NTIn ForceRegulation
FISHERIES REGULATIONS 1992
4Definitions relating to gear
Start here
Get a plain-English read of 4
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in FISHERIES REGULATIONS 1992.
4 Definitions relating to gear
In these Regulations:
amateur fishing gear means gear specified in regulation 46(1).
amateur drag net means a net that:
(a) is made of twine that has a diameter of not less than 0.35 mm;
and
(b) has a mesh size of not more than 28 mm; and
(c) does not exceed 16 m in length (excluding any attached haul
lines); and
(d) has a drop of not more than 2 m.
Note for paragraph (a)
Twine that has a diameter of not less than 0.35 mm is equivalent to 6 kg
monofilament fishing line.
auto-baiting device means a device, through which fish hooks are
passed, that assists in fixing baits to the hooks.
Fisheries Regulations 1992 10
bait net means a net which:
(a) is not longer than 300 m, excluding the length of any attached
(b) has both pocket, if any, and net made of mesh not larger than
65 mm; and
cast net means a net which:
(a) has a diameter not more than 6 m; and
(b) is made of mesh not larger than 25 mm; and
(c) has a drop of not more than 3 m when suspended from the
centre.
coastal net means a net which:
(a) is not longer than 300 m, excluding the length of any attached
(b) has both the pocket, if any, and net made of mesh not larger
than 65 mm; and
complying freshwater pot means an enclosed pot that:
(a) is designed to take freshwater crustaceans; and
(b) is made of flexible net that:
(i) is stretched over a metal frame; and
(ii) has a mesh size of not less than 15 mm; and
(c) has not more than 2 openings (excluding any opening for
emptying crustaceans from the pot or placing bait in the pot);
and
(d) does not have metal or other rigid material protruding into the
funnel of the pot; and
(e) does not exceed 70 cm in length or 50 cm in width or height;
and
Fisheries Regulations 1992 11
(f) has a turtle excluder device fitted to each opening (excluding
any opening for emptying crustaceans from the pot or placing
bait in the pot); and
(g) does not have inside or attached to it material that is likely to
complying marine pot means an enclosed pot that:
(a) is designed to take mud crabs; and
(b) has a volume of 0.5 m 3 or less; and
(c) does not exceed 1 m in length, width or height; and
(d) for a pot made from polyethylene mesh used for amateur
fishing – has a minimum mesh size of 50 mm when
stretched; and
(e) has not more than 4 openings (excluding any opening for
emptying mud crabs from the pot or placing bait in the pot);
and
(g) does not have inside or attached to it material that is likely to
demersal means on or near the sea bed.
demersal long-line means a main line anchored to the seabed at
both ends and at intervals along its length, to which hooks or
branch lines with hooks are attached.
dilly pot means a pot that:
(a) is made of flexible net that:
(i) is stretched over one or more metal hoops that do not
exceed 1 m in diameter; and
(ii) has a mesh size of not less than 15 mm; and
(iii) does not exceed 1 m in length; and
(b) is constructed so that, when set, the sides collapse and the
net lies flat on the ground and is not capable of entangling fish
or aquatic life; and
(c) does not have attached to it material that is likely to entangle
fish or aquatic life.
Fisheries Regulations 1992 12
drop, in relation to a net, means the distance between the head
and foot ropes where the net is in normal operation or, if ropes are
not present, the positions in which they would be located if present.
drop line means a weighted line which has not less than 6 and not
more than 40 hooks attached.
finfish long-line means a main line that:
(a) is weighted to the seabed at both ends; and
(b) has finfish snoods, or branch lines with finfish snoods,
attached to it.
finfish snood means a short length of unsheathed monofilament
nylon or fluorocarbon material that:
(a) has a diameter of not more than 2 mm; and
(b) has a fish hook attached to it.
finfish trawl gear means a net:
(a) which has a mesh size of more than 110 mm; and
(b) the cod end of which is not covered by a double cod end liner;
and
(c) the total weight on the footline (including bobbin lines, chains,
bridles and any other device weighing on the footline) of which
does not exceed 4 kilograms wet weight in the air per linear
metre; and
(d) the twine size in the forward half (including wing and belly
sections) of which does not exceed 90 ply by 400 denier or the
equivalent in other material types.
fish-trap means a portable cage or part of a cage designed or
intended to catch fish or which is capable of catching fish, that:
(a) has a volume greater than 0.5 m 3; and
(b) has an external structure made of wire, steel or other rigid
material or other approved material; and
(c) does not have inside or attached to it material that is likely to
Fisheries Regulations 1992 13
fixed fish-trap means a permanently positioned structure made of
wire, steel or other rigid material which has a door at least 1 m 2 in
the seaward part of the lower third of the trap through which fish
may escape when the structure is not in use.
funnel, of a pot, means the opening and adjoined internal flute of
the pot that allows crustaceans to enter the pot.
gill net means a net or part of a net (including any warp, rope,
chain, material, device or thing used in conjunction with or attached
to the net or part of the net) that:
(a) has a mesh size greater than 65 mm; and
(b) is used or is capable of being used to catch fish or aquatic life.
hand spear means a spear propelled by human power without the
use of a device.
jigging gear means a line to which is attached one or more hooked
rippers, being a device the stem of which is fitted with at least one,
but not more than 3, circles of upturned, barbless hooks.
line includes a mono-filament, multi-filament, synthetic or natural
fibre twine, material, wire, rope or chain.
mesh means one of the open spaces of a net.
mesh size, in relation to a net, means the distance between the
inner edges of the knots of opposite corners of the mesh or, where
the mesh does not have knots, the inner edges of opposite corners
of the mesh, measured with the mesh closed, as determined in
accordance with regulation 6.
mono-filament twine means one continuous length of fibre of
synthetic material that is not twisted but is suitable for use as a
twine.
multi-filament twine means:
(a) fibres, made of synthetic or natural material, that are twisted
together to form a filament, then twisted to form a strand; or
(b) a combination of mono-filament twines twisted or knotted to
form a continuous twine.
Fisheries Regulations 1992 14
net means a device made of twine forming a number of meshes
used or designed to be used to catch or hold fish, whether or not
lead ropes, floats, lead lines, anchors or leads are attached, but
does not include a scoop net which is hand held and attached to a
rigid hoop.
pelagic long-line means a main line that can be anchored and to
which hooks or branchlines with hooks are attached.
pelagic net means a net:
(a) constructed of twine not less than 0.9 mm diameter; and
(b) with a mesh size of not less than 160 mm and not greater than
185 mm; and
(c) having a drop of not more than 100 meshes.
pocket means a structure, made of net and attached to or forming
part of a net, in which fish may be collected.
pot means a portable device designed to act as a trap, or that may
act as a trap, for crustaceans.
regulated pot means a complying freshwater pot, complying
marine pot or dilly pot.
restricted bait net means a net which:
(a) is not longer than 100 m, excluding the length of any attached
(b) has both pocket, if any, and net made with a mesh 65 mm or
less; and
scoop net means a net, a landing net, a basket or other similar
device with an attached handle, made of mesh attached to a frame
and designed to be held in the hand at all times when in use for
scooping fish from water.
snood means a short length of line that has a fish hook attached to
it.
spear-gun means a device used in underwater fishing to propel
spears, arrows or other projectiles and includes propulsion by
means of rubber (commonly known as an Hawaiian sling), bows,
compressed gas or explosive charges.
Fisheries Regulations 1992 15
traditional fish trap, for an Aboriginal Coastal licensee, means a
structure intended to catch fish, that:
(a) is of a design traditionally used by members of the
community or group mentioned in regulation 183(a) of which
the licensee is a member; and
(b) has walls leading to the holding area in the trap of not more
than 100m in length.
trammel net means a configuration of multi-panelled nets set one
behind the other, all or some or part of which are attached to the
same section of a headrope.
troll line means a line to which is attached only one of the
(a) one hook;
(b) one set of joined hooks attached to the one piece of bait;
(c) one lure to which hooks may be attached.
turtle excluding device means a rigid ring with an internal
diameter not greater than 90 mm.
twine means mono-filament or multi-filament twine.
vertical line means a weighted line to which no more than 5 hooks
are attached.