THE NSW Minns Labor Government is acting to crackdown on illegal catches of the state’s precious seafoods such as abalone, lobster and mud crab by bolstering the compliance powers for NSW’s Fisheries Officers.
The Minns Government’s reforms will strengthen the ability of Fisheries Officers to respond to illegal fishing, disrupt black market seafood supply chains, and tackle aquatic habitat offences that threaten the long-term sustainability of NSW’s fisheries.
The Fisheries Management Amendment (Enforcement) Bill 2026 is being introduced to Parliament this week and represent the most significant modernisation of powers in some time.
After the Bill passes the new provisions will allow Fisheries Officers to:
- Act against people knowingly buying fish from illegal sellers, this will have a direct impact on dampening black-market sales
- Identify and question boat owners when their boat has been suspected to have been involved in illegal activities such a vessel observed by a fisheries drone undertaking illegal fishing
- Make it harder for illegal fishers to evade fisheries officers and empower Fisheries Officers to demand the identity of suspected offenders
- Proactively check that seafood being transported and sold by mobile seafood vendors has been sourced legally.
Eight Supervising and District Fisheries Officers are being recruited and a recruitment drive for a new cohort of up to 11 First Year Fisheries Officers to be stationed right across the state is underway.
The Government’s said its Bill will deliver the following outcomes:
- Enhance powers to address the risks posed by black market fish sales to the sustainability of fisheries resources and enhance traceability through the seafood supply chain
- Increased penalties of up to $44,000 to deter would-be offenders from stealing aquaculture stock for black market sale or damaging aquaculture infrastructure
- Improved enforcement powers and tools so Fisheries Officers can operate safely and effectively, in line with community expectations of modern natural resource regulators.
The NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty commissioned a review of the Part 9 of the Fisheries Management Act, that covers compliance and investigation powers, in response to the recommendations of an independent review of fisheries compliance powers.
The independent review was initiated in response to concerns from Fisheries Officers about their powers in relation to safety.
These new powers will enable the state to better protect the aquaculture sector which has recorded a farm gate value of $107 million, contributed almost a quarter of a billion dollars to the state economy, and supports around 2,200 jobs along our coastline.
In a separate regulation change, the Government will soon introduce of a “fit and proper person” test for commercial fishing licences in line with community standards, including the completion of a National Police Check.
The fit and proper person test will allow the refusal, suspension or cancellation of a licence where an applicant or licensee has been convicted of serious indictable offences, including assaulting or intimidating a public officer, serious violence offences, fraud, offences involving criminal groups, or serious offences related to fishing activities.
Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said: “With these reforms to compliance powers we are protecting the livelihood of hard working and honest commercial fishers and ensuring the sustainability of our resources for future generations.
“The Minns Government is putting in place a stronger and better way of protecting our valuable fisheries resources such as abalone, lobster and mud crabs.
“Fisheries Officers undertake important work protecting our state’s aquatic environments and fisheries resources on the water, at the beach, at wharves and on the road, and they need modernised powers to better do their job.
“Like all workers in NSW, we are committed to ensuring that Fisheries Officers are able to feel safe and appropriately empowered to do their job and public service everyday across the state.”
“The introduction of the new ‘fit and proper person’ standard for commercial fishing licenses aims to protect the working environment of Fisheries Officers and for ensuring our natural resources are better protected from fraud or criminal interests.”
