Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – New South Wales Ocean Trap and Line Fishery, November 2025

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – NEW SOUTH WALES OCEAN TRAP AND LINE FISHERY, NOVEMBER 2025

I, Belinda Jago, Branch Head, Ocean and Wildlife, 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 30 September 2024 for the New south Wales Ocean Trap and Line Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the

• Fisheries Management Act 1994 (NSW)
• Fisheries Management (General) Regulation 2019 (NSW)
• Fisheries Management (Supporting Plan) Regulation 2006 (NSW)
• Fisheries Management (Ocean Trap and Line Share Management Plan) Regulation 2006 (NSW),

such that the condition specified in Schedule 1 to that declaration is varied as follows:

In Condition 5, delete the words

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must:

1.       By 30 January 2026, finalise and publish harvest strategies for mulloway, yellow tail kingfish, and snapper stocks.
2.       By 30 June 2027, publish for public comment a draft harvest strategy for silver trevally stocks (either on a single species basis, or as part of a broader multi-species/multi-sector harvest strategy).

and replace with the words

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must:

1.       By 31 July 2026, finalise and publish a harvest strategy for mulloway stocks.
2.       By 1 December 2026, finalise and public harvest strategies for yellow tail kingfish and snapper stocks.
3.       By 30 June 2027, publish for public comment a draft harvest strategy for silver trevally stocks (either on a single species basis, or as part of a broader multi-species/multi-sector harvest strategy).

In Condition 6, delete the words

By 1 December 2025, the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must develop and publish a formal rebuilding strategy for grey morwong stocks.

and replace with the words

By 30 June 2026, the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must develop and publish a formal rebuilding strategy for grey morwong stocks.

Dated this 31st day of October 2025

SIGNED

……….…….……………………….........

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.