The forms on this page can be used to conduct your licensing, quota and management transactions.
A commercial licence is required to take, possess, sell or dispose of all species of fish for commercial purposes from State waters.
Many commercial fisheries have a legislative limit on the number of licences with no new licences presently being granted, however some may be available to transfer. New licences that can be granted are listed under the Renew or Grant Licence forms.
Lodging your documents
Application forms contain further information and checklists.
Your signed application, supporting documents and relevant fees can be sent to the Fisheries Licensing Branch by:
Nominated Natural Person to Primary Licensing Agent change
From 31 March 2023, companies, partnerships and trustees that hold commercial fishing licences will be required to nominate a Primary Licensing Agent (PLA) to replace their Nominated Natural Person (NNP).
The PLA operates in the same way that an NNP operated for licensing transactions. For many licence holders, the way they engage with the Department will not change.
Licence holders who currently have an NNP should provide the Department with the name of their PLA.
Once the Department has been advised of the PLA, licence holders only need to update this in the future if circumstances change.
This change is required due to legislative amendments to enable digital licence transactions.
If you have questions, please contact the FDTP Team at
fdtp@nre.tas.gov.au
F3289 - Nomination or Revocation of a Primary Licensing Agent
Fees
Application fees shown are current until 30 June each year.
For all applications
being lodged after 30 June 2024, use the 2024-2025 Commercial Fishing
Application Fees.
2024-2025 Commercial Fishing Application Fees
How to pay
| Online | Go to
FishPort |
Electronic Bank Transfer
| Account name: NRE Tas Revenue
BSB: 037-001
Account no: 268083
Reference: For renewals - your certificate number. For other transactions - your chosen reference.
Please attach a copy of the bank receipt to the application.
|
In Person
| Level 1, 134 Macquarie Street, Hobart:
-
cheque or money order (payable to NRE Tas Revenue)
- credit or debit card (a limit of $20,000 applies)
Service Tas - to pay licence renewals only: - cheque or money order (payable to NRE Tas Revenue)
- credit or debit (a limit of $20,000 applies)
- cash
DO NOT submit signed application forms to Service Tas when you pay. Attach your receipt to the form and then lodge with NRE Tas.
|
| Post | Cheque or money order (payable to NRE Tas Revenue)
NRE Tas
GPO Box 44, Hobart, Tas, 7001.
|
Change Contact Details
Use this form to change your contact details
F3236 - Change of Address and or Contact Details
Use this form to receive fishing certificates and communications by email.
F3237 - Consent to Communication by Electronic Notification
Order Rock Lobster Tags
Use this form to order your rock lobster horn tags for processing, personal possession or for the Southern and Northern zones .
F3315 - Request for Rock Lobster Horn Tags
Authorisation/De-authorisation of Abalone Quota
Divers - please specify the year when authorisation will occur.
F3152 - Notification of Authorisation of Abalone Quota
F3153 - Authorised Agent for Abalone Diver
F3154 - Notification of De- Authorisation of Abalone Quota
Seasonal Transfer of Units/ Pots/Research
F3227 - Application for the Seasonal Transfer of Quota Units Pots Research
Quota units for rock lobster, giant crab, scallop, and banded morwong must be uncaught to seasonally transfer.
Permanent Transfer of Units/Pots
F3223 - Application for the Permanent Transfer of Quota Units-Pots
Quota units for rock lobster and scallop can be caught or uncaught to permanently transfer. For banded morwong and giant crab, they must be uncaught.
F3238 - Application to Cancel or Vary an Entry in the Register
Transferor and Transferee – must both sign this form for permanent transfer of rock lobster and giant crab quota units/pots in addition to the Permanent Transfer of Quota Units/Pots form. The fee is per application form.
F3239 - Application to Register Ownership and or an Interest
Transferee - only complete this form if registering a third-party interest over the rock lobster or giant crab quota units/pots being permanently transferred.
Permanent Transfer of Fishing Licence/s
F3222 - Application to Transfer Tasmanian Commercial Fishing Licence(s)
F3238 - Application to Cancel or Vary an Entry in the Register
Transferor - complete this form for the permanent transfer of rock lobster and giant crab fishing licences in addition to the Transfer of Tasmanian Commercial Fishing Licences form.
F3239 - Application to Register Ownership and or an Interest
Transferee - complete this form for the permanent transfer of rock lobster and giant crab fishing licences in addition to the Transfer of Tasmanian Commercial Fishing Licences form.
F3234 - Application to be Approved as Eligible to Hold a Licence of a Particular Category
Queensland Offence History Request (PDF 283Kb)
NRE Tas require conviction checks from all Australian jurisdictions for the transfer of a licence. Queensland Fisheries requires
The Transferee is required to submit this form and
if not an existing client, it must be accompanied by a certified copy of identification. If the Transferee is a partnership, corporation, or trustee, each partner, director and/or trustee must complete this form.
Assign Licence Under Abalone Deed of Agreement
F3240 - Assignment of Licence under an Abalone Deed of Agreement (New Deed)
F3241 - Assignment of Licence under an Abalone Deed of Agreement (Old Deed) Form
F3238 - Application to Cancel or Vary an Entry in the Register
Licensee - complete this form in addition to the Assignment of Licence Under an Abalone Deed of Agreement form.
F3239 - Application to Register Ownership and or an Interest
Assignee - complete this form in addition to the Assignment of Licence Under an Abalone Deed of Agreement form.
F3233 - Abalone Quota Under Deed Licence Holders Partnership Corporation or Trustee Information
Complete this form if the Assignee is a partnership, corporation, or trustee. Companies are required to provide an Australian Securities & Investments Commission Extract listing major office bearers.
Queensland Offence History Request (PDF 283Kb)
NRE Tas require conviction checks from all Australian jurisdictions to assign licences under an abalone deed of agreement. Queensland Fisheries requires
authorisation of the release of this history. The Assignee is required to submit this form and it must be accompanied by a certified copy of identification. If the Assignee is a partnership, corporation or trustee, each partner, director and/or trustee
must complete this form.
Add/Remove Supervisor
F3224 - Application to Add or Remove a Supervisor of a Licence
F3234 - Application to be Approved as Eligible to Hold a Licence of a Particular Category
Queensland Offence History Request (PDF 283Kb)
The Supervisor being added to the fishing licence is required to submit this form. NRE Tas require conviction history checks from all Australian jurisdictions when adding a supervisor to a fishing licences. Queensland Fisheries requires authorisation of the release of this history.
Vary a Licence
F3228 - Application to Add and or Remove a Vessel
F3229 - Application to Vary or Endorse a Tasmanian Commercial Fishing Licence
F3230 - Application to Vary a Tasmanian Fish Processing Licence
F3231 - Notice of Surrender of Licence
Renew or Grant Licence
F3220 - Application for Renewal Grant of Tasmanian Commercial Fishing Licences (PDF 322Kb)
New licences that can be granted:
- Fishing licence (personal)
- Fishing licence (vessel - abalone only)
- Fishing licence (marine plant)
- Fishing licence (introduced marine plant)
- Fishing licence (Pacific oyster)
- Fish processing licence
Restrictions on who can apply for the grant of some licences:
- Fishing licence (vessel - abalone only) - applicants must hold or supervise a fishing licence (abalone dive).
- Fishing licence (introduced marine plant) - applicants must hold or supervise a fishing licence (commercial dive).
See Renewal Fees.
F3320 - Application for Renewal/Grant of a Tasmanian Fish Processing Licence (PDF 802Kb)
A fish processing licence is required to process, hold or store:
- abalone (wild caught or marine farmed)
- rock lobster
- giant crab
- banded morwong
- scallops
- marine plants
- more than 10,000kg of any other species combined per annum
A ‘place’ on a Fish Processing Licence is defined as ‘any building or structure, whether permanent or temporary’, or any place where a processor processes, stores or holds fish.
F3234 - Application to be Approved as Eligible to Hold a Licence of a Particular Category
Queensland Offence History Request (PDF 283Kb)
NRE Tas require conviction checks from all Australian jurisdictions for the grant of a licence. Queensland Fisheries requires
The Applicant is required to submit this form and if not an existing client, it must be accompanied by a certified copy of identification. If the Applicant is a partnership, corporation, or trust, each partner, director and/or trustee must complete this form.
Licence Details
F3162 - Application for an Extract of the Licence Ownership & Interest Register
Per fishing licence entitlement
- Per deed (Abalone Quota Under Deed - Old Deed)
- Per unit (Abalone Quota Under Deed - New Deed)
F3232 - Application for a Demerit Point Register Check
F3165 - Application for Licensing Information
- Licence detail check (per licence)
- Report of List of Entries: (First 200 names generated in report, PLUS each additional 200 names generated in report. Contact Licensing for exact fee.)
Third-Party Interest Forms
Third-party interest forms register, cancel or vary third party interest over abalone quota under deed units, rock lobster units or giant crab units.
F3239 - Application to Register Ownership and or an Interest
F3238 - Application to Cancel or Vary an Entry in the Register
Replace Record of Original Entry (Abalone Quota Under Deed)
F3242 - Application for the Replacement of Record of Original Entry (Abalone Quota Under Deed)
Statutory Declaration
Statutory Declaration Form
A list of occupations that can witness statutory declarations is on the
Department of Justice website.
Demerit Points
A person, licence or fishing certificate can accumulate 200 or more demerit points before disqualification or suspension from obtaining or holding a licence. Demerit points allocated to a person, licence or fishing certificate remain in force for 5 years from the date of conviction. They continue in force if transferred to a new holder.
The Department keeps a register of demerit points, which may be examined on application. A fee applies for this. For more information please refer to the
Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995 on our
fisheries legislation page.
Industry Levies
Under the
Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995, the Minister, at the request of a fishing body, may determine that a levy is payable by persons undertaking any activity under an authorisation if satisfied that most persons likely to be affected are in favour of the levy. It cannot be opted out of and must be paid along with other prescribed fees.
Vessel Survey Reports
A survey report is needed when added a vessel to a fishing licence only if the vessel has never been registered with the Licensing Branch. It is not needed if the vessel has been previously recorded in our database.
Fisher Assistance
Rural financial counselling: Rural Business Tasmania runs a counselling service that provides free, confidential and independent counsel to primary producers suffering financial hardship.
For information see the Rural Business Tasmania website or call 1300 88 3276.
Stay Afloat: The Tasmanian Seafood Industry Council and RAW Tas have a project to provide:
- on the ground support for seafood operators, delivered via the RAW Outreach Program; and
- educational resources to encourage fishers to look out for other fishers, and mates to look out for mates and seek further support if needed.
More details from the
TSIC website.
Personal Information Statement
Personal information is managed in accordance with the
Personal Information Protection Act 2004 and the
NRE Tas personal information protection policy. You may access your personal information on written request to the Department, and you may be charged a fee for this service.
Your personal information will be collected for the purpose of managing Tasmania’s marine resources under the
Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995 (LMRMA) and the
Fishing (Licence Ownership and Interest) Registration Act 2001 (FLOIRA), and will be used by the Department for purposes permitted by these Acts.
Your personal information will be used for the primary purpose for which it is collected and may be disclosed to certified fishing bodies to enable the provision of industry information to you. Your personal information may also be disclosed to a service provider nominated by NRE Tas to provide fishery assessments and management advice on fishery issues, including the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS).
The LMRMA requires the Secretary of NRE Tas to keep a register of authorisations and fishing certificates. A person may be allowed to obtain a copy of, or an extract from, an entry in the register. The FLOIRA requires the Registrar to keep a register of ownership and interests in fishing licences. The Registrar is to make the register available for public inspection and a person may be allowed to obtain a copy of, or an extract from, any entry in the register.
By providing the Department with your personal information, you consent to the information being used for the purposes for which it has been collected. By providing the Department with personal information of third parties, you are declaring that the third parties have read the PIP Statement and consent to their personal information being provided to the Department on their behalf, and the use and disclosure of that information by the Department in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Statement.
More information
Tasmanian Fisheries Legislation
Permit Fisheries
LMMA Digital Processes Bill 2021 Fact Sheet
Abalone Operational Information Paper 2024
2023 Operational Guide for the Commercial Scalefish Fishery
2023 Operational Guide for the Commercial Banded Morwong Fishery