Mission Beach Trawl Closure area.

Regulations come into affect on 18 April 2002, which prohibit trawling in the Mission Beach Trawl Closure area.

The closure is introduced by regulations pursuant to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975.

Under the regulations, the master of a vessel and the licence holder are each guilty of an offence if the vessel engages in trawling in the closure area. A vessel is taken to be engaged in trawling if the vessel has its nets in the water.

Provision is made in the regulations to grant a maximum of five permits for the collection of live leader or black tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon) in the closure for supply to aquaculture operations. A public notice regarding this will be published in local newspapers.

Description of Closure Area
The Mission Beach trawl closure area is the area of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park bounded by a notional line beginning at the intersection of the coastline of the mainland at low water with the parallel 17°39.1' S near Double Point and running progressively:

easterly along the parallel to 17°39.1' S, 146°11.8' E
southerly along the geodesic to 17°52.81' S, 146°9.62' E
south-easterly along the geodesic to 18°3.92' S, 146°13.39' E
north-westerly along the geodesic to the easternmost intersection of the coastline of the mainland at low water with the parallel 18°1.97' S near the southern bank of the mouth of the Tully River
generally northerly along the coastline at low water to the point of commencement
(Note: This description is based on the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994).

Leader/Black Tiger Prawn Broodstock Collection
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) gives notice to Queensland commercial fishers that applications to collect live leader prawn Penaeus monodon from the waters of the Mission Beach Trawl Closure area (defined in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983, Schedule 1A) for the purpose of supplying broodstock to licensed Australian aquaculture prawn farms are now being accepted.

Permits may be granted to a maximum of five (5) persons for a maximum of one year for the purpose of collecting broodstock leader prawn in the Mission Beach Trawl Closure area. To be considered for a permit, the GBRMPA will have regard to strict selection criteria. For further information on the closure, please contact the GBRMPA at PO Box 1379, TOWNSVILLE, QLD 4810, or by telephoning Mr Martin Russell at (07) 4750 0700, or fax (07) 4772 6093.