PZJA Allocation Advisory Panel

The PZJA established an Allocation Advisory Panel (AAP) to provide advice about the allocation of commercial fishing concessions in non-community commercial fishing sectors of the Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster, Spanish Mackerel and Reef Line Fisheries.

The fishing concessions will be allocated to eligible persons, groups and/or companies by the PZJA under new fisheries management plans.

Membership

The panel consists of three independent members, comprising retired judge the Hon Jeffery Miles AO as Chair of the panel, as well as Ms Sevaly Sen, an economist from Fisheries Economics, Research and Management Pty Ltd, and Mr Brett McCallum, an industry representative from the Pearl Producers Association.

Public meetings (Cairns and the Torres Strait)

The Allocation Advisory Panel will consult widely with stakeholders before making recommendations to the PZJA in writing. 

Public meetings were held by the AAP on 25, 26, 27 and 29 June 2006 in Cairns and the Torres Strait. 

Draft reports (public comment)

The Allocation Advisory Panel published draft reports on 21 August 2006 that were open for a period of public comment that closed on 4 October 2006. The Allocation Advisory Panel reviewed public comments before finalising the report.

Reports submitted to 20th meeting of PZJA  (October 2006)

The panel submitted finalised reports to the PZJA on 11 October 2006.

Further consultation requested by PZJA (January 2007)

The PZJA considered the reports delivered by the AAP and have requested the AAP review the recommendations to take into account:

• stakeholder comments made at the PZJA 20 stakeholder forum and in any subsequent consultation undertaken by the AAP;
• provision of general criteria for exceptional circumstances and evidence standards to support claims against general criteria; and
• any data provided by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) as part of the data process currently being undertaken and expected to be completed by the end of February 2007.

The PZJA has requested the reviewed reports by the end of March 2007.

The AAP wrote to stakeholders on 2 February 2007 and called for written stakeholder comments on:

• the AAP October finfish and tropical rock lobster reports, and
• general criteria to be used to consider claims for exceptional circumstances and the evidence standards to support such claims.
   

The comment period closed on 9 March 2007.

Potential public meetings  (March 2007) - Not required

The PZJA requested that, if the AAP was inclined to make significant changes to the October 2006 formulae following consideration of the submissions received and new data provided, the AAP travel to Cairns and Thursday Island in late March to discuss the proposed revised formulae with stakeholders at advertised public meetings.

The Allocation Advisory Panel wrote to stakeholders on this issue on 13 March 2007.

The AAP have advised that after reviewing AFMA data and stakeholder submissions received, they will be recommending allocation formulae for each fishery which we do not consider to be a “significant” change to the allocation formulae recommended to the PZJA in October 2006. As such, the Allocation Advisory Panel will NOT be holding any public meetings in Cairns and Thursday Island.

Further information

Questions on the PZJA Allocation Advisory Panel should be directed to the Allocation Advisory Panel Secretariat.

Help with downloading and viewing files

Page last updated 7 June, 2007