Super trawler operator Seafish Tasmania approved to fish revised quota with smaller ship

Seafish Tasmania, which lost its bid to operate one of the world's largest fishing trawlers in Australian waters, received preliminary approval to fish a revised quota in a smaller ship.

Australia's Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture Senator Richard Colbeck announced the firm's 95-meter ship Geelong Star will be eligible to fish once authorities have approved a vessel-management plan, reported ABC News.

The plan aims to ensure minimal interaction with marine mammals and seabirds, but cannot be finalized until the Fisheries Management Authority has inspected the boat.

Late last year, the federal government banned super-trawlers, which it defined as ships longer than 130 meters.

That followed a temporary ban of the Parlevliet & Van der Plas-linked MV Margiris -- later renamed Abel Tasman -- in 2012 to fish an annual quota of 18,000 metric tons of jack mackerel and redbait.

Colbeck said the Geelong Star's quota has been set at 16,566 metric tons for jack mackerel, redbait and blue mackerel for the 2014-2015 fishing...