Aquaculture Regulations 2016

Subject to subregulation (2), if aquaculture stock has escaped, or a farming structure or other equipment has been damaged that may lead to the escape of aquaculture stock, the licensee must take the following action:

the licensee must as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the escape or damage, take all reasonable measures to contain or prevent the escape or further escape of stock;

the licensee must, within 4 hours after becoming aware of the escape or damage, notify the Minister, by telephone call to the number provided to the licensee for the purpose, of so many of the prescribed details in relation to the escape or damage as are required by the Minister, and known by the licensee, at the time;

the licensee must, within 2 days after becoming aware of escape or damage, give the Minister written notice of the prescribed details in relation to the escape or damage. Maximum penalty: Maximum penalty: $5 000. Expiation fee: In the case of an offence against paragraph (c)—$500.

A licensee is not required to comply with subregulation (1) if the licensee's aquaculture strategy specifies that this regulation does not apply.

In this regulation—

the species of aquatic organisms involved;

the date (or estimated date) on which the escape or damage took place;

the number and biomass (or estimated number and biomass) of aquatic organisms that have escaped;

the age or developmental stage of the aquatic organisms at the time of their escape;

details of the circumstances in which the escape or damage took place;

any action taken to contain or prevent the escape of the stock or otherwise address the escape or damage and the outcome of that action.