Amendment of List of Exempt Native Specimens – Northern Territory Demersal Fishery and Northern Territory Timor Reef Fishery, December 2019

Administered by Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Legislation au F2019L01608 Not in force Legislative Instrument

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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Amendment of List of Exempt Native Specimens – Northern Territory Demersal Fishery and Northern Territory Timor Reef Fishery, December 2019

(Issued by the authority of the Minister for the Environment)

in accordance with Section 303DC

 

Section 303DB of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) provides for the establishment of a list of exempt native specimens. Specimens included in the list are exempt from the trade control provisions that apply to regulated native specimens.

 

The effect of this instrument is to delete specimens from the list of exempt native specimens taken in the two fisheries specified in Schedule 1. The instrument also includes specimens from the same two fisheries in the list of exempt native specimens, with notations that inclusion of the specimens in the list are subject to restrictions or conditions that the specimen, or the fish or invertebrate from which it is derived, was taken lawfully, and that the specimens are included in the list until the dates specified in Schedule 2.

 

The relevant fisheries are as follows:

  • Northern Territory Demersal Fishery
  • Northern Territory Timor Reef Fishery

 

All state and territory legislation referred to in Schedule 2 to the instrument is incorporated as in force at the time this instrument commences. All state and territory legislation incorporated by reference in the instrument can be freely accessed on the following state and territory legislation websites:

  • Northern Territory legislation at www.legislation.nt.gov.au (as of December 2019).

 

Commonwealth Acts and disallowable instruments (or instruments which were disallowable under Commonwealth legislation at any time before 1 January 2005) referred to in this instrument are incorporated as in force from time to time (section 14 of the Legislation Act 2003). However, references to Commonwealth instruments which are exempt from disallowance are incorporated as in force at the time this instrument commences (section 14 of the Legislation Act 2003).

 

All Commonwealth legislation can be freely accessed at the Federal Register of Legislation – https://www.legislation.gov.au/.

 

The effect of this instrument is to continue the export approval for the specimens taken in this fishery until the dates specified in Schedule 2.

 

A strategic assessment under the provisions of Part 10 of the EPBC Act is required only for fisheries managed under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cwth) or the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984 (Cwth). The Australian Government and Northern Territory governments have negotiated Offshore Constitutional Settlement (OCS) arrangements that mandate each jurisdiction’s responsibilities for managing the different fisheries resources in inshore and offshore areas. Under the OCS arrangements commercial fisheries managed by the Northern Territory may operate in Commonwealth waters, but operators are subject to federal laws in relation to interactions with protected species and ecological communities, and for impacts on the Commonwealth marine area.

 

The list of exempt native specimens established under section 303DB(1) of the EPBC Act must not include a specimen that belongs to an eligible listed threatened species unless the conditions in subsection 303DB(6) are satisfied. Under the EPBC Act, eligible listed threatened species are those species listed in the extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable categories established under section 178 of the EPBC Act (see sections 303BC and 528 of the EPBC Act. 

 

Those specimens that belong to species listed in the conservation dependent category of the EPBC Act are not eligible listed threatened species and may therefore be included in the list of exempt native specimens, subject to the conditions provided in the notation.

 

In accordance with section 303CA of the EPBC Act, specimens that are derived from taxa that are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are not included in the list of exempt native specimens.

 

In determining to include the specimens in the list of exempt native specimens regard was had to the Australian Government’s ‘Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries – 2nd Edition.' The Guidelines establish the criteria for assessing the ecological sustainability of the relevant fisheries’ management arrangements.

 

Subsection 303DC(3) of the EPBC Act provides that before amending the list, the Minister for the Environment must consult such other Commonwealth minister or ministers and such other minister or ministers of each state and self-governing territory, as the minister considers appropriate. The minister may also consult with such other persons and organisations as the minister considers appropriate. The Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Resources has been consulted and supports amending the list of exempt native specimens to include product derived from the Northern Territory Demersal Fishery and the Northern Territory Timor Reef Fishery.

 

This instrument is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2003.

 

The instrument commences the day after it is registered.

 


 

STATEMENT OF COMPATIBILITY WITH HUMAN RIGHTS

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011

 

Amendment of List of Exempt Native Specimens – Northern Territory Demersal Fishery and Northern Territory Timor Reef Fishery, December 2019

 

This Legislative Instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

 

Overview of the Legislative Instrument

The effect of this instrument is to delete specimens from the list of exempt native specimens taken in two fisheries specified in Schedule 1. The instrument also includes specimens from the same two fisheries in the list of exempt native specimens, with notations that inclusion of the specimens in the list are subject to restrictions or conditions that the specimen, or the fish or invertebrate from which it is derived, was taken lawfully, and that the specimens are included in the list until the dates specified in Schedule 2.

 

The only effect of this instrument is to extend the export approval until the dates specified in Schedule 2.

 

Human rights implications

This Legislative Instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms.

 

Conclusion

This Legislative Instrument is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues.

 

Louise Vickery, Assistant Secretary, Environmental Approvals and Wildlife Trade Branch (Delegate of the Minister for the Environment)

Overview

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) establishes a framework for the protection of the environment, including the regulation of trade in native specimens. As part of this framework, the Act provides for the establishment of a list of exempt native specimens, which are exempt from the trade control provisions that apply to regulated native specimens. In December 2019, amendments were made to this list through the Legislative Instrument F2019L01608, which was issued by the Minister for the Environment in accordance with section 303DC of the EPBC Act. This amendment aimed to refine the list of exempt native specimens by deleting certain specimens from two specific fisheries and adding others, subject to certain conditions and restrictions. The policy objective behind these amendments is to ensure that the management of fisheries resources adheres to the guidelines for ecologically sustainable management and complies with both state and federal regulations. The instrument also ensures that the export approval for the specimens taken in these fisheries is continued until specified dates. This legislative instrument is compatible with human rights, as it does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms.

Scope and Application

The Amendment of List of Exempt Native Specimens – Northern Territory Demersal Fishery and Northern Territory Timor Reef Fishery, December 2019, is a legislative instrument issued under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). This instrument modifies the list of exempt native specimens by removing certain specimens from the list for the Northern Territory Demersal Fishery and Northern Territory Timor Reef Fishery. It also adds specimens from these fisheries to the list, subject to conditions that the specimens were taken lawfully and are included in the list until specific dates outlined in Schedule 2. The instrument extends the export approval for these specimens until the dates specified. The changes apply to the Northern Territory Demersal Fishery and the Northern Territory Timor Reef Fishery, with the instrument operating in accordance with both Commonwealth and Northern Territory laws. This amendment does not include specimens that are part of eligible listed threatened species unless certain conditions are met. Furthermore, specimens derived from taxa listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are excluded from the list of exempt native specimens. The instrument is a legislative instrument under the Legislation Act 2003 and comes into effect the day after registration.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the legislative instrument concern amendments to the list of exempt native specimens under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Specifically, section 303DC(1) and 303DB(1) of the EPBC Act provide for the establishment of a list of exempt native specimens, which are exempt from the trade control provisions that apply to regulated native specimens. This instrument modifies the list by deleting certain specimens taken from the Northern Territory Demersal Fishery and the Northern Territory Timor Reef Fishery from the list of exempt native specimens (Schedule 1). Simultaneously, it adds these specimens back into the list, subject to conditions that the specimens were taken lawfully and that they remain in the list until specified dates (Schedule 2). The obligations and requirements imposed by the Act on the parties and entities it governs include ensuring that any specimens taken from these fisheries comply with the specified conditions and restrictions. These conditions include the lawful taking of the specimens and adherence to the dates specified for export approval. The Act also mandates that specimens belonging to eligible listed threatened species, as defined in sections 303BC and 528 of the EPBC Act, must not be included in the list unless certain conditions are met. Additionally, specimens derived from taxa listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are excluded from the list of exempt native specimens under section 303CA of the EPBC Act. The legislative instrument outlines specific consequences for breaches of the provisions it establishes. While the text does not detail specific penalties, breaches of the EPBC Act generally can result in both civil and criminal penalties. Civil penalties can include fines up to $666,000 for corporations and $66,600 for individuals, depending on the severity of the breach. Criminal penalties may include fines of up to $6.6 million for corporations and $1.32 million for individuals, along with potential imprisonment terms. These penalties underscore the importance of adhering to the conditions and restrictions outlined in the Act. In summary, the instrument amends the list of exempt native specimens under the EPBC Act by removing and re-adding certain specimens from specified fisheries, subject to conditions of lawful taking and specified dates for export approval. The obligations revolve around compliance with these conditions, and any breaches may result in significant civil and criminal penalties.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.