Vessel tracking requirements

Commercial fishers with a licence to operate in the following fisheries must have approved and registered vessel tracking units on their boats:

Vessel tracking is not required in the pearl, adult and juvenile eel, shell, shell grit, star sand, oyster, beachworm, bloodworm and yabby commercial fisheries.

Approved vessel tracking units

Commercial fishers must use a Fisheries Queensland approved vessel tracking unit and comply with the installation and maintenance standard when configuring, installing and maintaining vessel tracking equipment. All approved units must be purchased from an approved provider and associated with an approved polling rate and data plan.

Note: Authority holders can apply for a rebate on unit purchase and installation costs. To be eligible, you must purchase an approved unit and register it in FishNet Secure. Applications close on 30 June 2022. For more information, visit the Queensland RuraI and Industry Development Authority.

Nominating boat contacts

If you are operating in a commercial fishery that requires vessel tracking, you must nominate a way to communicate with your boat (at all times) by submitting a boat communication notice in FishNet Secure.

If you are operating in the M1, T1 and T2 trawl fisheries, you must also update your details by submitting an obligation to nominate a mode of communication for boat form.

Also consider...

• Log in to FishNet Secure to register your vessel tracking unit, update your boat communication notice and manage your quota (including transfers) and trawl exceptions related to quota deductions.
• Refer to relevant fisheries legislation – the Fisheries Act 1994, Fisheries (General) Regulation 2019 and Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019 – for all vessel tracking requirements.