Fisheries Management Act 1994

After considering the submissions and making amendments (if any) to the draft plan, the Secretary must—

forward the draft plan to the Minister, and

provide the Minister with a summary of any advice given by the Fisheries Scientific Committee and of all submissions received about the draft plan, and details of any amendments made to the draft plan by the Secretary to take account of that advice or those submissions.

In considering whether to approve or to refuse to approve a draft plan, the Minister must have regard to the likely social and economic consequences of the approval of the plan.

The Minister may—

approve a draft plan without amendment or with any amendments that the Minister considers appropriate, or

refuse to approve the plan (on the basis of the likely social or economic consequences of the plan or otherwise), or

refer the plan back to the Secretary for further consideration (whether with or without a request for the amendment of the plan).