Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – Victorian Abalone Fishery, April 2026

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – VICTORIAN ABALONE FISHERY, APRIL 2026

I, BELINDA JAGO, Branch Head, Ocean and Wildlife, 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 Victorian Fisheries Authority 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 invertebrates taken in the Victorian Abalone Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the Fisheries Act 1995 (Vic), the Fisheries Regulations 2019 (Vic) and the Victorian Wild Harvest Abalone Fishery Management Plan 2015, 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.

Unless amended or revoked, this declaration:

1.               is valid until 20 April 2031 and;
2.              is subject to the conditions applied under section 303FT specified in Schedule 1.

Dated this 16th day of April 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 Victorian Abalone Fishery as an approved wildlife trade operation, April 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 Victorian Abalone Fishery:

Condition 1 

Export approval for the Victorian Abalone Fishery (the fishery) has been provided on the basis the fishery will be managed in accordance with the Fisheries Act 1995 (Vic), the Fisheries Regulations 2019 (Vic) and the Victorian Wild Harvest Abalone Fishery Management Plan 2015.  

During the term of the export approval, the Victorian Fishery Authority 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.  
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 accreditation was made for this fishery, the department must be notified.  

Condition 2 

To ensure the management plan and the harvest strategies for the three management zones (Western Zone, Central Zone and Eastern Zone) are reflective of the current dynamics of the fishery and include contemporary data inputs, the Victorian Fishery Authority must: 

1.        review the Draft Harvest Strategy Victorian Eastern and Central Zone Blacklip Abalone Fishery and the Harvest Strategy Victorian Western Zone Blacklip Abalone Fishery 2016-2020 and publish the harvest strategies by 31 March 2028. The harvest strategies should clearly outline biologically relevant reference points, performance measures and triggers for management action.
2.       review the Victorian Wild Harvest Abalone Fishery Management Plan and publish the revised management plan by 30 March 2029.