The Fisheries Structural Adjustment Scheme aims is to support holders or lessees of particular primary commercial fishing licences (PCFLs) and particular fishery symbols, as well as supporting former skipper and crew members of affected PCFL holders who are affected by the closure of certain fisheries in the Great Barrier Reef region, changes under the Marine Parks Act 2004 to zoning or management in the Great Sandy region or the introduction of new gillnet free areas in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Stage 2 of the Scheme closed to applications on 31 July 2024.
To learn more about the assistance available under Stage 3 click here.
Program information
The following assistance was available under this Scheme:
Payment for Former Skippers and Crew
Under this section, a payment was available to former skippers and crew members whose income was or will be affected by changes to fisheries in the Great Barrier Reef, Great Sandy Marine Park or the Gulf of Carpentaria regions.
Surrender of Primary Commercial Fishing Licences (PCFLs) or ‘N3’ fishery symbol
Under this section, a payment was available to holders of PCFLs who decide to surrender:
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their PCFL, or
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the ‘N3’ fishery symbols written on their PCFL.
Payments for loss of income
Under this section, a payment was available equivalent to three financial years of projected income to affected fishers in the following regions based on the applicant’s fishing data:
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Gulf region, for ‘N3’ and ‘N11’ licences
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Great Sandy region, for ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ licences
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East coast fisheries, for Hammerhead sharks
For more information on Stage 2 of the Fisheries Structural Adjustment Scheme assistance, please see the Guidelines below.
For more information on Stage 1, please visit the Fisheries Structural Adjustment Scheme - Stage 1 webpage.
QRIDA administered the Fisheries Structural Adjustment Scheme on behalf of the then Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (now Department of Primary Industries).
