COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION
(SMALL-SCALE) FOR ELASMO-MORPH, MARCH 2026
I, JESSICA HOEY, Director, Sustainable Fisheries and CITES Policy section, as Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, am satisfied that the operation conducted by Elasmo-Morph to export preserved, articulated and restored taxidermy specimens of sharks, rays and other fishes, is a small-scale operation, as defined by regulation 9A.20(2) under subsection 303FN(10)(b).
I declare under subsection 303FN(2) that Elasmo-Morph is an approved small-scale wildlife trade operation.
This declaration has effect subject to the following conditions applied under S303FT:
- The operation is undertaken in accordance with the Application for approval of a Wildlife Trade Operation for the export of preserved, articulated and restored taxidermy specimens of sharks, rays and other fishes submitted by Mr Simone De Marchi on 30 June 2025, unless otherwise specified by conditions of approval.
- Mr Simone De Marchi is required to maintain all other relevant State, Territory and Commonwealth approvals or permits required to legally obtain, keep, move and trade approved specimens of sharks, rays and fishes.
- This declaration includes specimens of all species of sharks, rays and fishes lawfully taken in and native to Australia, and for which a positive non-detriment finding issued by Australia’s Scientific Authority for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is in place for species listed under Appendix II of CITES. This declaration excludes specimens of species included under sections 178, 209 and 248 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (other than those listed as Conservation Dependent), specimens of species listed on CITES Appendix I, specimens of species taken recreationally, and specimens obtained from shark bather protection programs. Specific exemptions (e.g. non-commercial exports for eligible purposes) under section 303FA of the EPBC Act may apply to excluded species.
- An annual report detailing the specimens that have been exported and the source of the specimens must be provided to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water by 31 August each year.
Unless amended or revoked, this approval is valid until 17 March 2031.
Dated this 17 day of March 2026
JESSICA HOEY
………………………………………………………
Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water
A person whose interests are affected by this declaration may, within 28 days, make an application in writing to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for the reasons for the decision.
An application for independent review of the decision (under section 303GJ(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) may be made to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), on payment of the relevant fee (currently $1148 or reduced fee where applicable due to financial hardship) by the applicant, either within 28 days of receipt of the reasons for the decision, or within 28 days of this declaration if reasons for the decision are not sought. Applications should be made to the Deputy Registrar, ART in your Capital City. Please visit the ART’s website at http://www.art.gov.au/ for further information.
You may make an application under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) to access documents relevant to this decision. For further information, please visit http://www.environment.gov.au/foi/index.html.
Further enquiries should be directed to the Director, Sustainable Fisheries and CITES Policy Section, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water; Email: sustainablefisheries@dcceew.gov.au.