Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – Tasmanian Freshwater Eel Fishery, July 2026

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – TASMANIAN FRESHWATER EEL FISHERY, JULY 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 Tasmanian Inland Fisheries Service, 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 Tasmanian Freshwater Eel Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the Inland Fisheries Act 1995 (Tas) and Inland Fisheries Regulations 2019 (Tas), 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

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 17 July 2031 and;
2.              is subject to the conditions applied under section 303FT specified in Schedule 1.

Dated this 17th day of July 2026

BELINDA JAGO

………….…….…………………………………

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.

Schedule 1

Declaration of the harvest operations of the Tasmanian Freshwater Eel Fishery as an approved wildlife trade operation, July 2026

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS (section 303FT)

Relating to the harvesting of specimens that are, or are derived from, fish, 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 Tasmanian Freshwater Eel Fishery:

Condition 1

Export approval for the Tasmanian Freshwater Eel Fishery has been provided on the basis the fishery will be managed in accordance with the Inland Fisheries Act 1995 (Tas) and the Inland Fisheries Regulation 2019 (Tas).

During the term of the export approval, the Inland Fisheries Service 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 March each year.
2.              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 approval was made for this fishery, the department must be notified.

Condition 2

To ensure the Tasmanian Freshwater Eel Fishery has clear reference points and adaptive management actions that can respond to changes in the stock, the Inland Fisheries Service must:

1.                Develop and implement fishery specific management objectives that incorporate performance indicators, triggers, and appropriate management responses by 31 July 2028. This should include measures associated with the collection of elvers and the harvest of mature eels.
2.               Implement ongoing measures to monitor the status of the fishery in relation to the developed performance indicators.

Condition 3

To ensure there is a contemporary understanding of the risk posed to the environment by the Tasmanian Freshwater Eel Fishery, the Tasmanian Inland Fisheries Service must:

1.                Conduct an ecological risk assessment for the Tasmanian Freshwater Eel Fishery by 31 July 2028. The assessment must consider the risks posed to all target, non-target species (including TEPS), habitats, and the broader ecosystem.
2.               During the term of this approval, investigate management actions to address any risks and impacts for species that are identified as high risk in the ecological risk assessment.