Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – Victorian Corner Inlet Fishery, September 2023

Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – Victorian Corner Inlet Fishery, September 2023

made under section 303FN of the

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Compilation No. 1

Compilation date: 5 August 2025

Includes amendments: F2025N00634

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – Victorian Corner Inlet Fishery, September 2023 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 5 August 2025 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Register (www.legislation.gov.au).

Application, saving and transitional provisions

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Editorial changes

For more information about any editorial changes made in this compilation, see the endnotes.

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Modifications

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Self‑repealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – VICTORIAN CORNER INLET FISHERY, SEPTEMBER 2023

I, BELINDA JAGO, Branch Head, Oceans 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 Victorian Fisheries Authority, 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 Victorian Corner Inlet Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the:

 Fisheries Act 1995 (Vic)

 Fisheries Regulations 2019 (Vic),

but not including:

(a) specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 209 of the EPBC Act (Australia’s List of Migratory Species), or

(b) specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 248 of the EPBC Act (Australia’s List of Marine Species), or

(c) specimens that belong to eligible listed threatened species, as defined under section 303BC of the EPBC Act, or

(d) 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:

a) is valid until 6 September 2026 and

b) is subject to the conditions applied under section 303FT specified in Schedule 1.

Notes: Under the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975, 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 Appeals 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 Corner Inlet Fishery as an approved wildlife trade operation, September 2023

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), taken in the Victorian Corner Inlet Fishery:

Condition 1:

Operation of the Victorian Corner Inlet Fishery must be carried out in accordance with the Corner Inlet Fishery Management Plan in force under the Victorian Fisheries Act 1995 (Vic) and Fisheries Regulations 2019 (Vic).

Condition 2:

The Victorian Fisheries Authority must inform the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water of any intended material changes to the Corner Inlet Fishery management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 decisions are made.

Condition 3:

The Victorian Fisheries Authority must inform the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water of any intended changes to fisheries legislation that may affect the legislative instruments relevant to this approval.

Condition 4:

The Victorian Fisheries Authority must produce and present reports on the Corner Inlet Fishery to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water by 19 December annually as per Appendix B of the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries - 2nd Edition. The first report is due 19 December 2024.

Condition 5:

The Victorian Fisheries Authority must review bycatch and discard reporting measures to ensure the information collected sufficiently and reliably demonstrates the accuracy of all catch (including bycatch and discards) and protected species interaction data. This review must incorporate some independent data validation against logbook data to confirm reliability and compliance with reporting requirements, particularly for protected species interactions.

The Victorian Fisheries Authority must work with industry on investigating appropriate and cost-effective methods of reporting bycatch and discards.

By 30 January 2026, the Victorian Fisheries Authority must provide advice to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on the review findings and any measures applied.

Condition 6:

The Victorian Fisheries Management Authority must:

a) by 19 December 2024 publish a review of the Ecological Risk Assessment for the Corner Inlet Fishery, which describes fishery risks and species-specific risks. This should follow the protocols described in the National ESD Reporting Framework for Fisheries (2002) and consider risks to target, bycatch and protected species as well as the ecosystem more broadly.

b) By 31 July 2025 develop and publish an implementation plan outlining actions to progress key priorities identified in the Ecological Risk Assessment.

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Abbreviation key—Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.

If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under section 15V of the Legislation Act 2003.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and “(md not incorp)” is added to the amendment history.

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history