Labor seeks super trawler ban laws

Labor wants to extend federal government powers to ensure a ban on a super fishing trawler can be made permanent.

The Labor caucus on Tuesday approved a private senator's bill, to be introduced by former minister Joe Ludwig, which could enforce the permanent ban.

Seafish Tasmania brought the factory freezer trawler Abel Tasman to Australia in 2012 to fish a 16,000-tonne quota of mackerel and redbait.

Former federal environment minister Tony Burke put in place a temporary ban while its environmental impacts were assessed and state fisheries laws were overhauled.

But Labor now wants the powers made permanently available.

The decision comes as the Abbott government this week decided to fight in court to uphold the ban.

The Federal Court last month ruled against Seafish Tasmania, which was trying to overturn the two-year ban.

Seafish Tasmania has lodged an application to appeal the decision, but Environment Minister Greg Hunt says the government will oppose it.

The court has yet to allocate a date for the hearing.