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Declaration of an approved Wildlife Trade Operation - Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery and take of marine aquarium species for aquaculture broodstock purposes

Declaration of an approved Wildlife Trade Operation - Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery and take of marine aquarium species for aquaculture broodstock purposes

Administered by Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Legislation au F2016N00024 Not in force Notifiable Instrument

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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION

I, PAUL MURPHY, Assistant Secretary, Wildlife Trade and Biosecurity Branch, as Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Energy, having satisfied myself on the matters set out in section 303FN of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), declare the operation that is specified in column 1 of Table 1, to be an approved wildlife trade operation under subsection 303FN (2) of the EPBC Act, but only to the extent the operation relates to the class of specimens specified in column 2 of Table 1.

Table 1

Operation

Class of Specimens

Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery and take of marine aquarium species for aquaculture broodstock purposes, as defined in the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Act 1994 and the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995, or under the authority of an Exemption granted in accordance with Section 7 of the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Act 1994.

Specimens that are, or are derived from, fish or invertebrates, other than:

a) specimens that belong to species listed under Part 13 of the EPBC Act, except for specimens collected in state waters, and

b) specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 303CA of the EPBC Act (Part 13A), except for specimens that belong to taxa listed in Schedule 2.

This declaration:

a) is valid until 18 October 2019; and

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

Dated this 20th day of October 2016

………….…….………P. Murphy………………………

Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Energy

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 reason may be made in writing to Department of the Environment and Energy 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.

SCHEDULE 1

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 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), except for specimens collected in state waters, taken in the Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery subject to the following conditions:

Operation of the fishery will be carried out in accordance with the management regime under the WA Fish Resources Management Act 1994 and the WA Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995.
WA Department of Fisheries to inform the Department of any intended material changes to the fishery’s management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 decisions are made.
The WA Department of Fisheries to produce and present reports to the Department annually as per Appendix B of the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries - 2nd Edition.
The WA Department of Fisheries to:

a) limit harvest of CITES listed species according to current non-detriment findings for each species or species group, and

b) consult with the Department prior to a change to the management arrangements for a CITES or EPBC Act listed species being implemented

5. In consultation with the Department, the WA Department of Fisheries to:

a) complete the ecological risk assessment (ERA) report

b) finalise and adopt the harvest strategy for the fishery, and

c) consider further research on CITES species to better define species' distribution and abundance in areas of high fishing effort.

SCHEDULE 2

Coral
Acanthastrea bowerbanki	Acanthastrea echinata	Acanthastrea hemprichii	Acanthastrea hillae	Acanthastrea lordhowensis
Acropora abrolhosensis	Acropora abrotanoides	Acropora aculeus	Acropora acuminata	Acropora anthocercis
Acropora aspera	Acropora austera	Acropora brueggemanni	Acropora bushyensis	Acropora cardenae
Acropora caroliniana	Acropora cerealis	Acropora clathrata	Acropora cytherea	Acropora danai
Acropora dendrum	Acropora digitifera	Acropora divaricata	Acropora donei	Acropora elseyi
Acropora exquisita	Acropora florida	Acropora formosa	Acropora gemmifera	Acropora glauca
Acropora grandis	Acropora granulosa	Acropora horrida	Acropora humilis	Acropora hyacinthus
Acropora indiana	Acropora insignis	Acropora intermedia	Acropora kimbeensis	Acropora latistella
Acropora listeri	Acropora loisetteae	Acropora longicyathus	Acropora lovelli	Acropora lutkeni
Acropora microclados	Acropora microphthalma	Acropora millepora	Acropora monticulosa	Acropora nana
Acropora nasuta	Acropora nobilis	Acropora ocellata	Acropora palifera	Acropora palmerae
Acropora papillare	Acropora polystoma	Acropora pulchra	Acropora robusta	Acropora rosaria
Acropora russelli	Acropora samoensis	Acropora sarmentosa	Acropora selago	Acropora seriata
Acropora solitaryensis	Acropora spathulata	Acropora spicifera	Acropora stoddarti	Acropora striata
Acropora subglabra	Acropora subulata	Acropora tenuis	Acropora tortuosa	Acropora turaki
Acropora valenciennesi	Acropora valida	Acropora vaughani	Acropora verweyi	Acropora willisae
Acropora yongei	Alveopora allingi	Alveopora catalai	Alveopora daedalea	Alveopora fenestrata
Alveopora gigas	Alveopora spongiosa	Alveopora tizardi	Alveopora verrilliana	Astreopora expansa
Astreopora gracilis	Astreopora myriophthalma	Astreopora ocellata	Australomussa rowleyensis	Balanophyllia bairdiana
Balanophyllia buccina	Balanophyllia carinata	Balanophyllia cornu	Balanophyllia elliptica	Balanophyllia generatrix
Balanophyllia gigas	Balanophyllia imperialis	Barabattoia amicorum	Blastomussa merleti	Blastomussa wellsi
Catalaphyllia jardinei	Caulastraea curvata	Caulastraea tumida	Coscinaraea columna	Coscinaraea exesa
Coscinaraea marshae	Coscinaraea mcneilli	Cycloseris cyclolites	Cycloseris patelliformis	Cycloseris sinensis
Cycloseris vaughani	Cynarina lacrymalis	Cyphastrea chalcidicum	Cyphastrea microphthalma	Cyphastrea serailia
Dendrophyllia alcocki	Dendrophyllia arbuscula	Dendrophyllia boschmai	Desmophyllum dianthus	Diploastrea heliopora
Duncanopsammia axifuga	Echinophyllia aspera	Echinophyllia echinata	Echinophyllia orpheensis	Echinopora ashmorensis
Echinopora gemmacea	Echinopora hirsutissima	Echinopora horrida	Echinopora lamellosa	Echinopora pacificus
Euphyllia ancora	Euphyllia cristata	Euphyllia divisa	Euphyllia glabrescens	Euphyllia paraancora
Favia favus	Favia helianthoides	Favia laxa	Favia lizardensis	Favia matthaii
Favia maxima	Favia pallida	Favia rotumana	Favia rotundata	Favia speciosa
Favia stelligera	Favia truncatus	Favia veroni	Favites abdita	Favites chinensis
Favites complanata	Favites flexuosa	Favites halicora	Favites paraflexuosa	Favites pentagona
Favites russelli	Favites stylifera	Fungia concinna	Fungia costulata	Fungia curvata
Fungia cyclolites	Fungia distorta	Fungia fragilis	Fungia fungites	Fungia granulosa
Fungia horrida	Fungia klunzingeri	Fungia patelliformis	Fungia paumotensis	Fungia repanda
Fungia scruposa	Fungia scutaria	Fungia sinensis	Fungia tenuis	Galaxea astreata
Galaxea fascicularis	Goniastrea aspera	Goniastrea australensis	Goniastrea edwardsi	Goniastrea favulus
Goniastrea palauensis	Goniastrea pectinata	Goniastrea retiformis	Goniopora columna	Goniopora djiboutiensis
Goniopora eclipsensis	Goniopora lobata	Goniopora minor	Goniopora norfolkensis	Goniopora pandoraensis
Goniopora pendulus	Goniopora somaliensis	Goniopora stokesi	Goniopora stutchburyi	Goniopora tenuidens
Herpolitha limax	Hydnophora exesa	Hydnophora microconos	Hydnophora pilosa	Hydnophora rigida
Leptastrea bottae	Leptastrea inaequalis	Leptastrea pruinosa	Leptastrea purpurea	Leptastrea transversa
Leptoria phrygia	Leptoseris explanata	Leptoseris foliosa	Leptoseris hawaiiensis	Leptoseris mycetoseroides
Leptoseris scabra	Leptoseris striata	Leptoseris yabei	Lithophyllon mokai	Lithophyllon undulatum
Lobophyllia corymbosa	Lobophyllia diminuta	Lobophyllia hataii	Lobophyllia hemprichii	Lobophyllia pachysepta
Merulina ampliata	Merulina scabricula	Micromussa amakusensis	Micromussa diminuta	Montastrea annuligera
Montastrea colemani	Montastrea curta	Montastrea magnistellata	Montastrea valenciennesi	Montipora aequituberculata
Montipora angulata	Montipora australiensis	Montipora calcarea	Montipora caliculata	Montipora capricornis
Montipora crassituberculata	Montipora danae	Montipora digitata	Montipora efflorescens	Montipora floweri
Montipora foliosa	Montipora foveolata	Montipora grisea	Montipora hispida	Montipora hoffmeisteri
Montipora incrassata	Montipora informis	Montipora millepora	Montipora mollis	Montipora monasteriata
Montipora nodosa	Montipora orientalis	Montipora peltiformis	Montipora spongodes	Montipora spumosa
Montipora stellata	Montipora tuberculosa	Montipora turgescens	Montipora turtlensis	Montipora undata
Montipora venosa	Montipora verrucosa	Moseleya latistellata	Mycedium elephantosus	Mycedium mancaoi
Oulophyllia crispa	Oulophyllia benettae	Oxypora glabra	Oxypora lacera	Pachyseris rugosa
Pachyseris speciosa	Palauastrea ramosa	Pavona cactus	Pavona clavus	Pavona decussata
Pavona duerdeni	Pavona explanulata	Pavona maldivensis	Pavona varians	Pavona venosa
Pectinia lactuca	Pectinia paeonia	Pectinia teres	Platygyra daedalea	Platygyra lamellina
Platygyra pini	Platygyra ryukyuensis	Platygyra sinensis	Platygyra verweyi	Plerogyra sinuosa
Plesiastrea versipora	Pocillopora damicornis	Pocillopora eydouxi	Pocillopora meandrina	Pocillopora verrucosa
Pocillopora woodjonesi	Polyphyllia talpina	Porites annae	Porites aranetai	Porites australiensis
Porites cylindrica	Porites eridani	Porites evermanni	Porites heronensis	Porites lichen
Porites lobata	Porites lutea	Porites murrayensis	Porites nigrescens	Porites rus
Porites solida	Porites stephensoni	Porites vaughani	Psammocora contigua	Psammocora digitata
Psammocora explanulata	Psammocora haimeana	Psammocora profunacella	Psammocora superficialis	Scapophyllia cylindrica
Scolymia australis	Seriatopora caliendrum	Seriatopora hystrix	Seriatopora stellata	Stylophora pistillata
Symphyllia agaricia	Symphyllia radians	Symphyllia recta	Symphyllia valenciennesii	Symphyllia wilsoni
Trachyphyllia geoffroyi	Tubastraea coccinea	Tubastraea diaphana	Turbinaria bifrons	Turbinaria conspicua
Turbinaria frondens	Turbinaria mesenterina	Turbinaria patula	Turbinaria peltata	Turbinaria radicalis
Turbinaria reniformis	Turbinaria stellulata
Giant Clams	Other	Seahorses
Tridacna squamosa	Live Rock	H. angustus
Tridacna maxima	Cladiella australis	H. elongatus
	Clavularia viridis	H. tuberculatus
	Lobophytum sp.
	Protopalythoa spp.
	Ricordea spp.
	Sarcophyton spp.

Overview

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) was enacted to provide for the protection of the environment, particularly matters of national environmental significance, and to manage biodiversity and its conservation. The Act was introduced to address the need for a comprehensive and integrated framework for environmental protection and biodiversity conservation in Australia, aiming to ensure that developments do not significantly harm the environment. The EPBC Act is administered by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, and one of its policy objectives is to promote the ecologically sustainable use of natural resources. This legislation sets out the framework for the approval of wildlife trade operations, which includes establishing criteria and conditions to ensure that trade in wildlife does not threaten the survival of species or ecosystems. The Act facilitates the sustainable management of biodiversity and ecological processes while also considering the economic and social impacts of conservation measures.

Scope and Application

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) applies to various entities, including individuals, corporations, and government bodies, to ensure the protection and sustainable management of the environment, particularly with respect to wildlife trade. This legislation is of Commonwealth jurisdiction, meaning it extends across Australia and applies to activities that may impact matters of national environmental significance. The Act provides for the declaration of approved wildlife trade operations, as seen in this specific notifiable instrument concerning the Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery. This declaration is effective for specimens that are, or are derived from, fish or invertebrates, except for those listed under specific parts of the EPBC Act. The operation is subject to certain conditions, such as adherence to the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Act 1994 and the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995, as well as specific reporting and consultation requirements with the Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Energy. Notably, the operation excludes specimens belonging to species listed under Part 13 of the EPBC Act, except for those collected in state waters, and specimens belonging to taxa listed under section 303CA of the EPBC Act, except for those listed in Schedule 2. This declaration is valid until 18 October 2019, and is subject to conditions specified in Schedule 1 of the notifiable instrument.

Key Provisions

The primary sections of the document (F2016N00024) outline a declaration made by Paul Murphy, the Assistant Secretary of the Wildlife Trade and Biosecurity Branch, who acts as the delegate for the Minister for the Environment and Energy. Under section 303FN of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), Murphy declares a specific operation to be an approved wildlife trade operation, but only to the extent that the operation pertains to the class of specimens outlined in the document. This declaration is limited to the Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery and the collection of marine aquarium species for aquaculture broodstock purposes, as defined in the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Act 1994 and the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995, or under the authority of an exemption granted under Section 7 of the aforementioned 1994 Act. The declaration imposes several obligations on the parties involved. The Western Australian Department of Fisheries must operate the fishery in accordance with the management regime under the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Act 1994 and the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995. The Department must also inform the relevant federal Department of any intended material changes to the fishery’s management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which EPBC Act decisions are made. Furthermore, the Western Australian Department of Fisheries is required to produce and present reports to the federal Department annually, in line with Appendix B of the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries - 2nd Edition. The Department must limit the harvest of CITES-listed species according to current non-detriment findings for each species or species group, and consult with the federal Department prior to implementing changes to the management arrangements for CITES or EPBC Act-listed species. In consultation with the federal Department, the Western Australian Department of Fisheries must complete an ecological risk assessment report, finalise and adopt the harvest strategy for the fishery, and consider further research on CITES species to better define species' distribution and abundance in areas of high fishing effort. The declaration includes specific conditions (Schedule 1) and lists (Schedule 2) that must be adhered to by the parties involved. The declaration is valid until 18 October 2019 and is subject to the conditions specified in Schedule 1. Additionally, the declaration allows for individuals whose interests are affected to apply for a statement of reasons and for independent review of the decision, as per the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975. Applications for a statement of reason can be made in writing to the Department of the Environment and Energy within 28 days of the declaration, while applications for independent review can be made to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on payment of the relevant fee within 28 days of the declaration, or if reasons are sought, within 28 days of receipt of reasons. Further information can be obtained from the Director, Sustainable Fisheries Section. Failure to comply with the requirements and conditions outlined in the declaration may result in civil or criminal consequences, although the specific penalties are not detailed in the document. It is likely that breaches of the conditions could lead to legal actions under the EPBC Act, which may include fines and other penalties as prescribed by law.

Area of Law: Environmental Law
Instrument: Notifiable instrument
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Reporting & Disclosure Obligations; Compliance Obligations; Enforcement Powers; Licensing & Registration

Interactions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.

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