Fuel tax credits for business

Fishing

Refer to Fuel tax credit rates and eligible fuels for the rates from 1 July 2012 for specified fishing activities. You need to use the rate that applied when you acquired the fuel.

These specified fishing activities are currently exempt from the carbon charge.

If your activity is not listed here, it may be eligible under another activity, such as Other off-road activities where the fuel is combusted.

If you are undertaking commercial fishing operations, you can claim for taxable fuel (for example, diesel, petrol or duty paid gaseous fuels) you use for any of the following activities, if these activities are not connected with sport, recreation or tourism:

taking, catching, capturing of fish4
processing fish on board vessels
fish farming
constructing ponds and tanks or other structures to contain fish to be farmed, as long as this is done by the fish farmer or a contractor or subcontractor to the farmer
pearling
operating a dedicated mother vessel in connection with eligible fishing operations
sailing a vessel to or from a port for the purpose of refitting or repairing the vessel or its equipment
undertaking trials connected with the repair or refit.

Example: Fishing

Boris is a commercial fisherman and he owns five petrol-driven vessels for off-shore fishing. From 1 July 2008, Boris can claim fuel tax credits at 38.143 cents per litre for the petrol he uses in his fishing business.

As Boris uses fuel for an activity exempt from the carbon charge, he is able to claim the full amount of fuel tax credit and he continues to use the rate of 38.143 cents per litre after 1 July 2012.

Boris also uses a petrol-driven forklift to load his fish onto trucks for delivery to the local fish markets. From 1 July 2012, Boris can claim fuel tax credits at 32.623 cents per litre for the petrol he uses in the forklift. This rate includes the carbon charge. The use of the forklift by Boris is not an exempt activity and the carbon charge applies to the fuel used in his forklift.

For more information about the eligibility of fishing activities:

refer to Fuel Tax Ruling FTR 2012/3 Fuel tax: fuel tax credits for taxable fuel acquired or manufactured in, or imported into, Australia for use in carrying on an enterprise involving 'fishing operations' as defined in section 43-70 of the Fuel Tax Act 2006

phone us on 13 28 66 between 8.00am and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Note:

4. For the purposes of fuel tax credits, fish means freshwater and saltwater fish, and includes crustaceans, molluscs and any other living resource sourced from the sea, seabed, fresh water or the bed below fresh water.

Sections within Eligible activities

Last Modified: Wednesday, 12 December 2012