23Use of nets

23 Use of nets

(1)  In this regulation –

coastal lagoon means any lagoon specified in Schedule 1 of the Act.

(2)  A person who is on the bank of any inland waters or is in any inland waters, or is in or on a watercraft on any inland waters, must not possess or use a net other than –

(a) a landing net; or

(b) a seine net that –

(i) is not more than 6 metres long and not more than one metre deep; and

(ii) has a mesh of more than 12 millimetres but not more than 30 millimetres; and

(iii) is being used to obtain bait in a coastal lagoon or estuarine waters and is being emptied into the water without being drawn ashore.

Penalty:  Fine of not less than 3 penalty units and not more than 10 penalty units.

(3)  Subregulation (2) does not apply to –

(a) a net used only in a tidal river (other than Ansons River, Scamander River or Swan River) by a person –

(i) [Regulation 23 Subregulation (3) amended by S.R. 2023, No. 59, Applied:16 Aug 2023] on a fishing boat to which a fishing licence (vessel) under the Fisheries Rules 2019 relates; or

(ii) on any other boat or ship in transit to or from any waters beyond the seaward limits of a river; or

(b) the holder of a whitebait licence using a whitebait net in the rivers specified in Schedule 1 to the Inland Fisheries (Seasons and Waters) Order 1996 .