Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery, June 2025

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – QUEENSLAND EAST COAST OTTER TRAWL FISHERY, JUNE 2025

I, ADAM CLARk, Acting 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 13 December 2024 for the Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the:

• Fisheries Act 1994 (Qld)
• Marine Parks Act 2004 (Qld)
• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 (Cth)
• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)
• Fisheries (General) Regulation 2019 (Qld)
• Fisheries (Commercial Fisheries) Regulation 2019 (Qld)
• Fisheries Declaration 2019 (Qld)
• Fisheries Quota Declaration 2019 (Qld)
• Fisheries (Saucer Scallops) Amendment Declaration 2021 (Qld)
• Marine Parks Regulations 2019 (Qld)
• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 2019 (Cth)
• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 (Cth)
• Coral Sea Marine Park Management Plan 2018 (Cth)

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

In Condition 7, delete the words

“The Queensland Department of Primary Industries must:

1.        By 30 June 2025, provide an implementation plan to the Department for the establishment of an ongoing independent monitoring and validation program across the East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery. The plan must demonstrate how the ongoing program will:

1.             provide independent data that is reliable and representative across all regions of the fishery; and
2.             independently monitor and validate data collected via protected species logbooks, with a particular focus on protected species interactions demonstrated within this Wildlife Trade Operation approval period.

1.        By 15 December 2025 commence implementation of the independent monitoring and validation program, this may involve the use of electronic monitoring, independent onboard observers, or other means.
2.        As part of annual reporting under Wildlife Trade Operation Condition 4, provide a summary of the level of independent monitoring coverage across the fishery, protected species interactions and the validation of protected species logbooks with independent data.”

and replace with the words

“The Queensland Department of Primary Industries must:

1.       By 15 January 2026, provide an implementation plan to the Department for the establishment of an ongoing independent monitoring and validation program across the East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery. The plan must demonstrate how the ongoing program will:
   1.             provide independent data that is reliable and representative across all regions of the fishery; and
   2.             independently monitor and validate data collected via protected species logbooks, with a particular focus on protected species interactions demonstrated within this Wildlife Trade Operation approval period.
2.       By 15 June 2026 commence implementation of the independent monitoring and validation program, this may involve the use of electronic monitoring, independent onboard observers, or other means.
3.       As part of annual reporting under Wildlife Trade Operation Condition 4, provide a summary of the level of independent monitoring coverage across the fishery, protected species interactions and the validation of protected species logbooks with independent data.”

Dated this 6th day of June 2025

ADAM CLARK

Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water

Notes:

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.