COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ABROLHOS ISLANDS AND MID WEST TRAWL MANAGED FISHERY, MAY 2025
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 Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 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 Western Australian Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Managed Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (WA) and Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995, but not including:
- specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 209 of the EPBC Act (Australia’s List of Migratory Species), or
- specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 248 of the EPBC Act (Australia’s List of Marine Species), or
- specimens that belong to eligible listed threatened species, as defined under section 303BC of the EPBC Act, or
- 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:
- is valid until 21 May 2028 and;
- is subject to the conditions applied under section 303FT specified in Schedule 1.
Dated this 21st day of May 2025
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 Western Australian Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Managed Fishery as an approved wildlife trade operation, May 2025
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 Western Australian Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Managed Fishery:
Condition 1
Operation of the Western Australian Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Managed Fishery must be carried out in accordance with the relevant management plans in force under the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (WA) and the Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995 (WA).
Condition 2
The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must inform the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water of any intended material changes to the Western Australian Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Managed Fishery management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 decisions are made.
Condition 3
The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must inform the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water of any intended changes to Western Australian fisheries legislation that may affect the legislative instruments relevant to this approval.
Condition 4
The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must produce and provide reports on the Western Australian Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Managed Fishery to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water by December annually, as per Appendix B of the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries – 2nd Edition.
Condition 5
The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must, by 31 October in the first year after 2026 when fishing occurred, undertake independent monitoring of the Western Australian Abrolhos Islands and Mid West Trawl Managed Fishery to provide updated information on bycatch and protected species interactions. This may involve the use of electronic monitoring, onboard observers, surveys or other means. The information collected and spatial/temporal coverage must be sufficient to reliably demonstrate the accuracy of bycatch information collected via other means, and endangered, threatened and protected species interaction data collected via logbooks.