Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – South Australian Lakes and Coorong Fishery, March 2026

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LAKES AND COORONG FISHERY, MARCH 2026

I, BELINDA JAGO, Branch Head, Ocean and Wildlife Branch, 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 Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, 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 South Australian Lakes and Coorong Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the Fisheries Management Act 2007 (SA), the Fisheries Management (Lakes and Coorong Fishery) Regulations 2017 (SA) and the Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2017 (SA) 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 (taxa listed in the CITES Appendices), except for bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus).

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.

Unless amended or revoked, this declaration:

1.               is valid until 3 March 2031 and;
2.              is subject to the conditions applied under section 303FT specified in Schedule 1.

Dated this 3rd day of March 2026

Belinda Jago

………….…….…………………………………

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. Under s303CA of the EPBC Act, specimens of species listed in Appendix II of CITES 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.

Schedule 1

Declaration of the harvest operations of the South Australian Lakes and Coorong Fishery as an approved wildlife trade operation, March 2026

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS (section 303FT)

Relating to the harvesting of fish specimens that are, or are derived from, fish or 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 South Australian Lakes and Coorong Fishery:

Condition 1

Export approval for the South Australian Lake and Coorong Fishery (the fishery) has been provided on the basis the fishery will be managed in accordance with the Fisheries Management Act 2007 (SA), the Fisheries Management (Lakes and Coorong Fishery) Regulations 2024 (SA), the Fisheries Management (General) Regulations 2017 (SA) and the Management Plan for the South Australian Lakes and Coorong Fishery 2022

During the term of the export approval, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia 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 31 August each year.
2.      In the interim, if there are any intended changes to legislative instruments, material changes to management arrangements, or deviations from the management plan due to exceptional circumstances, that may affect the basis on which the export accreditation was made for this fishery, the department must be notified.

Condition 2

By 30 September 2027 the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia must provide the department with an updated bycatch species composition and discard report for the finfish sector of the South Australian Lakes and Coorong Fishery. This report should provide updated information on bycatch composition and rates of capture of bycatch and discarded species including the condition of discards.