).\n2.  For convenience in the use of navigational aids, the closed areas are also described in Part 2 of Schedule 1 by reference to the World Geodetic Datum 1984 (WGS84).\n3.  If there is any inconsistency between the coordinates in Part 1 of Schedule 1 and Part 2 of Schedule 1, then Part 1 of Schedule 1 takes precedence to the extent of the inconsistency.\n4.  The position of a geographical coordinate in the description of the area of the anchorage zones in Schedule 2 is to be determined by reference to the World Geodetic Datum 1984 (WGS84).\n\n\n7  Prohibition on the taking, processing or carrying of prawns\n\n1.  The taking of prawns in the area of the prawn fishery is prohibited.\n2.  The taking of prawns in the area of the closed areas is prohibited.\n3.  The taking of prawns in the area of the exclusion zones is prohibited.\n4.  The processing, or carrying of prawns in the area of the prawn fishery and exclusion zones is prohibited.\n\n\n8  Exemptions to the prohibitions\n\n1.  A person is exempt from the prohibition in subsection 7(1) where:\n  1.     The person is a prawn licensed person; and\n  2.     The person holds unused fishing days; and\n  3.     The person takes prawns only during a fishing season.\n2.  A person is exempt from the prohibition in subsection 7(2) where:\n  1.     The person is a prawn licensed person; and\n  2.     The person holds unused fishing days and\n  3.     The person takes prawns only during a fishing season, and not during a closure period .\n3.  For the purposes of subsections 1(b) and 2(b), a prawn licensed person is taken to have used a fishing day where the boat nominated to the licence held by the person is:\n  1.     in the area of the prawn fishery; and\n  2.     is not within the area of an anchorage zone; and\n  3.     at any time between 1800 hours local time on one day and 0600 hours local time on the next day:\n    1.       the boat has moved at a speed of less than 5 knots; and\n    2.       has moved more than 250 metres; or\n  4.     the boats position has not been reported and an exemption to report has not been granted by AFMA.\n4.  A person is exempt from the prohibition in subsection 7(4) where:\n  1.     the person is a prawn licensed person; and\n  2.     the person processes, or carries prawns during the period commencing at 1700 hours local time on 1 February in a year and ending at 0600 hours local time on 15 December in that same year.\n\n\n9  Treaty endorsements\n\n  A person is exempt from subsections 7(1), 7(2) and 7(4) where:\n\n1.     he or she takes, processes or carries prawns on a boat for which a Treaty endorsement is in force; and\n2.     the person takes, processes or carries prawns only during a fishing season; and\n3.     the person does not take, process or carry prawns in the closed area during a closure period; and\n4.     the prawns are taken, processed or carried in accordance with conditions specified in the Treaty endorsement under section 22 of the Act.\n\n\n10  Prohibition on the use of certain equipment\n\n1.  The taking of prawns in the area of the prawn fishery using equipment to which subsection (2) applies is prohibited.\n2.  This subsection applies to all fishing equipment other than prawn trawling equipment.\n\n\n11  Prohibition on possession or control of certain equipment\n\n1.  A person, other than a prawn licensed person  or a person who satisfies subsections 9(a) to (d) inclusive, is prohibited from having in his or her possession or under his or her control, on a boat, any quantity of equipment capable of taking prawns, in the area of the prawn fishery.\n2.  Subsection (1) applies to all equipment capable of taking prawns unless the equipment is carried so that all of the equipment is out of the water.\n3.  All persons are prohibited from having in his or her possession or under his or her control, on a boat, any quantity of equipment capable of taking prawns, in the area of the closed areas during a closure period and in the area of exclusion zones.\n4.  Subsection (3) applies to all equipment capable of taking prawns unless the equipment is carried so that all of the equipment is out of the water.\n\n\n12  Prohibition on taking, processing or carrying of Moreton Bay bugs\n\n1.  The taking, processing or carrying of Moreton Bay bugs in the area of the prawn fishery is prohibited.\n2.  A person is exempt from subsection (1) when the person is a prawn licensed person.\n3.  The taking, processing or carrying of Moreton Bay bugs by a prawn licensed person is prohibited where, measured at the widest point of the carapace, the carapace is less than 75 millimetres.\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule 1—Closed areas\n\nNOTES:\n\n(1) The position of a geographical coordinate in the description of the closed areas East of Warrior Reef are to be determined by reference to the Australian Geodetic Datum 1966 (AGD66), that is to say, by reference to a spheroid having its centre at the centre of the Earth and a major (equatorial) radius of 6,378,160 metres and a flattening of 1/298.25 and the position of the Johnston Geodetic Station in the Northern Territory of Australia.  That station is to be taken to be situated at Latitude 25°56'54.5515\" South and at Longitude 133°12'30.0771\" East and to have a ground level of 571.2 metres above the spheroid referred to above.\n\n(2) For convenience, the coordinates of the closed areas East of Warrior Reef are also expressed in Part 2 of this Schedule based on the World Geodetic Datum 1984 (WGS84) Reference Frame at the 2005.0 epoch.  The geographic coordinates are referenced to the WGS84 reference spheroid having its centre at the centre of the Earth and a major (equatorial) radius of 6,378,137 metres and a flattening of 1/298.257223563.\n\n(3) In the case of an inconsistency between the coordinates in Part 1 of Schedule 1 and Part 2 of Schedule 1, Part 1 of Schedule 1 takes precedence to the extent of the inconsistency – see section 6.\n\n\nPART 1\n\nThe area bounded by a line:\n\nReference Description\n\n(1) commencing at the point of Latitude 10° 00' 00\" South, Longitude 142° 56' 28\" East;\n\n(2) thence east along that parallel to its intersection by the meridian of Longitude 143° 04' 24\" East;\n\n(3) thence north-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9° 52' 30\" South, Longitude 143° 09' 30\" East;\n\n(4) thence north-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9° 46' 00\" South, Longitude 143° 14' 00\" East;\n\n(5) thence north-easterly along the geodesic to the point of, Latitude 9° 36' 30\" South, Longitude 143° 17' 00\" East;\n\n(6) thence north-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9° 33' 00\" South, Longitude 143° 20' 00\" East;\n\n(7) thence west along that parallel to its intersection by the meridian of Longitude 143° 19' 46\" East;\n\n(8) thence along a series of intersecting arcs of circles having a radius of three miles and drawn successively from the following points, - (which describe that part of the territorial sea of Pearce Cay which lies North of the Fisheries Jurisdiction Line) –\n\n \n\n| REFERENCE | LATITUDE (AGD66) | LONGITUDE (AGD66) |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| 8(a) | 9° 30' 50\"S | 143° 17' 40\"E |\n| 8(b) | 9° 30' 48\"S | 143° 17' 42\"E |\n| 8(c) | 9° 30' 41\"S | 143° 17' 43\"E |\n| 8(d) | 9° 30' 42\"S | 143° 17' 34\"E |\n| 8(e) | 9° 30' 43\"S | 143° 17' 26\"E |\n| 8(f) | 9° 30' 46\"S | 143° 17' 19\"E |\n| 8(g) | 9° 30' 50\"S | 143° 17' 08\"E |\n| 8(h) | 9° 30' 53\"S | 143° 17' 03\"E |\n| 8(i) | 9° 30' 56\"S | 143° 17' 03\"E |\n\n\n \n\n8(j) to the point of Latitude 9° 33' 00\" South, Longitude 143° 14' 51\" East;\n\n(9) thence west along that parallel to its intersection by the meridian of Longitude 143° 11' 00\" East;\n\n(10) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9° 46' 00\" South, Longitude 143° 02' 20\" East;\n\n(11) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of commencement.\n\n \n\nPART 2\n\nEast of Warrior Reef Closed Areas Expressed Using Coordinates Based on WGS84\n\n| Reference | LATITUDE  (WGS84) | LONGITUDE  (WGS84) |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| 1 | 9º 59' 54.66\" S | 142º 56' 31.93\" E |\n| 2 | 9º 59' 54.66\" S | 143º 04' 27.93\" E |\n| 3 | 9º 52' 24.66\" S | 143º 09' 33.92\" E |\n| 4 | 9º 45' 54.66\" S | 143º 14' 03.92\" E |\n| 5 | 9º 36' 24.66\" S | 143º 17' 03.92\" E |\n| 6 | 9º 32' 54.67\" S | 143º 20' 03.91\" E |\n| 7 | 9º 32' 54.67\" S | 143º 19' 49.91\" E |\n| 8(a) | 9º 30' 44.67\" S | 143º 17' 43.91\" E |\n| 8(b) | 9º 30' 42.67\" S | 143º 17' 45.91\" E |\n| 8(c) | 9º 30' 35.67\" S | 143º 17' 46.91\" E |\n| 8(d) | 9º 30' 36.67\" S | 143º 17' 37.91\" E |\n| 8(e) | 9º 30' 37.67\" S | 143º 17' 29.91\" E |\n| 8(f) | 9º 30' 40.67\" S | 143º 17' 22.91\" E |\n| 8(g) | 9º 30' 44.67\" S | 143º 17' 11.91\" E |\n| 8(h) | 9º 30' 47.67\" S | 143º 17' 06.91\" E |\n| 8(i) | 9º 30' 50.67\" S | 143º 17' 06.91\" E |\n| 8(j) | 9º 32' 54.67\" S | 143º 14' 54.92\" E |\n| 9 | 9º 32' 54.67\" S | 143º 11' 03.92\" E |\n| 10 | 9º 45' 54.66\" S | 143º 02' 23.93\" E |\n| 11 | 9º 59' 54.66\" S | 142º 56' 31.93\" E |\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule 2—Anchorage zones\n\n \n\nAUREED ISLAND\n\nThat area of waters bounded by a line:\n\n(1) commencing at the point of intersection of the parallel of Latitude 9º 55' 59.10\" South and the meridian of Longitude 143º 18' 56.10\" East;\n\n(2) running thence south-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 57' 18.54\" South, Longitude 143º 19' 22.38\" East;\n\n(3) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 58' 47.22\" South, Longitude 143º 18' 02.28\" East;\n\n(4) thence west along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 58' 31.02\" South, Longitude 143º 15' 52.92\" East;\n\n(5) thence north along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 57' 28.32\" South, Longitude 143º 15' 51.24\" East;\n\n(6) thence north-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 56' 00.18\" South, Longitude 143°17’10.08\" East;\n\n(7) thence easterly along the meridian to the point of commencement where it terminates.\n\n\nYORKE ISLAND\n\nThat area of waters bounded by a line:\n\n(1) commencing at the point of intersection of the parallel of Latitude 9º 43' 11.82 \"South and the meridian of Longitude 143º 27' 38.82\" East;\n\n(2) running thence south-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 43' 47.04\"South, Longitude 143º 28' 01.86\" East;\n\n(3) thence south along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 44' 42.72\" South, Longitude 143º 28' 04.38\" East;\n\n(4) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 45' 27.48\" South, Longitude 143º 27' 35.22\" East;\n\n(5) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 45' 51.18\" South, Longitude 143º 26' 45.42\" East;\n\n(6) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 46' 02.34\" South, Longitude 143º 25' 43.68\" East;\n\n(7) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 46' 21.42\" South, Longitude 143º 24' 33.30\" East;\n\n(8) thence north-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 46' 05.88\" South, Longitude 143º 23' 49.68\" East;\n\n(9) thence north-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 45' 22.80\" South, Longitude 143º 23' 25.86\" East;\n\n(10) thence north-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 44' 45.90\" South, Longitude 143º 23' 36.84\" East;\n\n(11) thence north-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 9º 43' 15.96\" South, Longitude 143º 26' 33.90\" East;\n\n(12) thence easterly along that meridian to the point of commencement where it terminates.\n\n\nDUGONG ISLAND\n\nThat area of waters bounded by a line:\n\n(1) commencing at the point of intersection of the parallel of Latitude 10°30’19.62\" South and the meridian of Longitude 143°04’27.78\" East;\n\n(2) running thence east along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°30’19.08\" South, Longitude 143°05’48.54\" East;\n\n(3) thence south-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°30’36.00\" South, Longitude 143°06’44.16\" East;\n\n(4) thence south-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°31’05.88\" South, Longitude 143°07’22.92\" East;\n\n(5) thence south along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°31’55.38\" South, Longitude 143°07’25.56\" East;\n\n(6) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°32’30.66\" South, Longitude 143°07’04.86\" East;\n\n(7) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°32’37.68\" South, Longitude 143°06’14.64\" East; and\n\n(8) thence north-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°31’26.94\" South, Longitude 143°03’56.64\" East;\n\n(9) thence north-easterly along that meridian to the point of commencement where it terminates.\n\n\nCOCONUT ISLAND\n\nThat area of waters bounded by a line:\n\n(1) commencing at the point of intersection of the parallel of Latitude 10°02’24.18\" South and the meridian of Longitude 143°04’00.72\" East;\n\n(2) running thence south-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°02’25.98\" South, Longitude 143°04’29.46\" East;\n\n(3) thence south-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°02’40.14\" South, Longitude 143°06’01.08\" East;\n\n(4) thence east along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°02’27.12\" South, Longitude 143°07’11.46\" East;\n\n(5) thence south-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°02’43.50\" South, Longitude 143°07’53.46\" East;\n\n(6) thence south-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°03’38.46\" South, Longitude 143°08’10.32\" East;\n\n(7) thence south-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°04’20.88\" South, Longitude 143°06’36.48\" East;\n\n(8) thence west along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°04’26.82\" South, Longitude 143°04’33.72\" East;\n\n(9) thence north-westerly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°03’20.88\" South, Longitude 143°02’43.02\" East;\n\n(10) thence north-easterly along the geodesic to the point of Latitude 10°02’31.92\" South, Longitude 143°03’29.94\" East;\n\n(11) thence north-easterly along that meridian to the point of commencement where it terminates.\n\n\n\n\nSchedule 3—Otter trawl equipment\n\n \n\nNet length specifications\n\n1.  where only one net is used or in possession on board a boat or attached to a boat, the length of the net is 88 metres or shorter; or\n2.  where more than one net, including a try-net, is rigged for fishing, the total combined length of the nets is 88 metres or shorter; and\n3.  where more than one net is rigged for fishing, and a try-net is in possession  on board the boat but not rigged for fishing, the total combined length of the nets rigged for fishing and the largest try-net in possession on board the boat  is 88 metres or shorter; and\n4.  where a try-net is rigged for fishing, in possession on board a boat, or is attached to a boat, the try-net is 10 metres or shorter in length; and\n5.  where other nets, excluding try-nets, are in possession on board a boat and  are not rigged for fishing, the nets are of a size that is 10%, or more than 10%, smaller than the largest net on board the boat.\n\n\nMesh size specifications\n\n1.  the size of the meshes in the cod end is 38 millimetres or more; or\n2.  there are 150 meshes or less when measured in the vertical plane from the drawstring; or\n3.  the size of the meshes in all other parts of the net other than the cod end is 45 millimetres or less; or\n4.  there is no more than 1 line of ground chain across the mouth of each net; or\n5.  the diameter of the links of the ground chain are 10 millimetres or less; or\n6.  the chain is not used with a weight or an attachment, other than an attachment for joining the chain to the net.\n\n\nFor the purposes of this Schedule: \n\n1.   a net is rigged for fishing if part or all of the net is in the water, or if it is shackled, tied or otherwise connected to any trawl door or trawl board, or to any tow rope or cable, either on board the boat or attached in any manner to the boat.\n2.   the length of a net is determined by measuring the combined length, in metres, of the head rope and bottom rope when taut between the outermost points of the meshes that are attached to each rope respectively; and\n3.   the size of a mesh of a knotless trawl net is determined by measuring the average distance when the net is taut, between the inner edges of 2 diagonally opposite corners of each of 10 meshes that are at least 30 centimetres from each other; or\n4.   knotted trawl net is determined by measuring the average distance when the net is taut, between the inner edges of 2 diagonally opposite knots of each of 10 meshes that are at least 30 centimetres from each other.\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule 4—Repeals\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 10\n\n1  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 11\n\n2  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 2\n\n3  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 4\n\n4  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries Management Instrument No. 17\n\n5  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\n\n\n\nSchedule 5 – Repeals\n\nTorres Strait Fisheries (Torres Strait Prawn Fishery Total Allowable Effort) Determination 2020\n\n1  The whole of the instrument\n\nRepeal the instrument.\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":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This instrument replaces and consolidates earlier Torres Strait prawn instruments and a Total Allowable Effort determination (Schedules 4–5), and restates the fishery’s spatial limits, seasonal closures, gear specifications and exemption framework. Mechanically it centralises prohibitions (ss.7,10–11), defines mapped closed and anchorage zones (s.6; Schedules 1–2), prescribes otter trawl technical limits (Schedule 3), and sets licence and Treaty endorsement exemptions (ss.8–9), thereby changing the regulatory baseline that applied under the repealed instruments."},"complexity_factors":["Dual geodetic coordinate systems for area descriptions (AGD66 and WGS84) with AGD66 given precedence where inconsistent (s.6; Schedule 1)","Multiple spatial layers: prawn fishery area, closed areas, exclusion zones and anchorage zones with precise coordinates (s.4 definitions; s.6; Schedules 1–2)","Time-based regimes: fishing season, closure period, fishing days and specific time windows for 'used' fishing days (s.4 definitions; ss.7–8)","Detailed exemptions contingent on licence status, unused fishing days, Treaty endorsements and adherence to endorsement conditions (ss.8–9)","Equipment rules combining categorical bans, possession controls and technical otter trawl specifications (ss.10–11; Schedule 3)","Cross-references to the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984 and the Management Plan for definitions and operational rules, producing layered legal dependencies (s.3; s.4)","Repeal and consolidation of several earlier instruments and a Total Allowable Effort determination, altering the regulatory baseline (Schedules 4–5)","Operational discretion and compliance burdens: AFMA reporting exemptions and measurements for nets, mesh and vessel activity create enforcement and monitoring demands (s.8(3)(c)(ii), Schedule 3)","Species-specific size limit for Moreton Bay bugs tied to carapace measurement and licence-holder exceptions (s.12)"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument defines where, when and how prawn fishing may occur in the Torres Strait: it creates mapped closed areas and anchorage zones, sets a seasonal closure, bans taking/processing/carrying prawns and Moreton Bay bugs except for licensed fishers or boats with Treaty endorsements, and prescribes permitted trawl gear. It affects prawn licence-holders, boats operating in the fishery, and enforcement agencies by changing legal access, gear limits and reporting/possession rules that determine who can fish and under what conditions."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument appears to maintain the established scope of Torres Strait prawn fishery management. It consolidates existing regulatory frameworks by repealing five previous instruments (Nos. 2, 4, 10, 11, and 17) and the 2020 Total Allowable Effort Determination, suggesting it is a consolidation and modernisation exercise rather than an expansion into new regulatory areas. The core mechanisms (licensing, closed areas, equipment restrictions, Treaty endorsements) align with the long-standing dual-management framework under the Torres Strait Treaty."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple overlapping prohibitions with nested exemptions (sections 7-9 create a web of what is banned, what is exempt, and conditions on exemptions)","Dual coordinate systems for closed areas (AGD66 and WGS84) with explicit precedence rules in case of inconsistency","Technical equipment specifications in Schedule 3 with multiple conditional scenarios (single net vs multiple nets vs try-nets, rigged vs unrigged)","Complex 'fishing day' usage rules in section 8(3) involving speed thresholds, distance moved, time windows, and reporting requirements","Geographic complexity with four separate anchorage zones defined by precise geodesic coordinates","Cross-references to external documents including the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery Management Plan 2009 and the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984","Multiple defined terms (12 defined in section 4 plus 6 referenced from the Act) including technical terms like 'geodesic' and 'cod end'"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument tightens and consolidates rules for prawn fishing in the Torres Strait, banning fishing except for licensed operators and Treaty‑endorsed traditional inhabitants, designating seasonal closed areas, setting anchorage zones, and restricting gear and size limits to protect stocks. It mainly affects commercial licence holders and Torres Strait traditional fishers, balancing sustainable harvests and cultural fishing rights by protecting breeding prawns and updating several older instruments."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/torres-strait-fisheries-prawn-management-instrument-2025","history":"/api/acts/torres-strait-fisheries-prawn-management-instrument-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/torres-strait-fisheries-prawn-management-instrument-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/torres-strait-fisheries-prawn-management-instrument-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/torres-strait-fisheries-prawn-management-instrument-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/torres-strait-fisheries-prawn-management-instrument-2025/documents"}}