PLANS to use a supertrawler as a freezer ship collecting fish from surrounding smaller vessels will be rejected by Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke.
Mr Burke said he would bring in a new declaration under environmental law that would prevent the Abel Tasman operating as a mother ship for six weeks and as muchas two years.
In November he knocked back operator Seafish Tasmania's trawling plan which would have based the ship in Tasmania for up to two years.
Last month, Seafish revealed a proposal to work with a flotilla of smaller fishing vessels.
"While from the company's perspective what they have put forward as a compromise on their fishing method, the environmental consequences are similar to those which concerned me with their first proposal," Mr Burke said.
He said the company had the right to respond during the six weeks.
"At the end of that period, I reserve the right to bring in a final declaration which would prevent the vessel from operating in this way for up to two years while scientific work is carried out on the environmental impact of this new method of fishing."
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority had approved the project.
Mr Burke's move is likely to be met with extreme disappointment from Seafish Tasmania.
The plan would have involved purse seine and midwater trawl boats transferring fish to the Abel Tasman to be processed, frozen and stored.
Mackerel and redbait were targeted.
Seafish director Gerry Geen has argued that one big trawler is no different to many small ones.
Years of work had gone into negotiating operating rules for the trawler in a small pelagic fishery.
Seafish and its Dutch partners had lost millions of dollars bringing the trawler to Australia.
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