COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

 

I, NATHAN HANNA, Acting Assistant Secretary, Wildlife Trade and Biosecurity Branch, as Delegate of the Minister for the Environment, have considered in accordance with section 303FN of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) the application from Oceanreef Aquaculture, 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 operation for the harvest of Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (weedy seadragon) from Victorian waters by Oceanreef Aquaculture between December 2014 and January 2015 inclusive, in accordance with relevant State permits issued under the Victorian Fisheries Act 1995, to be an approved wildlife trade operation (existing stocks operation), in accordance with subsection 303FN(2) and paragraph 303FN(10)(f), for the purposes of the EPBC Act.

 

Dated this  3rd  day of  June   2015

 

 

………….…….……Nathan Hanna……………………………

Delegate of the Minister for the Environment

 

A person whose interests are affected by this declaration may, within 28 days, make an application in writing to the Department of the Environment for the reasons for the decision.

An application for independent review of the decision (under section 303GJ(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) may be made to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), on payment of the relevant fee (currently $861 or reduced fee where applicable due to financial hardship) by the applicant, either within 28 days of receipt of the reasons for the decision, or within 28 days of this declaration if reasons for the decision are not sought. Applications should be made to the Deputy Registrar, AAT in your Capital City. Please visit the AAT’s website at http://www.aat.gov.au/ for further information.

You may make an application under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) to access documents relevant to this decision. For further information, please visit http://www.environment.gov.au/foi/index.html.

Further enquiries should be directed to the Director, Sustainable Fisheries Section, Department of the Environment, Telephone: (02) 6274 1917 Email: sustainablefisheries@environment.gov.au.