Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – Queensland Commercial Crayfish and Rock Lobster Fishery, August 2025

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – QUEENSLAND COMMERCIAL CRAYFISH AND ROCK LOBSTER Fishery, AUGUST 2025

I, JESSICA HOEY, Director, Sustainable Fisheries, as Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water, have considered in accordance with section 303FN of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), the application from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, public comments on the proposal as required under section 303FR, and advice on the ecological sustainability of the operation. I am satisfied on those matters specified in section 303FN of the EPBC Act. I hereby declare the operations for the harvesting of specimens that are or are derived from fish or invertebrates, taken in the Queensland Commercial Crayfish and Rock Lobster Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the Fisheries Act 1994 (Qld), the Fisheries (General) Regulation 2019 (Qld), Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019 (Qld), Fisheries Declaration 2019 (Qld), and Fisheries Quota Declaration 2019 (Qld), but not including:

1.    specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 209 of the EPBC Act (Australia’s List of Migratory Species), or
2.    specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 248 of the EPBC Act (Australia’s List of Marine Species), or
3.    specimens that belong to eligible listed threatened species, as defined under section 303BC of the EPBC Act, or
4.    specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 303CA of the EPBC Act (Australia’s CITES List).

to be an approved wildlife trade operation, in accordance with subsection 303FN(2) and paragraph 303FN(10)(d), for the purposes of the EPBC Act.

This declaration commences on 28 August 2025. Unless amended or revoked, this declaration:

1.              is valid until 28 August 2028 and;
2.              is subject to the conditions applied under section 303FT specified in Schedule 1.

Dated this 25 day of August 2025

JESSICA HOEY

………….…….…………………………………

Delegate of the Minister for Environment and Water

Note:

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.

Schedule 1

Declaration of the harvest operations of the Queensland Commercial Crayfish and Rock Lobster Fishery as an approved wildlife trade operation, August 2025

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS (section 303FT)

Relating to the harvesting of specimens that are, or are derived from invertebrates, other than specimens of species listed under Part 13 and Part 13A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), unless those specimens are subject to any exceptions as outlined in this declaration, taken in the Queensland Commercial Crayfish and Rock Lobster Fishery:

Condition 1

Export approval for the Queensland Commercial Crayfish and Rock Lobster Fishery (the fishery) has been provided on the basis the fishery will be managed in accordance with the

• Fisheries Act 1994 (Qld)
• Marine Parks Act 2004 (Qld)
• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 (Cth)
• Fisheries (General) Regulation 2019 (Qld)
• Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019 (Qld)
• Fisheries Declaration 2019 (Qld), and
• Fisheries Quota Declaration 2019 (Qld), and
• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 2019 (Cth).

During the term of the export approval, the Queensland Department of Primary Industries must:

1.        Consistent with Appendix B of the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries, provide the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (the department), with an annual report by 30 September each year.

Annual reports should include species-specific harvest data (including discards) for any species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

1.       In the interim, if there are any intended changes to legislative instruments, or material changes to management arrangements, that may affect the basis on which the export accreditation was made for this fishery, the department must be notified.

Condition 2

To ensure the ornate rock lobster (Panulirus ornatus) stock is managed sustainably and responsively, Qld DPI must provide a contemporary estimate of the stock by 1 February 2028 to inform sustainable commercial harvest levels. This must include consideration of the ongoing data collection, assessment and monitoring needs for the fishery and the publication of a stock assessment for the Queensland component of the stock.