26Otter trawl net (fish)—southern fish trawl restricted fishery

#### 26 Otter trawl net (fish)—southern fish trawl restricted fishery 26 Otter trawl net (fish)—southern fish trawl restricted fishery > > (1) It is lawful for the holder of a southern fish trawl endorsement in the southern fish trawl restricted fishery to use an otter trawl net for taking fish (other than prawns, abalone and rock lobster) in the waters specified in the Table to this clause if the net complies with the description as set out in that Table and the following conditions are complied with— > > > > > (a) the net is used only by the method of bottom trawling, > > > > > (b) no rope, string, wire, cord, netting or other material is fixed to the codend of the net, or to any meshes within 25 meshes of the codend, except as permitted by subclause (2), > > > > > (c) the mesh of the net is constructed of single twine mesh with a diameter of not more than 6 mm, except as permitted by subclause (3), > > > > > (d) any rubber discs or rollers (also known as bobbin gear) that are fitted to the net do not exceed 100 mm in diameter, > > > > > (e) the mesh of the codend of the net (or the part of the net capable of being used as a codend) does not exceed 100 meshes in circumference (except as permitted by subclause (3)) and, in any case, does not exceed the number of meshes in circumference of that part of the net immediately forward of the codend (or part of the net capable of being used as a codend), > > > > > (f) the net is fitted with a bycatch reduction device of a kind approved by the Secretary and that device is fitted in accordance with any specifications issued by the Secretary and published in the Gazette. > > > (2) An otter trawl net may have attached to it any of the following— > > > > > (a) a frill of netting material (skirt), if it is attached to the net not more than 5 meshes from the last row of meshes of the codend, > > > > > (b) a draw or closing string that may be inserted either directly into the end of the codend or by means of a secondary string, > > > > > (c) a single length of rope, for the purpose of splitting the catch and lifting the codend, but only if the rope is not fitted in any manner so as to reduce the lateral openings of the meshes or the mesh size of the meshes to less than required by this clause. > > > (3) The mesh of the codend of the net (or the part of the net capable of being used as a codend) may be more than 100 meshes but not more than 200 meshes in circumference, and may be constructed of double twine mesh with a maximum twine diameter of 5 mm, while the net is being used in waters designated as ‘trawl whiting grounds’ as approved by the Secretary and published in the Gazette. > > > (4) For the purposes of this Regulation or any other instrument under the Act, a net described in this clause may be referred to as an otter trawl net (fish) or an otter trawl net (fish)—southern fish trawl restricted fishery. > > > (5) In this clause, codend of a net means the piece of netting that forms the posterior most part of the net where the catch accumulates. > > Table > > | Waters—Ocean waters that are not more than 3 nautical miles from the natural coast line and are south of a line drawn due east of Barrenjoey Head.Description of net—Mesh not less than 90 mm throughout; sweeps (including bridles) not exceeding 274 metres (150 fathom) between the point of attachment to the otter board and the first hanging of the net; no more than 1 line of ground chain with links of not more than 16 mm in diameter; total length of net (length of head line between end net hangings) not exceeding 60 metres. |