Aquaculture Act 2024 (No. 20 of 2024).

This Act defines aquaculture as "the cultivation, propagation or farming of aquatic organism, whether from eggs, spawn, spat or seed, including rearing aquatic organism lawfully taken from the wild or lawfully imported to Fiji and the culture of coral whether living or non-living, or by other similar process, for the purposes of trade, business or research". The objectives of this Act are to develop and manage aquaculture and to ensure long-term benefits to the people of Fiji. It applies to all aquaculture and related activities covered by this Act and to any person, carrying on aquaculture or related activities in Fiji. This Act gives priority to: effective regulation of aquaculture; adopting measures based on the best scientific evidence available; applying the precautionary approach; impact assessment of aquaculture, other human activities and environmental factors on fisheries resources; waste prevention and pollution control arising from aquaculture premises and their impact on fisheries resources, particularly endangered species; development and use of selective, environmentally safe and cost-effective gear and techniques; biodiversity conservation in the aquatic environment, particularly habitats of significance for fisheries resources; complete and accurate data collection concerning aquaculture activities; and broad participation of the people of Fiji in aquaculture.
This Act lays down rules as regards the establishment, functions, members, secretary, meetings and proceedings of the Aquaculture Advisory Council, Licensing Committee and the Scientific Committee; designation of aquaculture area or prohibited area; aquaculture development and management plans; aquaculture licensing and authorization; prohibition relating to restricted aquaculture product and to genetically modified aquatic organism; restrictions on import of live aquatic organism for aquaculture; monitoring and enforcement; Aquaculture Fixed Penalty Notice and proceedings; offences and penalties; and miscellaneous provisions.