New South Wales Consolidated Acts

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ACT 1994 - SECT 3

3 Objects of Act

(1) The objects of this Act are to conserve, develop and share the fishery resources of the State for the benefit of present and future generations.

(2) In particular, the objects of this Act include--

(a) to conserve fish stocks and key fish habitats, and

(b) to conserve threatened species, populations and ecological communities of fish and marine vegetation, and

(c) to promote ecologically sustainable development, including the conservation of biological diversity,

and, consistently with those objects--

(d) to promote viable commercial fishing and aquaculture industries, and

(e) to promote quality recreational fishing opportunities, and

(f) to appropriately share fisheries resources between the users of those resources, and

(g) to provide social and economic benefits for the wider community of New South Wales, and

(h) to recognise the spiritual, social and customary significance to Aboriginal persons of fisheries resources and to protect, and promote the continuation of, Aboriginal cultural fishing.

Note--: At common law, the public has a right to fish in the sea, the arms of the sea and in the tidal reaches of all rivers and estuaries. The public has no common law right to fish in non-tidal waters--the right to fish in those waters belongs to the owner of the soil under those waters. However, the public may fish in non-tidal waters if the soil under those waters is Crown land. In the case of non-tidal waters in rivers and creeks, section 38 declares that the public has a right to fish despite the private ownership of the bed of the river or creek. However, the right to fish in tidal or non-tidal waters is subject to any restriction imposed by this Act.