New reforms by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) will lead to a more efficient and cost effective fisheries management service for Australia, says the organisation.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the legislation formally sets up an electronic licensing system for Australian Commonwealth Fishers.
“The Australian Fisheries industry plays an important role in regional communities, providing jobs and supporting regional growth,” Mr Burke said.
“The new eLicensing will allow fishers to access a self-service web portal known as GOFish. GOFish allows commonwealth fishers to conduct licensing business on-line. Testing has shown eLicensing to be fast, reliable and user-friendly and we expect it will result in cuts to costs for the fishing industry,” Mr Burke said.
If an application satisfies pre-programmed rules and criteria, the application will be approved and communicated without the involvement of an AFMA officer. This will reduce administration costs, with savings to be passed on through reduced fees and levies.
Participation in eLicensing is voluntary, but it is expected that 80 per cent of transactions will go through the system by 2011.
The changes were part of a Fisheries Legislation Amendment Bill 2009 introduced into Parliament recently. The Bill will help facilitate the issuing of defensive equipment to AFMA’s officers who undertake the frontline role of guarding fisheries resources from illegal activity.
“Work undertaken by AFMA compliance officers is potentially dangerous and it is essential that officers of the Commonwealth are adequately equipped and trained to protect their safety,” Mr Burke said.
