COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

 

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

 

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION – WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARINE AQUARIUM FISH MANAGED FISHERY, NOVEMBER 2022

 

I, ADAM SINCOCK, Principal Director, Wildlife Trade Office, as Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water, have considered in accordance with section 303FN of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) the application from the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, public comments on the proposal as required under section 303FR 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 operations for the harvesting of specimens that are or are derived from fish or invertebrates, taken in the Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery as defined in the management regime in force under the:

·         Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (WA)

·         Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995 (WA)

·         Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery Management Plan 2018

·         authority of an Exemption granted in accordance with Section 7 of the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (WA)

but not including:

(a)    specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 209 of the EPBC Act (Australia’s List of Migratory Species), or

(b)   specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 248 of the EPBC Act (Australia’s List of Marine Species), or

(c)    specimens that belong to eligible listed threatened species, as defined under section 303BC of the EPBC Act, or

(d)   specimens that belong to taxa listed under section 303CA of the EPBC Act (Australia’s CITES List), except for specimens that belong to taxa listed in Schedule 1

to be an approved wildlife trade operation, in accordance with subsection 303FN(2) and paragraph 303FN(10)(d), for the purposes of the EPBC Act.

Unless amended or revoked, this declaration:

a)             is valid until 21 October 2025, and

b)             is subject to the conditions applied under section 303FT specified in Schedule 2.

 

Dated this 2^nd day of November 2022

 

………….…….……Adam Sincock……………………………

Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water

 

Notes:  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 Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 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, Sustainable Fisheries Section, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Email: sustainablefisheries@environment.gov.au.

Schedule 1

 

Coral
Acanthastrea bowerbanki	Acanthastrea echinata	Acanthastrea hemprichii	Acanthastrea hillae	Acanthastrea lordhowensis
Acropora abrolhosensis	Acropora abrotanoides	Acropora aculeus	Acropora acuminata	Acropora anthocercis
Acropora aspera	Acropora austera	Acropora brueggemanni	Acropora bushyensis	Acropora cardenae
Acropora caroliniana	Acropora cerealis	Acropora clathrata	Acropora cytherea	Acropora danai
Acropora dendrum	Acropora digitifera	Acropora divaricata	Acropora donei	Acropora elseyi
Acropora exquisita	Acropora florida	Acropora formosa	Acropora gemmifera	Acropora glauca
Acropora grandis	Acropora granulosa	Acropora horrida	Acropora humilis	Acropora hyacinthus
Acropora indiana	Acropora insignis	Acropora intermedia	Acropora kimbeensis	Acropora latistella
Acropora listeri	Acropora loisetteae	Acropora longicyathus	Acropora lovelli	Acropora lutkeni
Acropora microclados	Acropora microphthalma	Acropora millepora	Acropora monticulosa	Acropora nana
Acropora nasuta	Acropora nobilis	Acropora ocellata	Acropora palifera	Acropora palmerae
Acropora papillare	Acropora polystoma	Acropora pulchra	Acropora robusta	Acropora rosaria
Acropora russelli	Acropora samoensis	Acropora sarmentosa	Acropora selago	Acropora seriata
Acropora solitaryensis	Acropora spathulata	Acropora spicifera	Acropora stoddarti	Acropora striata
Acropora subglabra	Acropora subulata	Acropora tenuis	Acropora tortuosa	Acropora turaki
Acropora valenciennesi	Acropora valida	Acropora vaughani	Acropora verweyi	Acropora willisae
Acropora yongei	Alveopora allingi	Alveopora catalai	Alveopora daedalea	Alveopora fenestrata
Alveopora gigas	Alveopora spongiosa	Alveopora tizardi	Alveopora verrilliana	Astreopora expansa
Astreopora gracilis	Astreopora myriophthalma	Astreopora ocellata	Australomussa rowleyensis	Balanophyllia bairdiana
Balanophyllia buccina	Balanophyllia carinata	Balanophyllia cornu	Balanophyllia elliptica	Balanophyllia generatrix
Balanophyllia gigas	Balanophyllia imperialis	Barabattoia amicorum	Blastomussa merleti	Blastomussa wellsi
Catalaphyllia jardinei	Caulastraea curvata	Caulastraea tumida	Coscinaraea columna	Coscinaraea exesa
Coscinaraea marshae	Coscinaraea mcneilli	Cycloseris cyclolites	Cycloseris patelliformis	Cycloseris sinensis
Cycloseris vaughani	Cynarina lacrymalis	Cyphastrea chalcidicum	Cyphastrea microphthalma	Cyphastrea serailia
Dendrophyllia alcocki	Dendrophyllia arbuscula	Dendrophyllia boschmai	Desmophyllum dianthus	Diploastrea heliopora
Duncanopsammia axifuga	Echinophyllia aspera	Echinophyllia echinata	Echinophyllia orpheensis	Echinopora ashmorensis
Echinopora gemmacea	Echinopora hirsutissima	Echinopora horrida	Echinopora lamellosa	Echinopora pacificus
Euphyllia ancora	Euphyllia cristata	Euphyllia divisa	Euphyllia glabrescens	Euphyllia paraancora
Favia favus	Favia helianthoides	Favia laxa	Favia lizardensis	Favia matthaii
Favia maxima	Favia pallida	Favia rotumana	Favia rotundata	Favia speciosa
Favia stelligera	Favia truncatus	Favia veroni	Favites abdita	Favites chinensis
Favites complanata	Favites flexuosa	Favites halicora	Favites paraflexuosa	Favites pentagona
Favites russelli	Favites stylifera	Fungia concinna	Fungia costulata	Fungia curvata
Fungia cyclolites	Fungia distorta	Fungia fragilis	Fungia fungites	Fungia granulosa
Fungia horrida	Fungia klunzingeri	Fungia patelliformis	Fungia paumotensis	Fungia repanda
Fungia scruposa	Fungia scutaria	Fungia sinensis	Fungia tenuis	Galaxea astreata
Galaxea fascicularis	Goniastrea aspera	Goniastrea australensis	Goniastrea edwardsi	Goniastrea favulus
Goniastrea palauensis	Goniastrea pectinata	Goniastrea retiformis	Goniopora columna	Goniopora djiboutiensis
Goniopora eclipsensis	Goniopora lobata	Goniopora minor	Goniopora norfolkensis	Goniopora pandoraensis
Goniopora pendulus	Goniopora somaliensis	Goniopora stokesi	Goniopora stutchburyi	Goniopora tenuidens
Herpolitha limax	Hydnophora exesa	Hydnophora microconos	Hydnophora pilosa	Hydnophora rigida
Leptastrea bottae	Leptastrea inaequalis	Leptastrea pruinosa	Leptastrea purpurea	Leptastrea transversa
Leptoria phrygia	Leptoseris explanata	Leptoseris foliosa	Leptoseris hawaiiensis	Leptoseris mycetoseroides
Leptoseris scabra	Leptoseris striata	Leptoseris yabei	Lithophyllon mokai	Lithophyllon undulatum
Lobophyllia corymbosa	Lobophyllia diminuta	Lobophyllia hataii	Lobophyllia hemprichii	Lobophyllia pachysepta
Merulina ampliata	Merulina scabricula	Micromussa amakusensis	Micromussa diminuta	Montastrea annuligera
Montastrea colemani	Montastrea curta	Montastrea magnistellata	Montastrea valenciennesi	Montipora aequituberculata
Montipora angulata	Montipora australiensis	Montipora calcarea	Montipora caliculata	Montipora capricornis
Montipora crassituberculata	Montipora danae	Montipora digitata	Montipora efflorescens	Montipora floweri
Montipora foliosa	Montipora foveolata	Montipora grisea	Montipora hispida	Montipora hoffmeisteri
Montipora incrassata	Montipora informis	Montipora millepora	Montipora mollis	Montipora monasteriata
Montipora nodosa	Montipora orientalis	Montipora peltiformis	Montipora spongodes	Montipora spumosa
Montipora stellata	Montipora tuberculosa	Montipora turgescens	Montipora turtlensis	Montipora undata
Montipora venosa	Montipora verrucosa	Moseleya latistellata	Mycedium elephantosus	Mycedium mancaoi
Oulophyllia crispa	Oulophyllia benettae	Oxypora glabra	Oxypora lacera	Pachyseris rugosa
Pachyseris speciosa	Palauastrea ramosa	Pavona cactus	Pavona clavus	Pavona decussata
Pavona duerdeni	Pavona explanulata	Pavona maldivensis	Pavona varians	Pavona venosa
Pectinia lactuca	Pectinia paeonia	Pectinia teres	Platygyra daedalea	Platygyra lamellina
Platygyra pini	Platygyra ryukyuensis	Platygyra sinensis	Platygyra verweyi	Plerogyra sinuosa
Plesiastrea versipora	Pocillopora damicornis	Pocillopora eydouxi	Pocillopora meandrina	Pocillopora verrucosa
Pocillopora woodjonesi	Polyphyllia talpina	Porites annae	Porites aranetai	Porites australiensis
Porites cylindrica	Porites eridani	Porites evermanni	Porites heronensis	Porites lichen
Porites lobata	Porites lutea	Porites murrayensis	Porites nigrescens	Porites rus
Porites solida	Porites stephensoni	Porites vaughani	Psammocora contigua	Psammocora digitata
Psammocora explanulata	Psammocora haimeana	Psammocora profunacella	Psammocora superficialis	Scapophyllia cylindrica
Scolymia australis	Seriatopora caliendrum	Seriatopora hystrix	Seriatopora stellata	Stylophora pistillata
Symphyllia agaricia	Symphyllia radians	Symphyllia recta	Symphyllia valenciennesii	Symphyllia wilsoni
Trachyphyllia geoffroyi	Tubastraea coccinea	Tubastraea diaphana	Turbinaria bifrons	Turbinaria conspicua
Turbinaria frondens	Turbinaria mesenterina	Turbinaria patula	Turbinaria peltata	Turbinaria radicalis
Turbinaria reniformis	Turbinaria stellulata
Giant Clams	Other	Seahorses
Tridacna squamosa	Live Rock	H. angustus
Tridacna maxima	Cladiella australis	H. elongatus
	Clavularia viridis	H. tuberculatus
	Lobophytum sp.
	Protopalythoa spp.
	Ricordea spp.
	Sarcophyton spp.

 

Schedule 2

 

Declaration of the harvest operations of the Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery as an approved wildlife trade operation, November 2022

 

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS (section 303FT)

Relating to the harvesting of specimens that are, or are derived from, fish or invertebrates, other than specimens of species listed under Part 13 and Part 13A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), taken in the Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery:

Condition 1:

Operation of the Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery must be carried out in accordance with the management regime implemented under the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (WA), the Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995 (WA), the Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery Management Plan 2018, or under the authority of an Exemption granted in accordance with Section 7 of the Western Australian Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (WA).

Condition 2:

The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must inform the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water of any intended material changes to the Western Australian Marine Aquarium Fish Managed Fishery management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 decisions are made.

Condition 3:

The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must inform the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water of any intended changes to fisheries legislation that may affect the legislative instruments relevant to this approval.

Condition 4:

The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must produce and present annual reports to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, by December as per Appendix B of the ‘Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries - 2nd Edition’.

Condition 5:

By 1 July 2023, the West Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must implement improved reporting requirements for coral species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The new reporting requirements must include:

a)      the recording of all coral harvests at the species level (except for those species specifically listed at genus-level in Attachment A), including any species taken for broodstock, public aquarium, or research purposes

b)      the location of all coral harvests in the fishery, reported by relevant 10 nautical mile by 10 nautical mile management block number

c)      the total weight (in kilograms) of coral by species (or genus for those species listed at that level in Attachment A) and the number of pieces that comprise the total weight.

A summary of the data collected through this process must be provided on an annual basis to the Australian Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Scientific Authority as part of the annual report referred to in Condition 4.

Condition 6:

Consistent with the ‘Expert Advice for the Assessment of Australian Coral Fisheries – Western Australia Marine Aquarium Fishery 2008–2020’ report (Pratchett 2022), the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must:

a)      by 1 July 2023, limit the annual take of species of hard corals from the fishery, including any species taken for broodstock, public aquarium, or research purposes, as described in Attachment B

b)      by 1 July 2023, limit the annual take of hard corals from the fishery, including any species taken for broodstock, public aquarium, or research purposes, to 200% of the average harvest level taken during the 2008-2013 historical reference period, or 600 kg (whichever is greater), for all other species of hard corals with a catch history in the fishery during the reference period

c)      where the catch of any species of hard coral within a ten nautical mile by ten nautical mile management block exceeds 200 kg in a single fishing season, implement localised monitoring of stock status and trends to assess and prevent the risk of localised depletion. Within 6 months of such an event being verified, commence localised monitoring of stock status and trends for that block and species. Within 12 months of the commencement of monitoring, provide the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, with a report detailing the outcomes of the localised monitoring and any associated management responses.

d)      ensure these limits remain in place until the West Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides scientifically robust data to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Scientific Authority to underpin a revised Non-Detriment Finding (as set out in condition 7).

Condition 7:

The precautionary harvest limits described in condition 6 must be maintained until there is enough information to establish sustainable harvest limits and justify any increases in harvest levels. This would need to include:

a)      fishery-independent surveys for the associated hard coral species, including comprehensive data on the distribution, biomass, and harvest locations to clearly identify the effects of fishing and any risks of localised depletion

b)      implementation of arrangements to improve spatial monitoring in the fishery to ensure the harvest strategy and stock assessments are supported by up-to-date scientific information

c)       robust stock assessments for the associated hard coral species.

Condition 8:

The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development must:

a)      by 1 December 2024, undertake and deliver a fishery independent survey of the commercially fished area of Hippocampus subelongatus to produce biomass data, identify key harvest locations and identify any risks of localised depletion

b)      by 1 July 2025, identify and publish any required changes to the management arrangements for Hippocampus subelongatus, including harvest limits, based on the data collected from the fishery independent survey.

Attachment A

 

Hard coral (order Scleractinia) taxa where identification to genus level is acceptable but should be identified to species level where feasible. All other hard corals should be recorded to species.

·         Acropora

·         Alveopora

·         Astreopora

·         Balanophyllia

·         Barabattoia

·         Blastomussa

·         Caulastraea

·         Coscinaraea

·         Cycloseris

·         Cyphastrea

·         Dendrophyllia

·         Echinophyllia

·         Echinopora

·         Echinopora

·         Favites

·         Fungia

·         Goniastrea

·         Goniopora

·         Hydnophora

·         Leptastrea

·         Leptoseris

·         Lobophyllia

·         Montastrea

·         Montipora

·         Oxypora

·         Pachyseris

·         Pavona

·         Pectinia

·         Platygyra

·         Pocillopora

·         Porites

·         Psammocora

·         Seriatopora

·         Stylophora

·         Symphyllia

·         Turbinaria

 

Attachment B

 

Harvest limits (kg) for coral species of concern.

Taxa	Annual harvest limit (kg)
Fimbriaphyllia ancora	707
Euphyllia glabrescens	600
Fimbriaphyllia paraancora	600
Lobophyllia hemprichii	600
Micromussa cf. lordhowensis	600
Homophyllia cf. australis	600
Duncanopsammia axifuga	760
Trachyphyllia geoffroyi	836
Catalaphyllia jardinei	600
Moseleya latistellata	600
Australophyllia wilsoni	600