You will need a pearling licence or permit, including a farm lease, if you intend to undertake pearling. Pearling refers to various activities relating to commercial or scientific pearl oyster harvesting.
Pearling activities include:
- taking
- removing
- dumping
- holding
- storing
- transporting pearl oysters
- practising pearl culture techniques.
Pearl oyster fisheries have been declared as limited entry fisheries. This means no new licences are being issued and minimum quotas can only be purchased from existing pearl farmers. There are 14 licences in circulation.
