Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – Commonwealth Coral Sea Fishery, December 2025

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – COMMONWEALTH CORAL SEA FISHERY, DECEMBER 2025

I, Lee Georgeson, A/g Director, Sustainable Fisheries and CITES Policy Section, as Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water, hereby vary under paragraph 303FT(7)(b) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) the declaration of an approved wildlife trade operation dated 7 January 2025 for the Commonwealth Coral Sea Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth) and the Fisheries Management Regulations 2019 (Cth), such that the conditions specified in Schedule 1 to that declaration are varied as follows:

In Condition 6, delete the words

“The Australian Fisheries Management Authority must review, update as necessary and publish harvest strategies for the following sectors:

1.       Sea cucumber sector – by 25 May 2025. This review must consider and demonstrate whether the current biomass limit reference point is appropriate for the target species and provide evidence that the limits are biologically appropriate, precautionary, and enforceable.
2.       Aquarium harvest sector – by 30 January 2026.”

and replace with the words

“The Australian Fisheries Management Authority must review, update as necessary and publish harvest strategies for the following sectors:

1.       Sea cucumber sector – by 25 May 2025. This review must consider and demonstrate whether the current biomass limit reference point is appropriate for the target species and provide evidence that the limits are biologically appropriate, precautionary, and enforceable.
2.       Aquarium harvest sector – by 31 May 2026.”

Dated this 5th day of December 2025

LEE GEORGESON

………….…….……………………….........

Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water

Notes:

1.         Under the Administrative Review Tribunal Act 2024, a person whose interests are affected by this decision may apply for a statement of reasons and for independent review of the decision. An application for a statement of reasons may be made in writing to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water within 28 days of the date of the declaration. An application for independent review may be made to the Administrative Review Tribunal on payment of the relevant fee within 28 days of the date of the declaration, or if reasons are sought, within 28 days of receipt of reasons. Further information may be obtained from the Director, Sustainable Fisheries Section, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Email: sustainablefisheries@dcceew.gov.au.
2.         Australia’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are met through Part 13A of the EPBC Act. Specimens of species listed in Appendix II of Australia’s CITES list under section 303CA of the EPBC Act may only be exported, under a CITES export permit issued under the EPBC Act, if Australia’s CITES Scientific Authority has issued a non-detriment finding for that species. Further information is available from https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/wildlife-trade/cites.