The Northern Land Council has denied it intends to restrict the access commercial and recreational fishers have to significant stretches of the Northern Territory coastline within weeks.The notice suggested permits would be required to fish in some intertidal zones next yearBut the Northern Land Council says permits will continue to be waived into the new yearIt also suggested permits would be required in some other areas from the beginning of March.
"The notice was making sure that from the 1st of January, no-one was breaking the law if they went into those areas," she said.On Friday, the notice "blindsided" fishing industry groups and surprised the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Trade, Nicole Manison, who said it went against a commitmentIn a Facebook status, recreational fishing body the Amateur Fishermen's Association NT accused the land council of unexpectedly throwing the industry "under a bus".
Industry groups are concerned permits will be required to access red zones from January and yellow zones from March.Ms Scrymgour said the extension until March would give the land council time to finish consultations with stakeholder groups before permits could formally be waived until 2022, per the August agreement.