Fisheries Management Act 1994

The Fisheries Minister must give public notice of the preparation of an environmental impact statement under this Schedule and make a copy of the statement available for public inspection in accordance with the requirements for environmental impact statements made by section 5.8 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

A copy of the relevant draft fishery management strategy is to accompany any copy of the environmental impact statement that is made available for public inspection in accordance with this clause.

Any person may, during the period specified in the public notice under subclause (1), inspect the environmental impact statement and may, within that period, make representations in writing to the Fisheries Minister with respect to the designated fishing activity to which the statement relates.

Copies of all such representations received by the Fisheries Minister are to be provided, as soon as practicable, to the Secretary.

The Secretary may, unless an inquiry has been directed under clause 7—

examine or cause to be examined in the Department the environmental impact statement and any relevant representations, and

forward to the Fisheries Minister, as soon as practicable, a report containing the findings of that examination together with any recommendations arising from that examination.

If the Secretary notifies the Fisheries Minister that the environmental impact statement and representations are to be examined in the Department, the Fisheries Minister must not make a determination under clause 9 with respect to the designated fishing activity until the report of the Secretary has been forwarded to the Fisheries Minister.