The federal government is promising a ''root and branch'' review of fisheries management law after it stepped in to ban the controversial super-trawler Abel Tasman from Australian waters for two years.
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The ban - to be imposed by toughening existing laws - will cost 50 jobs and provoked criticism from the fishing industry.
Environment Minister Tony Burke acted in response to months of community concerns, and a looming backbench revolt, about the 18,000-tonne fish quota given by fisheries authorities to the operator of the 142-metre, Dutch-owned ship.
The new legislation would delay the super-trawler from fishing in Australian waters while a further assessment of its impact on the environment was undertaken by an expert panel.
Mr Burke said he proposed changing the law to give himself more power, after exploring all options under the existing legislation framework.
''If we get this wrong, there are risks to the environment, to commercial operators and to everyone who loves fishing and they are risks I am not prepared to take,'' he said.
''There has never been a fishing vessel of this capacity in Australia before and the [Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act] needs to be updated so that it can deal with it.''
He pointed out that he had a legal responsibility to protect dolphins, seals, sea lions and sea birds from the catch of such large vessels.
''The law didn't allow me to, so we're changing the law,'' he said.
The re-named vessel, which arrived as the Margiris, is the largest factory trawler to fish Australian waters and was brought to fish offshore between NSW and Western Australia.
The ban will keep the super trawler out of fishing grounds off Eden, a move welcomed by Labor MP for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly.
He has been lobbying for the change, based on his experience as a former parliamentary secretary for fisheries.
''My concern is that the species to be fished are technically abundant at the present time but what would be the impact of large scale fishing,'' he said.
''We have local fishermen at Two Fold Bay developing these species, jack mackerel and redbait, for human consumption,'' he said.
The super trawler which uses 600-metre nets, is currently docked at Port Lincoln in South Australia.
Fisheries Minister Joe Ludwig said the science relating to the acceptable catch for small pelagic fish, which stretch from Cairns to Western Australia, remained uncertain. He announced a review of the Fisheries Management Act to ensure the 20-year old laws were in tune with community expectations.
A parliamentary committee is scheduled to hear from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority today as it pursues an inquiry into the role of science for fisheries and aquaculture.
The operators of the super-trawler, Seafish Tasmania, said the ban would mean 45 of the 50 jobs to go would come from the struggling Tasmanian town of Devonport.
Greens leader Christine Milne said the ban should be heralded as a success for environmental campaigners, not for Labor.
Only a total ban on such vessels entering Australian waters would permanently stop the ''huge vacuum cleaners'' sucking Australian fisheries dry, she said.
The body representing Australian fishing businesses said marine science had been trashed by the federal government's ban. Commonwealth Fisheries Association chairman Martin Exel said Australia's reputation as a top fisheries manager had been forgotten in the government's rush to stop the trawler.
Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Neil MacKinnon said politicians were placing themselves above the scientific experts. ''[The Australian Fisheries Management Authority's] science is being sacrificed on the altar of populism,'' he said.
