DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION

 

I, JOSH FRYDENBERG, Minister for the Environment and Energy, hereby vary under paragraph 303FT(7)(b) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) the declaration of an approved wildlife trade operation dated 31 May 2016 for the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery, as defined in the management regime in force under the Queensland Fisheries Regulation 2008 and the Queensland Fisheries Act 1994 such that the condition specified in the Schedule to that declaration are varied as follows:

 

In Condition 1, delete the words

“Unless otherwise amended or revoked, this declaration is valid until 16 September 2016.”

and replace with the words

“Condition 1:

Operation of the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery will be carried out in accordance with the Queensland Fisheries Act 1994 and the Queensland Fisheries Regulation 2008.

Condition 2:

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to inform the Department of the Environment and Energy of any intended material changes to the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 decisions are made.

Condition 3:

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to produce and present reports to the Department of the Environment and Energy annually as per Appendix B of the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries - 2nd Edition.

Condition 4:  

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to develop a strategy for the harvest of key fish and shark species taken in the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery in consultation with relevant experts and stakeholders. The strategy should include decision rules and reference points that trigger management actions to ensure catch limits remain ecologically sustainable.

 

Condition 5: 

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to work with relevant stakeholders to determine an improved data collection and validation approach that can provide a robust monitoring regime to inform and allow evaluation of the strategy outlined in Condition 4, and the fishery’s risk to bycatch species.

Condition 6:

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to:

a)   provide appropriate identification tools and education to assist fishers in providing accurate identification and recording of sharks at the species level.

b)   Commence consultation with stakeholders on alternate provisions for the processing of sharks at sea including; introducing a prohibition on the removal of fins and filleting sharks.

Condition 7:

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to continue work to improve understanding of stock status of identified recreationally and commercially important species which are currently classified as ‘undefined’ through:

a)   biological monitoring for these species, and

b)   publication of this information, along with catch and effort data, in stock status reports. 

Condition 8:

Unless otherwise amended or revoked, this declaration is valid until 28 September 2018.”

 

 

 

Dated this 14 day of September 2016

 

 

 

 

 ……….……Josh Frydenberg…….........

Minister for the Environment and Energy