Revocation of Approved Wildlife Trade Operation Declarations for 3 Australian Fisheries, March 2026

Overview

The Revocation of Approved Wildlife Trade Operation Declarations for 3 Australian Fisheries, March 2026, was enacted by Belinda Jago, the delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water, under subsection 303FT(10) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This legislative instrument aims to revoke specific declarations related to wildlife trade operations for three Australian fisheries, addressing a need to reassess or discontinue certain approved operations in light of updated environmental or trade considerations. The revocations are effective from the day after the instrument's registration and apply to the declarations of the New South Wales Ocean Trawl Fishery, the New South Wales Ocean Trap and Line Fishery, and the Queensland Aquarium Fish Fishery, all of which were previously approved under the Act. The overarching policy objective of this instrument is to ensure that wildlife trade operations are continually aligned with contemporary environmental protection standards and biodiversity conservation efforts.

Scope and Application

The Revocation of Approved Wildlife Trade Operation Declarations for 3 Australian Fisheries, March 2026 applies to specific wildlife trade operations within three fisheries in Australia: the New South Wales Ocean Trawl Fishery, the New South Wales Ocean Trap and Line Fishery, and the Queensland Aquarium Fish Fishery. This instrument revokes the declarations of approved wildlife trade operations previously made under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The revocation affects the entities and operations previously granted approval to engage in wildlife trade within these fisheries. Geographically, the instrument pertains to operations within the designated fisheries in New South Wales and Queensland. The revocation is effective from the day after registration and follows the specified commencement details outlined in the instrument. This legislative instrument operates under subsection 303FT(10) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and its scope is limited to the revocation of the specified declarations without any stated exclusions or exemptions. Subordinate instruments may extend or detail further the implications of this revocation, but the primary effect is the cancellation of the previously approved wildlife trade operations as listed in the schedule.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of this instrument, the Revocation of Approved Wildlife Trade Operation Declarations for 3 Australian Fisheries, March 2026, include the provisions that specify the revocation of certain declarations (section 1) and the commencement of these revocations (section 2). The instrument specifies that the revocations will take effect the day after the instrument is registered (section 2(1)). Additionally, the authority for this instrument is derived from subsection 303FT(10) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (section 3). The Schedules detail the specific instruments that are to be revoked, which include the declarations of approved wildlife trade operations for the New South Wales Ocean Trawl Fishery, the New South Wales Ocean Trap and Line Fishery, and the Queensland Aquarium Fish Fishery (section 4). The obligations imposed by this Act primarily pertain to the revocation of specific declarations of approved wildlife trade operations for the specified fisheries. These revocations render the previously approved operations no longer valid, thus impacting the operations that were previously authorised under those declarations. Entities and individuals who were operating under these now-revoked declarations must adjust their activities accordingly to comply with current regulatory standards and requirements. The instrument also establishes certain consequences for non-compliance with the revocations outlined. While the specific penalties for breaching the revoked declarations are not detailed within this instrument, breaches of related provisions under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 can result in significant penalties. For instance, under the Act, individuals and entities may face substantial fines and potential imprisonment for serious environmental offences. The exact penalties depend on the nature and severity of the breach but can include fines up to several hundred thousand Australian dollars and imprisonment terms of several years for more severe violations. Compliance with such legislative requirements is crucial to avoid these potential legal ramifications.