FISHERIES ACT 1994 - SECT 3
Particular purposes of Act
FISHERIES ACT 1994 - SECT 3
Particular purposes of Act
3 Particular purposes of Act
(1) The main purpose of this Act is to provide for the use, conservation and
enhancement of the community’s fisheries resources and fish habitats in a
way that seeks to—
(2) In balancing the principles, each
principle is to be given the relative emphasis appropriate in the
circumstances, having regard to ensuring access to the fisheries resources is
allocated in a way that maximises the potential economic, social and cultural
benefits to the community.
(3) Despite the main purpose of this Act, a
further purpose of this Act is to reduce the possibility of shark attacks on
humans in coastal waters of the State adjacent to coastal beaches used for
bathing.
(4) Subsections (1) and (3) do not limit the purposes of this Act.
(5) In this section—
"ecologically sustainable development" means using, conserving and enhancing
the community’s fisheries resources and fish habitats so that—
(a) the
ecological processes on which life depends are maintained; and
(b) the total
quality of life, both now and in the future, can be improved.
"precautionary principle" means the principle that, if there is a threat of
serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of scientific certainty
should not be used as a reason to postpone measures to prevent environment
degradation, or possible environmental degradation, because of the threat.
"principles of ecologically sustainable development" means the following
principles—
(a) enhancing individual and community wellbeing through
economic development that safeguards the wellbeing of future generations;
(b)
providing fairness within and between generations;
(c) protecting biological
diversity, ecological processes and life-support systems;
(d) in making
decisions, effectively integrating fairness and short and long-term economic,
environmental and social considerations;
(e) considering the global dimension
of environmental impacts of actions and policies;
(f) considering the need to
maintain and enhance competition, in an environmentally sound way;
(g)
considering the need to develop a strong, growing and diversified economy that
can enhance the capacity for environmental protection;
(h) that decisions and
actions should provide for broad community involvement on issues affecting
them;