The longest section of the Basslink Interconnector is the subsea cable that is 290km long and runs from Four Mile Bluff near George Town in northern Tasmania to McGaurans Beach in Gippsland, Victoria. The cable is steel wire armored, very heavy and is expected to remain deeply buried, but the marine environment is dynamic and Basslink has a precautionary approach to deal with the unexpected.

Basslink works with fishers and other marine professionals as well as State and Commonwealth agencies; and a key result has been the Basslink Code of Conduct for Fishing and Anchoring Safely, which is now in effect. Basslink is committed to ensuring safe fishing along the interconnector.

You can download a copy of the Code of Conduct for Fisheries and Safe Anchoring document.

Other initiatives have been encouragement of the use of high hold cable friendly anchors, supply of the Basslink map in hard copy and the writing and installation of software that can be used on many versions of GPS plotters.

Basslink also facilitates the safe transit of offshore oil and gas structures used in the Gippsland Basin and further afield across the cable route. For further advice please contact us via our contacts page.

Snagged?

Anchoring in the vicinity of the cable should be avoided. In the unlikely event that storm surges have uncovered the cable and you become snagged, do not apply extreme winch power, just abandon the gear, record its location and contact the Basslink:

Marine Emergency Hotline 1800 008 767

You can download a copy of the Discarded Gear Claim Form here.

There are strong laws that apply to you. If you are negligent and cause damage you may be prosecuted and face heavy penalties, but if you take all reasonable measures and you sacrifice your anchor or fishing gear to avoid damaging the cable, you are legally eligible to be compensated for your loss.

Know your location. Catch fish not cables.

Further information is available on the Basslink-Fishing Industry Code of Practice, cable friendly anchors, hardcopy maps and software.

If you need to contact us, do it via our Contacts Us page.