Proof Committee Hansard - SENATE - The ‘RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT LEGISLATION COMMITTEE’

Senator DAVID POCOCK: Thank you for your time and for hanging around. I have some questions onNorfolk Island. I'm learning about how it's set up and I understand that there are two fisheries: there's the Norfolk Island Offshore Demersal Finfish Fishery and then there's the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery. Is that correct?

Mr Norris: Yes.

Senator DAVID POCOCK: Can you give us a brief overview of what's happening in those two categories in the Norfolk EEZ?

Mr Norris: Yes. The part of the Australian exclusive economic zone around Norfolk Island is part of the standard fishery area for the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery, with the exception of a box around the island where there's no fishing allowed. Any authorised vessel in the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery can operate in that portion of the exclusive economic zone, according to the quotas that they hold and the authorities that they have. The inshore fishery around the island is much less formally managed and we take a risk based approach to it. Because of the freight facilities on the island, there are very few prospects for industrial or large-scale commercial fisheries for export to the mainland or elsewhere, so the majority of the fishing that happens there is local consumption and subsistence-type fishery. We take a very hands-off approach to those fisheries, based on their size and the risks that they pose.

Senator DAVID POCOCK: Do you know how much revenue is generated from those five vessels, I think it is, that are registered?

Mr Norris: First of all, thank you very much, Senator, for sending over some questions in advance. That gave us a chance to have a look into this. You've highlighted those vessels that have that special permit, whatever it's called—a recognised vessel. That permit is something that's issued by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. What it allows the vessels to do is to transit the narrow strip of high seas between the mainland EEZ and the Norfolk EEZ, whereas normally they wouldn't be allowed to go into the high seas. But, as I say, it's not just those vessels holding that special permit that can fish in the Norfolk EEZ; any one of the 34 ETBF vessels can.

There are very low levels of effort in the Norfolk EEZ, in that, quite literally, three vessels fished there in 2016, one in 2020 and one in 2022. In terms of the revenue that they're raising, their gross value of production is a very small component of the overall fishery. The overall fishery is around $35 million. In the biggest year, which was 2016, $200,000 worth of product was caught there—

Senator DAVID POCOCK: Out of the Norfolk EEZ.

Mr Norris: so it is a very small contributor.

Senator DAVID POCOCK: Who patrols that little area of international waters between the mainland and there? Is that monitored? It seems like there's a fair bit of activity in that.

Mr Norris: There's an enormous amount of activity by a range of fleets all along our EEZ border on the east coast. We monitor it through electronic means. Australia is a member of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, which maintains a vessel monitoring system, which is satellite tracking of vessels, and we have access to that information. Maritime Border Command, which is a multiagency taskforce, is also responsible for surveillance right around Australia, so, on an opportunistic basis, there are flights over there. We run at least one, preferably two, annual operations where we conduct high seas boardings and the inspection of foreign vessels, particularly those fishing close to our zone.

CHAIR: Senator Pocock, we've got 75 minutes to do 10 agencies. Have you got many more questions?

Senator DAVID POCOCK: A few. I've been waiting about—

CHAIR: Well, mate, I've been waiting 18 years and I'm still stuck here. But, anyway.

Senator DAVID POCOCK: I don't have many.

Tuesday, 24 October 2023 Senate Page 125

RURAL AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

CHAIR: I would urge that we get through them, because we've asked everyone to stay here. Can you get your questions out so we can we get the answers?

Senator DAVID POCOCK: Sure. You said the total amount from the EEZ over the last, say, 10 years, was $200,000?

Mr Norris: From the Norfolk Island EEZ? Since 2016, it has been $208-odd thousand dollars.

Senator DAVID POCOCK: Do you have anything pre-2016?

Mr Norris: I'm sure we could dig that out. And, if it's useful, I'm more than happy to give you a private briefing on the fishery.

Senator DAVID POCOCK: Let's do that, and we can save the chair some time.

CHAIR: Thanks, Senator Pocock. Thank you very much, Mr Norris. We'll let you go.