Telecommunications Act 1997

A declaration of a protection zone may specify restrictions that are imposed in the protection zone on activities in the protection zone.

An activity on which restrictions are imposed must be an activity that is covered by subclause (3).

This subclause covers the following activities:

the use of:

a net that is above the seabed at all times; or

lures or baits attached to a line towed behind a ship;

towing, operating, or suspending from a ship:

any item mentioned in paragraph (a); or

a net, line, rope, chain or any other thing used in connection with fishing operations;

fishing using a line;

installing, maintaining or removing an electricity cable, an oil or gas pipeline, any like cables or pipelines and any associated equipment;

constructing, maintaining or removing an installation for the use of ships;

constructing or maintaining navigational aids;

any activity that involves a risk that an object will connect with the seabed, if a connection between the object and a submarine cable would be capable of damaging the cable;

an activity specified in the regulations, being an activity that, if done near a submarine cable, could involve a risk of damaging the cable.

However, subclause (3) does not cover an activity if:

the activity is carried on by, or on behalf of, a person who owns or operates a submarine cable in the protection zone; and

the activity consists of the maintenance or repair of the submarine cable.