NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
PEARL OYSTER CULTURE INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT PLAN 1998
As in force at 13 November 2014
Table of provisions
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1
2 Application ....................................................................................... 1
3 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1
Part 2 Rights and duties of licensee
4 Hatchery development ..................................................................... 3
5 Possession of pearl oysters by licensee .......................................... 3
6 Where pearl oysters may be held .................................................... 3
7 Sale of pearl oysters ........................................................................ 3
8 Transfer of pearl oysters .................................................................. 4
9 Spat collection ................................................................................. 4
10 Licensee must permit inspection of pearl oysters ............................ 5
Part 3 Seeding of pearl oysters
11 Number of pearl oysters that may be seeded .................................. 5
12 Pearl oyster hatchery units .............................................................. 7
13 Allocation of pearl oyster hatchery units .......................................... 7
Part 4 Transfer of pearly oyster hatchery units
14 Transfer only permitted under this plan ........................................... 8
15 Application for transfer ..................................................................... 8
16 Director to approve or refuse application for transfer....................... 8
17 Commencement and duration of transfer ........................................ 8
18 Where units transferred to applicant for licence............................... 9
Part 5 Repeal and transitional matters for
Regulations No. 27 of 1998
19 Repeal and transitional .................................................................... 9
Part 6 Transitional matters for Pearl Oyster
Culture Industry Management Plan
Amendment 2006
20 Application of amendment ............................................................... 9
21 Licensing year ............................................................................... 10
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 ii
ENDNOTES
NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
As in force at 13 November 2014
PEARL OYSTER CULTURE INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT PLAN 1998
Plan under the Fisheries Act 1988
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Citation
This Plan may be cited as the Pearl Oyster Culture Industry
Management Plan 1998.
2 Application
This Plan applies to the managed fishery relating to:
(a) the culturing and sale of pearls produced from wildstock, spat
or hatchery produced pearl oysters from all species of bivalves
of the genus Pinctada (pearl oysters); and
(b) associated activities,
declared by notice in Gazette No. G28 of 17 July 1991 at page 2.
3 Definitions
In this Plan, unless the contrary intention appears:
allocation, in relation to a licensee, means:
(a) in relation to a pearl oyster fishing unit – the number of pearl
oyster fishing units allocated in respect of his or her Pearl
Oyster Fishery licence for a licensing year under
regulation 122E of the Fisheries Regulations 1992; and
(b) in relation to a pearl oyster hatchery unit – the number of pearl
oyster hatchery units allocated to him or her under clause 13
for a licensing year.
Committee means the Northern Territory Pearl Industry Advisory
Committee established under section 24 of the Act.
Part 1 Preliminary
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 2
half pearl means the concretion formed on the inner surface of
either valve of a pearl oyster as a result of a person adhering an
object permanently to that surface.
holding area means an area, approved under regulation 181 of the
Fisheries Regulations, at which, under a Pearl Oyster Culture
Industry licence, pearl oysters taken from the wild or produced in a
hatchery are held for seeding and related operations.
licence means a licence in respect of the Pearl Oyster Culture
Industry.
licensee means the holder of a current Pearl Oyster Culture
Industry licence.
licensing year means a calendar year.
mother-of-pearl means the smooth, shining, iridescent substance
forming the inner layers of the shell of a pearl oyster.
pearl includes a whole, half, baroque, seedless or blister pearl from
a pearl oyster, whether the pearl is natural or cultured.
pearl farm lease means a lease granted to a licensee under
section 55 of the Act for the purposes of a Pearl Oyster Culture
Industry licence.
pearl oyster means an oyster of the genus Pinctada and includes:
(a) a part of a pearl oyster; and
(b) the spat of a pearl oyster.
Pearl Oyster Fishery means the managed fishery relating to the
taking and transporting from the wild of all species of bivalves of the
genus Pinctada (pearl oysters).
pearl oyster fishing unit has the meaning it has in
regulation 122D(2) of the Fisheries Regulations 1992.
pearl oyster hatchery unit has the meaning it has in clause 12(2).
seed means to implant a nucleus into a pearl oyster shell for the
purpose of forming pearls.
take includes sever, remove, damage, destroy or otherwise
displace a pearl oyster from its natural habitat, but does not include
the taking of a pearl oyster from a pearl oyster dump site, holding
area or an area of land held under a pearl farm lease.
Part 2 Rights and duties of licensee
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 3
Part 2 Rights and duties of licensee
4 Hatchery development
(1) A licensee may farm, breed, culture or keep pearl oysters for sale
or the purposes of aquaculture.
(2) A licensee may operate a pearl oyster hatchery only in accordance
with the terms, conditions, reservations and covenants (if any)
specified in the licence and pearl farm lease under which the
hatchery is operated.
5 Possession of pearl oysters by licensee
A licensee is entitled to have possession of pearl oysters if:
(a) they have been taken under and in accordance with a Pearl
Oyster Fishery licence; or
(b) they are held or have been obtained under and in accordance
with a licence.
6 Where pearl oysters may be held
A licensee may have possession of a pearl oyster only:
(a) on the area in respect of which a pearl farm lease has been
granted to the licensee;
(b) at an approved holding area;
(c) on a vessel registered for operation in the Pearl Oyster
Culture Industry;
(d) at a place approved by the Director for holding pearl oysters;
and
(e) in transit between any 2 of those places.
7 Sale of pearl oysters
A licensee may sell:
(a) subject to clause 8, pearl oysters to the holder of a licence;
(b) pearl oyster spat, but only to the holder of a licence;
(c) pearl oyster shell for their mother-of-pearl content;
(d) the flesh of pearl oysters, as pearl meat;
Part 2 Rights and duties of licensee
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 4
(e) pearl oysters to a person if the oysters are for export from the
Territory to a State or another Territory of the Commonwealth;
and
(f) pearls.
8 Transfer of pearl oysters
(1) A licensee may only transfer pearl oysters in accordance with this
Plan and the licence.
(2) A licensee may only transfer pearl oysters:
(a) to another licensee;
(b) in units of 1,000; and
(c) if, before the transfer takes place, the Director approves the
transfer from the proposed transferor and the transfer to the
proposed transferee.
(3) A licensee may apply to the Director, in the approved form, to
transfer a pearl oyster to a specified transferee.
(4) The Director may, after considering an application under
subclause (3), grant or refuse to grant the approval.
(5) Subclause (2)(b) and (c) do not apply in relation to pearl oyster
spat.
9 Spat collection
(1) A licensee may:
(a) collect pearl oyster spat within the boundaries of a pearl farm
lease held by the licensee; and
(b) take pearl oyster spat from waters relevant to the Territory and
outside the boundaries of a pearl farm lease held by the
licensee, if the licensee holds a permit granted by the Director.
(2) The Director must, on receipt of an application for a permit for the
purposes of subclause (1)(b), refer the matter to the Committee.
(3) The Committee must consider an application referred to it under
subclause (2) and advise the Director of the Committee's opinion in
respect of it.
(4) The Director must, after considering the opinion of the Committee,
grant or refuse to grant the permit sought.
Part 3 Seeding of pearl oysters
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 5
(5) In this clause, waters relevant to the Territory means coastal
waters and waters of the Australian fishing zone that lie within the
area described in Schedule 2 to the Petroleum (Submerged Lands)
Act 1967 (Cth), as in force immediately before its repeal, under the
heading "Area that includes the Adjacent Area in respect of the
Northern Territory".
10 Licensee must permit inspection of pearl oysters
It is a condition of a licence that the licensee must permit the
inspection by a person authorised in writing by the Director of all
pearl oysters in the possession of the licensee.
Part 3 Seeding of pearl oysters
11 Number of pearl oysters that may be seeded
(1) A licensee must not, in each licensing year, seed pearl oysters
other than:
(a) a surviving pearl oyster seeded in accordance with the licence
in previous licensing years; and
(b) the number of pearl oysters represented by:
(i) the allocation of pearl oyster fishing units under his or
her Pearl Oyster Fishery licence for the licensing year;
(ii) the number of pearl oyster fishing units, if any,
permanently transferred to him or her under the
Fisheries Regulations 1992 during the licensing year;
and
(iii) the number of pearl oyster fishing units, if any,
temporarily transferred to him or her under the Fisheries
Regulations under a transfer that is in force in the
licensing year,
less the number of pearl oysters represented by the number of
pearl oyster fishing units:
(iv) permanently transferred by him or her to another person
under the Fisheries Regulations 1992 during the
licensing year; or
(v) temporarily transferred by him or her to another person
under the Fisheries Regulations 1992 under a transfer
that is in force in the licensing year; and
Part 3 Seeding of pearl oysters
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 6
(c) the number of pearl oysters represented by:
(i) the allocation of pearl oyster hatchery units under his or
her licence for the licensing year;
(ii) the number of pearl oyster hatchery units, if any,
permanently transferred him or her under the Fisheries
Regulations 1992 during the licensing year; and
(iii) the number of pearl oyster hatchery units, if any,
temporarily transferred to him or her under the Fisheries
Regulations 1992 under a transfer that is in force in the
licensing year,
less the number of pearl oysters represented by the number of
pearl oyster hatchery units:
(iv) permanently transferred by him or her to another person
under the Fisheries Regulations 1992 during the
licensing year; or
(v) temporarily transferred by him or her to another person
under the Fisheries Regulations 1992 under a transfer
that is in force in the licensing year; and
(d) a pearl oyster, seeded under a licence, transferred to the
licensee in accordance with clause 8; and
(e) a pearl oyster imported into the Territory in accordance with a
permit issued by the Director to the licensee; and
(f) the number of pearl oysters determined by the Minister by
Gazette notice to be pearl oysters that may be used for
training purposes by the licensee for the licensing year.
(2) A licensee may only seed under subclause (1)(b):
(a) pearl oysters, other than pearl oyster spat, taken under a
Pearl Oyster Fishery licence during the licensing year or a
previous licensing year; or
(b) adult oysters propagated from pearl oyster spat:
(i) produced in a hatchery operating under a licence; or
(ii) taken from the wild under a permit issued under
clause 9.
Part 3 Seeding of pearl oysters
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 7
(3) A licensee may only seed under subclause (1)(c):
(a) pearl oysters, other than pearl oysters taken as spat, taken
under a Pearl Oyster Fishery licence during the licensing year
or a previous licensing year; or
(b) adult oysters propagated from pearl oyster spat produced in a
hatchery operating under a licence.
(4) A licensee may only seed in accordance with regulation 122D(2)(b)
and (c) of the Fisheries Regulations 1992 adult pearl oysters
propagated from spat produced in a hatchery if he or she has
notified the Director in writing of the number of such pearl oysters
he or she intends to seed in accordance with that regulation.
12 Pearl oyster hatchery units
(1) The maximum number of pearl oyster hatchery units is 300.
(2) A pearl oyster hatchery unit for a licensing year represents the right
to seed the number of oysters determined by the Minister by
Gazette notice for the licensing year.
(3) In making the determination, the Minister must have regard to:
(a) the average seeding rejection rate; and
(b) any other matters the Minister considers appropriate.
(4) For subclause (3)(a), the average seeding rejection rate is the
average rate of the rejection of nuclei implanted in oysters that is:
(a) recommended by the Northern Territory Pearling Industry
Advisory Committee; and
(b) accepted by the Director.
13 Allocation of pearl oyster hatchery units
Subject to this Part, the Director must, on the renewal of a licence,
allocate to the licensee a number of pearl oyster hatchery units for
the year for which the licence is renewed, being comprised of:
(a) the licensee's allocation of pearl oyster hatchery units for the
previous licensing year; and
(b) the number of pearl oyster hatchery units permanently
transferred to the licensee under Part 4 during the previous
licensing year,
Part 4 Transfer of pearly oyster hatchery units
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 8
less the number of pearl oyster hatchery units, if any, that the
licensee has permanently transferred to another person under
Part 4 during the previous licensing year.
Part 4 Transfer of pearly oyster hatchery units
14 Transfer only permitted under this plan
A pearl oyster hatchery unit is not transferable except under and in
accordance with this Plan.
15 Application for transfer
(1) A licensee may apply to the Director in the approved form to:
(a) temporarily or permanently transfer a pearl oyster hatchery
unit to a Pearl Oyster Culture Industry licensee; or
(b) permanently transfer a pearl oyster hatchery unit to an
applicant for, or a person who intends to apply for, a Pearl
Oyster Culture Industry licence.
(2) A Pearl Oyster Culture Industry licensee must not, during a
licensing year, apply under subclause (1) to transfer a pearl oyster
hatchery unit to a person if, were the transfer to be approved, the
number of pearl oysters that may be seeded during the licensing
year by the licensee in accordance with clause 11(1)(c) would be
less than the number of pearl oysters seeded by the licensee during
the licensing year.
16 Director to approve or refuse application for transfer
(1) The Director must approve or refuse to approve an application
received under clause 15.
(2) The Director must notify the applicant in writing of the Director's
decision under subclause (1).
17 Commencement and duration of transfer
(1) Where the Director approves an application under clause 15(1)(a)
for the transfer of a pearl oyster hatchery unit to a licensee, the
transfer takes effect on the day specified in the transfer.
(2) Where the Director approves an application under clause 15(1)(b)
for the permanent transfer of a pearl oyster hatchery unit to an
applicant for, or a person who intends to apply for, a Pearl Oyster
Culture Industry licence, the transfer takes effect on the grant of the
licence to the person.
Part 6 Transitional matters for Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan
Amendment 2006
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 9
(3) A temporary transfer of a pearl oyster hatchery unit remains in force
only until the expiration of 30 June of the licensing year specified in
the transfer to be the last year for which the transfer remains in
force.
18 Where units transferred to applicant for licence
Where the Director approves an application under clause 15(1)(b)
for the transfer of one or more pearl oyster hatchery units to an
applicant for, or a person who intends to apply for, a licence, the
Director must:
(a) specify on the transferor's licence the number of pearl oyster
hatchery units to be transferred from the licensee on the grant
of the licence to the person; and
(b) specify on the Pearl Oyster Culture Industry licence granted to
the person the number of pearl oyster hatchery units
permanently transferred to him or her on the grant of the
licence.
Part 5 Repeal and transitional matters for Regulations
No. 27 of 1998
19 Repeal and transitional
(1) The Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan as in force
immediately before the commencement day is repealed.
(2) A person who, by virtue of the amendments of the Fisheries
Regulations 1992 that commenced on the commencement day is to
be taken to hold a Pearl Oyster Culture Industry licence, is, on and
after the commencement day, to be taken to have been allocated
under clause 13 of this Plan for the licensing year in which this Plan
commences, 60 pearl oyster hatchery units.
(3) In this clause, commencement day means the day on which this
Plan commences.
Part 6 Transitional matters for Pearl Oyster Culture
Industry Management Plan Amendment 2006
20 Application of amendment
The amendment to this Plan by clause 3 of the Pearl Oyster Culture
Industry Management Plan Amendment 2006 applies only in
relation to a licensing year that starts on or after 1 January 2007.
Part 6 Transitional matters for Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan
Amendment 2006
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 10
21 Licensing year
The period from 1 July 2006 to 31 December 2006 is taken to be a
licensing year for a licensee for this Plan.
ENDNOTES
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan 1998 11
ENDNOTES
1 KEY
Key to abbreviations
amd = amended od = order
app = appendix om = omitted
bl = by-law pt = Part
ch = Chapter r = regulation/rule
cl = clause rem = remainder
div = Division renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired rep = repealed
f = forms s = section
Gaz = Gazette sch = Schedule
hdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision
ins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation
lt = long title sub = substituted
nc = not commenced
2 LIST OF LEGISLATION
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan (SL No. 27, 1998)
Notified 15 July 1998
Commenced 15 July 1998
Pearl Oyster Culture Industry Management Plan Amendment 2006 (SL No. 22, 2006)
Notified 30 June 2006
Commenced 30 June 2006
Statute Law Revision Act 2014 (Act No. 38, 2014)
Assent date 13 November 2014
Commenced 13 November 2014
3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS
General amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table
of amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation
Amendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: ss 1, 3, 11, and 19.
4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS
cl 3 amd No. 22, 2006, cl 3
cl 9 amd Act No. 38, 2014, s 2
cl 11 amd No. 22, 2006, cl 4
cl 12 amd No. 22, 2006, cl 5
pt 5 hdg ins No. 22, 2006, cl 6
pt 6 hdg ins No. 22, 2006, cl 7
cl 20 – 21 ins No. 22, 2006, cl 7