Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Operation – Victorian Oceanreef Aquaculture, March 2025

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – Victorian Oceanreef Aquaculture, March 2025

I, JESSICA HOEY, Director, Sustainable Fisheries Section, 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 Oceanreef Aquaculture, 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 weedy seadragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), taken in the Victorian Oceanreef Aquaculture as defined in the management regime in force under the Fisheries Act 1995 (Vic) and Fisheries Regulations 2019 (Vic), 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), except for weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) 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 24 March 2028 and;
2.              is subject to the conditions applied under section 303FT specified in Schedule 1.

Dated this 24 day of March 2025

………….…….…JESSICA HOEY…………………………

Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water

Notes:

1.         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 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 Oceanreef Aquaculture as an approved wildlife trade operation, March 2025

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS (section 303FT)

Relating to the harvesting of specimens that are, or are derived from, fish or invertebrates, other than specimens of species listed under 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 Oceanreef Aquaculture:

Condition 1

Operation of Oceanreef Aquaculture must be carried out in accordance with the permits issued by the Victorian Fisheries Authority, the Fisheries Act 1995 (Vic) and the Fisheries Regulations 2019 (Vic).

Condition 2

Oceanreef Aquaculture must inform the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water of any changes to the permits which guide operation of Oceanreef Aquaculture or any other management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 decisions are made.

Condition 3

Oceanreef Aquaculture 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

Oceanreef Aquaculture must produce and provide reports on their operation to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water by 20 November annually, as per Appendix B of the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries – 2nd Edition.

Condition 5

Wild caught and cultured syngnathids must not be returned to the wild.