State-wide notices

Shipping and Pilotage Act 1967 (WA) Ports
Ships Masters, ship operators and ships agents are reminded that commercial vessel access and mandatory pilotage requirements to Shipping and Pilotage Act 1967 (Act) Ports (S&P Ports) exist and should be complied with at all times.

The gazetted Ports of the Shipping and Pilotage Act 1967 (Act) and Shipping and Pilotage (Ports and Harbours) Regulations 1966 (Regs) that are of interest are contained within Schedule 1A of the Regs, and at the time of issuance of this Notice are as follows:

Port of Barrow Island; and
Port of Cape Preston;
Port of Carnarvon (including the export terminals of Useless Loop and Cape Cuvier);
Port of Onslow;
Port of Perth (including Jervoise Bay, Thomson Bay, Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour;
Swan River and Hillarys Boat Harbour);
Port Walcott;
All Masters, ship operators and ship agents are reminded that pursuant with s.5 of the Act, the Harbour Master has the power to control the entry, departure, berthing, mooring and moving of vessels within the port, and may exercise such powers relating to the control and the direction of vessels and persons within the port to maintain good order within the port.

Within the port boundaries (as marked on appropriate AUS charting products) of the above listed S&P Ports all commercial vessel access and marine operations, irrespective of vessel size, must be approved by the Western Australian Department of Transport (WA DoT) Harbour Master prior to a commercial vessel arrival at the port boundary and prior to any marine operations being conducted. Vessels that do not have prior approval to access the port should not proceed beyond the port boundary into the waters of the port. Vessels that do not have prior approval for their marine operations should not commence those operations.

Vessel Masters, vessel operators and vessel agents are reminded that pursuant with s.11 of the Act, any person who fails to comply with any order or Direction of a Harbour Master mad

Mariners are advised that drum lines will be temporarily deployed as required by the Government of Western Australia in Western Australian coastal waters as part of the non-lethal SMART (Shark Management Alert in Real Time) Drumline scientific trial.

The drum lines will be attached to a floating surface buoy(s), marked with the following words; 'Government of Western Australia - If found please report on 1800 040 334'.

Acting pursuant to Section 66 of the Western Australian Marine Act 1982 and Regulation 10A(b) of the Navigable Waters Regulations 1958, I hereby close the following area of water to all vessels, excepting bona fide vessels, and prohibit swimming:

Government of Western Australia drum lines:

All the waters within 100 metres of Government of Western Australia drum lines.

Response vessels:

All the waters within 100 metres of bona fide vessels taking part in Government of Western Australia shark scientific trial activities and operations.
No vessel is to approach, moor to or interfere with the above equipment at any time.

Mariners are advised to keep well clear of bona fide response vessels and drum lines at all times.

Christopher J Mather, Director, Waterways Safety Management, Marine Safety, Department of Transport.