Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION
TORRES STRAIT BÊCHE-DE-MER FISHERY, AUGUST 2020
I, Stephen oxley, First Assistant Secretary, Heritage, Reef and Wildlife Trade Division, as Delegate of the Minister for the Environment, hereby vary under paragraph 303FT(7)(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) the declaration of an approved wildlife trade operation dated 18 December 2017 for the Commonwealth Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the Commonwealth Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984, the Torres Strait Fisheries Regulations 1985, such that the conditions specified in the Schedule to that declaration are added as follows:
7. The Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority must limit the take of the following species listed under the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), from the Torres Strait Beche-de-mer Fishery to no more than:
a) 15 tonnes of white teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva), and
b) 0 tonnes of Black teatfish (Holothuria whitmaei).
The Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority must report the amount of White Teatfish harvested by weight and where available, include the number of individuals, their lengths and locations of harvest, to the CITES Scientific Authority of Australia, as part of the annual reporting referred to in Condition 3.
Dated this 28 day of August 2020
………….…….…Stephen Oxley…………………….........
Delegate of the Minister for the Environment
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 Agriculture, Water and the Environment 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, Wildlife Trade Assessments Section, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Telephone: (02) 6274 1917 Email: sustainablefisheries@environment.gov.au.
2. Australia’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are met through Part 13A of the EPBC Act. Specimens of species listed in Appendix II of Australia’s CITES list under section 303CA of the EPBC Act may only be exported, under a CITES export permit issued under the EPBC Act, if Australia’s CITES Scientific Authority has issued a non-detriment finding for that species. Further information, including a list of species for which non detriment findings have been issued and the fisheries from which they may be sourced, is available from htttp://www.environment.gov.au/topics/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/internationally-endangered-plants-and-animals-cites/how-export.
SCHEDULE
Declaration of the Harvest Operations of the Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery as an approved wildlife trade operation, August 2020
ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS (section 303FT)
Relating to the harvesting of specimens that are or are derived from fish or invertebrates, other than specimens that belong to species listed under Part 13 of the EPBC Act (other than a species listed in the conservation dependent category), and specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 303CA of the EPBC Act (Australia’s CITES list), taken in the Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery:
- Operation of the Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery will be carried out in accordance with the management regime in force under the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984.
- The Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority to inform the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment of any intended material changes to the Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 decisions are made.
- The Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority to produce and present reports to the Agriculture, Water and the Environment annually as per Appendix B of the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries - 2nd Edition.
- The Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority to implement a strategy to manage the risks of overfishing and localised depletion for all species harvested in the fishery. This may include data collection and analysis protocols to manage risks, triggers and/or limits for managing harvest, and should also account for all sources of stock mortality, including commercial, recreational, Traditional and illegal harvest.
- The Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority to complete an ecological risk assessment and implement an ecological risk mitigation strategy to ensure all environmental and ecological risks are appropriately managed.
- The Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority to continue to pursue the changes necessary to facilitate reporting of interactions with species listed in Part 13 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999.
- The Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority must limit the take of the following species listed under the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), from the Torres Strait Beche-de-mer Fishery to no more than:
a) 15 tonnes of White Teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva), and
b) 0 tonnes of Black Teatfish (Holothuria whitmaei).