G/SCM/Q2/AUS/61  
30 October  2019 
(19-7302) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures  Original:  English  
 
  
SUBSIDIES  
REPLIES TO QUESTIONS  FROM THE UNITED STA TES1 REGARDING  
THE NEW AND FULL NOT IFICATION OF AUSTRAL IA2 
The following communication, dated 30 October  2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Australia . 
 
_______________  
 
 
Australia thanks the United States for its questions and provides the following replies.  
 
New South Wales  
 
Commercial Fisheries Business Adjustment Program  (BAP)  
 
Question 1  
 
Please provide some background on the nature of the "shares " that can be bought and 
how the mechanism of shares fit s into the overall management system.  
Reply  
Under the NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994 , certain fisheries are designated as 'share 
management fisheries'. Shares in a share management fishery allow access to the fishery (if a 
minimum shareholding requirement is met) and in some cases, quota in proportion to the size of 
the shareholding. In five of the seven share m anagement fisheries that currently exist, there are 
various 'classes' of share that determine the method(s), permitted species and/or waters in which 
the fisher can operate.  
Prior to the commercial fisheries Business Adjustment Program (BAP), only the NSW Abalone and 
Lobster fisheries were subject to quota management. The BAP introduced catch and effort quota 
management for many additional species and methods, through the allocation of effort quota 
(days) to holders of existing 'access' shares, and the issu e of new species quota shares to eligible 
shareholders.  
Question 2  
 
How is  it determined that certain fishers can expand their operations?  
 
Reply  
Share management provides the flexibility for fishers to customize their fishing businesses subject 
to specifi c fishing business transfer rules. Fishers that own shares in a fishery (or sector of a 
fishery) that is managed by catch or effort quota can transfer shares to vary their quota holding to 
suit their level of fishing. Fishers may also purchase shares of a class they do not own to gain 
access in other fisheries or fishery sectors.  
                                                
1 G/SCM/Q2/AUS/60.  
2 G/SCM/N/343/AUS.  G/SCM/Q2/AUS/61  
- 2 - 
  Question 3  
 
Is it the long -term goal for fishers to pay the entire cost of the management system?  
 
Reply  
Commercial fishers in NSW already pay annual charges that help fund management, research, 
compliance and administration. No decisions have been made on any long -term goals for this 
system. However, the NSW Department of Primary Industries is currently working with industry on 
revisiting costs and the structure of managemen t charges.  
Question 4  
 
What is the nature (e.g., fishing port ; storage facility ; undeveloped) of the Crown Land 
for which rental subsidies are provided?  
 
Reply  
Rent waivers were provided to Fishermen's Co -operatives located on Crown Land. The nature of the  
land thus occupied varies, with some co -operatives holding longer -term leases allowing them to 
develop infrastructure such as wholesale and retail buildings, processing and storage facilities, 
wharves and moorings.  
 
__________