(1) It is lawful for an endorsement holder to use an otter trawl net for taking target species for the waters concerned as set out in clause 11 if the net complies with the description set out in relation to those waters in the Table to this clause and the following conditions are complied with—
(a) the net is used only by the method of trawling,
(b) not more than 2 nets are used at any one time in the Hawkesbury River downstream from a line drawn between Juno Point and Eleanor Bluffs, or in the Clarence River,
(c) not more than 1 net is used at any one time in the Hunter River or in the Hawkesbury River upstream from a line drawn between Juno Point and Eleanor Bluffs,
(d) no string, rope, wire, cord, netting or other material is fixed to any meshes that are within 25 meshes of the draw or closing string of the codend of the net, except as permitted by subclauses (2) and (3),
(e) the net (or each net if more than one net is used) is fitted with a bycatch reduction device of a kind approved by the Secretary for use in the waters in which the net is used, and that device is fitted in accordance with any specifications approved by the Secretary and published in the Gazette.
(2) A draw or closing string and a secondary string may be attached to the net in accordance with one of the following methods—
(a) method 1: a frill or panel of diamond shaped mesh (not less than 40 mm nor more than 50 mm), used to facilitate the insertion of a draw or closing string, is attached to the codend within 3 bars of the last row of bars of the codend; the frill or panel is no greater than 15 meshes deep and a draw or closing string is inserted directly in the codend, or by means of a secondary string, within 3 bars of the end of the codend,
(b) method 2: a frill or panel of diamond shaped mesh (not less than 40 mm nor more than 50 mm), used to facilitate the insertion of a draw or closing string, is attached to the codend; the frill or panel does not consist of a greater number of meshes in circumference than the number of bars in the circumference of the codend; and a draw or closing string is inserted directly in the frill, or by means of a secondary string, within 3 meshes of the point where the frill or panel is attached to the codend,
(c) method 3: a draw or closing string is inserted directly into the codend, or by means of a secondary string, without a frill or panel of diamond shaped mesh.
(2A) For the purposes of subclause (2), bars includes a reference to meshes in the case of a codend that is a diamond shaped mesh codend.
(3) A chafing piece may be attached to the codend of the net if—
(a) the width of the chafing piece does not exceed half the effective operating diameter of the codend, and
(b) the chafing piece is hung along the codend and is not attached in any manner to the codend other than at the top, and
(c) the mesh of the chafing piece is not less than 80 mm.
(4) The use of a V-bridle (consisting of cable, chain or other material) in conjunction with the net is permitted in that part of the Hawkesbury River downstream of a line drawn from Juno Point to Eleanor Bluffs, if the following conditions are complied with—
(a) the V-bridle is secured to the otter boards and sweeps (or spreader pole) in such a way that the distance between the point of attachment to the otter boards and sweeps (or spreader pole) does not exceed 2 metres,
(b) the distance between the point of attachment to the otter boards and the first hanging of the net (including sweeps and V-bridle) does not exceed 7 metres.
(4A) For the purposes of this clause, a square shaped mesh codend is a codend that complies with the following description—
(a) the mesh of the codend is not less than 27 mm nor more than 40 mm, constructed of single twine knotless polyamide or polyethylene material not more than 2.5 mm in diameter and hung on the bar so that the meshes are square shaped,
(b) the codend of the net is not less than 1 metre nor more than 3 metres in length,
(c) the codend of the net has a circumference not exceeding 3.2 metres.
(4B) For the purposes of this clause, a diamond shaped mesh codend is a codend that complies with the following description—
(a) the mesh of the codend is not less than 40 mm nor more than 60 mm, constructed of single twine material not more than 2.5 mm in diameter and hung so that the meshes are diamond shaped,
(b) the codend of the net has a circumference not exceeding 200 meshes.
(5) It is also lawful to use an otter trawl net to take any by-product species in the waters in which the fish are taken, while the net is being lawfully used to take target species for the waters concerned.
(6) For the purposes of this Plan or any other instrument under the Act, a net described in this clause may be referred to as an otter trawl net (prawns) or an otter trawl net (prawns)—estuary prawn trawl fishery.
Table Otter trawl net (prawns)
| 1 | (a) Waters—Clarence River, Hunter River and that part of Hawkesbury River upstream from a line drawn from Juno Point to Eleanor Bluffs.(b) Description of net—(i) total length of net (length of head line between the first and last hanging) not exceeding 11 metres, and(ii) total length of either net (when towed as twin gear in Clarence River) not exceeding 7.5 metres, and(iii) mesh of the body of the net (or that portion of net not capable of being used as a codend) not less than 40 mm nor more than 60 mm, and(iv) codend of the net (or that portion of net capable of being used as codend) is a square shaped mesh codend, and(v) sweeps secured to head line and otter board so that the distance between the point of attachment to the otter boards and the first hanging of the net does not exceed 5 metres or the distance from the trawl gallows to the stern of the boat (whichever is the greater). |
| 2 | (a) Waters—That part of Hawkesbury River downstream from a line drawn from Juno Point to Eleanor Bluffs.(b) Description of net—(i) total length of net (length of head line between the first and last hanging)—(A) when one net is being towed as single gear—not exceeding 11 metres, or(B) when 2 nets are being towed as twin gear— each net (length of head line of each net between the first and last hanging) not exceeding 11 metres, and(ii) mesh of the body of the net (or that portion of net not capable of being used as a codend) not less than 40 mm nor more than 60 mm, and(iii) codend of the net (or that portion of net capable of being used as codend) is either a square shaped mesh codend or a diamond shaped mesh codend, and(iv) except where a V-bridle is used, sweeps secured to head line and otter board so that the distance between the point of attachment to the otter boards and the first hanging of the net does not exceed 5 metres or the distance from the trawl gallows to the stern of the boat (whichever is the greater). |