28-day within season quota reconciliation

The following fisheries are subject to 28-day within season quota reconciliation arrangements as a condition of statutory fishing rights(SFR):

• Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery
• Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery
• Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery
• Small Pelagic Fishery
• Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery

The 28-day within season quota reconciliation arrangements allow SFR holders 28 days, from the date of unload to a fish receiver, to obtain and reconcile (or balance) their excess catch with more quota. It is a SFR holder’s responsibility to keep track of their catch against their quota holdings. If an SFR holder does not reconcile their catch with quota within the 28-day reconciliation period, they may be subject to compliance action.

If, due to exceptional circumstances, you will not be able to reconcile your over-quota amount within 28 days, please submit your reasons to AFMA’s Licensing and Data Section in advance of the 28-day reconciliation date being reached. This information will be considered in determining the enforcement action to be taken.

SFR holders can find their catch and quota holding statements in GOFish (AFMA’s online business facility). This makes it easy for you to find out what needs to be reconciled. It shows what catches you have made and what leases/ transfers you have had in an easy to read format. Additional quota holdings will be automatically reconciled against oldest catch first.

Fishers must reconcile within 28 days the amount they went over quota from fish landed on that day. If you go over again tomorrow then you have 28 days from tomorrow to cover catches that get landed tomorrow.

Example of how 28 day quota reconciliation work

Scenario using yellowfin tuna as the example fish

On 1 July you land 2 tonnes of yellowfin tuna above your quota entitlements. You can still fish but have until 29 July to buy/lease sufficient quota of yellowfin tuna to cover that 2 tonne over-quota.

On 18 July you land an additional 1 tonne of yellowfin tuna. You can still fish, provided the initial 2 tonnes over-quota of yellowfin tuna is reconciled by 29 July. You have until 15 August (28 days from 18 July) to secure a further 1 tonne of yellowfin tuna.

On 28 July you land another 3 tonnes of yellowfin tuna. You can still fish, provided the initial 2 tonnes over-quota of yellowfin tuna is reconciled by 29 July. You have until 15 August (28 days from 18 July) to secure a further 1 tonne of yellowfin tuna and the further 3 tonnes over-quota must be reconciled by 25 August (28 days from 28 July).

If you don’t reconcile catches after 28 days:

• AFMA Fisheries Officer issues an order to the nominated boat to return to port and you are asked to show cause as to why the concession should not be suspended.
• Delegate suspends the relevant concession(s), in accordance with the concession condition, for a period of 30 days.

If you fail to secure the initial 2 tonnes by 29 July you are suspended and not allowed to resume fishing until the entire 6 tonnes of quota is secured and is reconciled.

More information

Read more about quota administration in our Fisheries Management Paper 13 – Quota Administration Policy.

If you would like more information on 28 day quota reconciliation contact the AFMA Licensing and Data Section on 1300 723 621 or licensing@afma.gov.au.