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High Seas Biodiversity Act 2026
No. 42, 2026
In force
Administered by
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
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C2026A00042
08 April 2026
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Part 1—Preliminary
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Division 1—Preliminary
1 Short title
2 Commencement
3 Object of this Act
4 Simplified outline of this Act
5 Definitions
6 Minister must take precautionary approach
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Division 2—Application of this Act
7 Extension to external Territories
8 Extraterritorial application
9 This Act binds the Crown
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Division 3—Constitutional matters
10 Main constitutional basis of this Act
11 Additional operation of this Act
12 Compensation for acquisition of property
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Part 2—Marine genetic resources and digital sequence information
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Division 1—Preliminary
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Subdivision A—Preliminary
13 Simplified outline of this Part
14 Application of this Part
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Subdivision B—Key concepts relating to this Part
15 Meaning of regulated fishing activity
16 Meaning of utilise
17 Meanings of utilisation activity and utilised marine genetic resources
18 Meaning of notifying entity
19 Regulated databases and regulated repositories
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Division 2—Collection of marine genetic resources
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Subdivision A—Before carrying out a collection activity
20 Requirement to give pre-collection notice
21 Contents of pre-collection notice
22 Withdrawal of pre-collection notice
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Subdivision B—After carrying out a collection activity
23 Requirement to give post-collection notice—notifying entity for utilisation activity
24 Requirement to give post-collection notice—holder of collection notification certificate
25 Contents of post-collection notice
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Subdivision C—Collection notification certificates
26 Issue of certificate before collection
27 Obligation to notify Minister of material changes in pre-collection matters
28 Issue of certificate after collection—notifying entity for utilisation activity
29 Variation of certificate after collection—holder of certificate
30 Variation of certificate to correct errors etc.
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Subdivision D—Offences and civil penalties
31 Collection activity without collection notification certificate
32 Failure to notify Minister of material changes in pre-collection matters
33 Failure to give post-collection notice
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Division 3—Utilisation of marine genetic resources and digital sequence information
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Subdivision A—Notification of utilisation activity
34 Requirement to give utilisation notice
35 Contents of utilisation notice
36 Utilisation notification certificate
37 Obligation to notify Minister of material changes in utilisation matters etc.
38 Variation of utilisation certificate
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Subdivision B—Depositing utilised material or information
39 Requirement to deposit utilised material or information etc.
40 Exemption from requirement to deposit utilised material or information
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Subdivision C—Offences and civil penalties
41 Failure to give utilisation notice
42 Failure to notify Minister of material changes in utilisation matters etc.
43 Failure to deposit utilised material or information
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Division 4—Requirements relating to regulated databases and regulated repositories
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Subdivision A—Reporting and record keeping
44 Reporting requirements
45 Record keeping requirements
46 Retention of records
47 Notice to give records
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Subdivision B—Offences and civil penalties
48 Failure to comply with reporting requirement
49 Failure to keep records
50 Failure to retain records
51 Failure to comply with notice to give records
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Part 3—Protection of specially managed areas
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Division 1—Preliminary
52 Simplified outline of this Part
53 Application of this Part
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Division 2—Special management plans for specially managed areas
54 Application of this Division
55 Determination of special management plan etc.
56 Variation and revocation of special management plan
57 Permits etc. under special management plans
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Division 3—Alternative measures
58 Application of this Division
59 Determination of alternative measures
60 Variation and revocation of alternative measures
61 Permits etc. under alternative measures
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Division 4—Offences and civil penalties
62 Contravention of special management plan
63 Contravention of alternative measures
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Part 4—Environmental impact assessments
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Division 1—Preliminary
64 Simplified outline of this Part
65 Application of this Part
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Division 2—Deciding whether authorisation of a controlled activity is needed
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Subdivision A—Referral of activity
66 When an activity must be referred
67 Withdrawal of referral
68 Minister may request referral
69 Meaning of exempt activity
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Subdivision B—Decision on referral
70 Public consultation on referral
71 Decision on whether activity is controlled activity
72 When activity is controlled activity
73 Notification of controlled activity decision
74 Reconsideration of decision—international activities
75 Review by Administrative Review Tribunal
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Division 3—Environmental impact assessments
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Subdivision A—Conducting the environmental impact assessment
76 Environmental impact assessment guidelines
77 Conducting an environmental impact assessment
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Subdivision B—Consultation
78 Consultation on draft environmental impact assessment report
79 Consultation on certain international activities
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Subdivision C—Finalising the environmental impact assessment
80 Final environmental impact assessment report
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Division 4—Ministerial decision whether to authorise controlled activity
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Subdivision A—Decision on authorisation
81 Decision on authorisation
82 Requirements for grant of authorisation
83 Conditions to which authorisation is subject
84 Content of authorisation
85 Notification of authorisation decision
86 Review of authorisation by Minister
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Subdivision B—Variation of authorisation
87 Variation of authorisation—change in conditions etc.
88 Variation of authorisation—change in period
89 Variation of authorisation—change in holder
90 Notification of decision—variation of authorisation to change conditions etc.
91 Notification of decision—variation of authorisation to change holder
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Subdivision C—Suspension
92 Suspension of authorisation
93 Effect of suspension
94 Notification of suspension decision etc.
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Subdivision D—Revocation
95 Revocation of authorisation
96 Notification of revocation decision
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Subdivision E—Review by Administrative Review Tribunal
97 Review by Administrative Review Tribunal
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Division 5—Offences and civil penalties
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Subdivision A—Domestic activities
98 Carrying out domestic activity with significant adverse environmental impact
99 Carrying out domestic activity before decision on referral etc.
100 Carrying out domestic activity without authorisation
101 Breach of authorisation condition—domestic activities
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Subdivision B—International activities
102 Carrying out international activity with significant adverse environmental impact
103 Carrying out international activity before decision on referral etc.
104 Carrying out international activity without authorisation
105 Breach of authorisation condition—international activities
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Division 6—Publication of information
106 Certain information not to be published
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Part 5—High Seas Biodiversity Register
107 Simplified outline of this Part
108 High Seas Biodiversity Register
109 Contents of Register
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Part 6—Compliance and enforcement
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Division 1—Preliminary
110 Simplified outline of this Part
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Division 2—Appointment of inspectors
111 Appointment of inspectors
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Division 3—Triggering the Regulatory Powers Act
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Subdivision A—Monitoring powers
112 Monitoring powers
113 Modifications of Part 2 of the Regulatory Powers Act
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Subdivision B—Investigation powers
114 Investigation powers
115 Modifications of Part 3 of the Regulatory Powers Act
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Subdivision C—Civil penalty provisions
116 Civil penalty provisions
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Subdivision D—Infringement notices
117 Infringement notices
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Subdivision E—Enforceable undertakings
118 Enforceable undertakings
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Subdivision F—Injunctions
119 Injunctions
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Division 4—Information gathering, record keeping and audits
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Subdivision A—Information gathering and record keeping
120 Requirement to give information or produce documents
121 Individuals not excused from giving information or producing documents in certain circumstances
122 Requirement to make and retain records
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Subdivision B—Audit powers
123 Audits
124 Auditors
125 Meaning of relevant person for an audit
126 Conduct of audit
127 Relevant person for audit must provide assistance
128 Powers of auditors
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Part 7—Information management
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Division 1—Preliminary
129 Simplified outline of this Part
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Division 2—Unauthorised use or disclosure
130 Unauthorised use or disclosure of protected information—entrusted person
131 Unauthorised use or disclosure of protected information—official of Commonwealth entity
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Division 3—Authorised use or disclosure by Minister
132 Disclosure to Commonwealth entities
133 Disclosure to State or Territory government body
134 Disclosure for the purposes of law enforcement
135 Use or disclosure to reduce serious risk to human health
136 Use or disclosure to reduce serious risk to the environment
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Division 4—Authorised use or disclosure by entrusted persons
137 Use or disclosure for the purposes of this Act etc.
138 Disclosure to a court, tribunal etc.
139 Disclosure to foreign governments etc.
140 Use or disclosure of summaries or statistics
141 Use or disclosure of publicly available information
142 Use or disclosure with consent
143 Disclosure to person to whom information relates
144 Disclosure to person who provided information
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Part 8—Miscellaneous
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Division 1—Preliminary
145 Simplified outline of this Part
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Division 2—Funding arrangements and grants
146 Arrangements and grants
147 Terms and conditions for grants
148 Executive power of the Commonwealth
149 Inclusion of information in annual reports
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Division 3—General rules about offences and civil penalty provisions
150 Geographical application of offences
151 Physical elements of offences
152 Contravening an offence provision or a civil penalty provision
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Division 4—Other matters
153 Periodic reviews of the operation of this Act
154 Delegation by the Minister
155 Delegation by the Secretary
156 Rules