Management Plan for the Commercial Harvest and Export of Brushtail Possums in Tasmania 2010-2015
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
Download
- Management Plan for the Commercial Harvest and Export of Brushtail Possums in Tasmania 2010-2015 (PDF - 1,403 KB) | (Doc - 1,604 KB)
- Appendix 1 - Brushtail possum management regions and survey routes (PDF - 167 KB) | (Doc - 132 KB)
- Appendix 2 - Crop protection permit - spotlight shooting (PDF - 87 KB) | (Doc - 133 KB)
- Appendix 3 - Crop protection permit - 1080 poison (PDF - 102 KB) | (Doc - 160 KB)
- Appendix 4 - Code of practice for use of 1080 poison for browsing animal control (PDF - 1.7 MB)
- Appendix 5 - Commercial brushtail possum permits (PDF - 190 KB) | (Doc - 71 KB)
- Appendix 6 - Monthly record sheet for brushtail possums taken and sold (PDF - 117 KB) | (Doc - 60 KB)
- Appendix 7 - Spotlight survey protocol (PDF - 79 KB) | (Doc - 43 KB)
- Appendix 8 - Code of practice for the capture, handling, transport and slaughter of brushtail possums (PDF - 1.7 MB)
- Appendix 9 - Code of practice for the trapping and destruction of wallabies and possums in Tasmania for crop-protection and commercial purposes (PDF)
* Please note: This is the final version of the management plan as presented to the minister for approval. Tasmania sought approval for three methods of possum harvest: 1) shooting free ranging possums in the field; 2) shooting possums in traps in the field; and 3) trapping possums in the field for live transport to abattoirs for slaughter.
On 15 October 2010, the minister decided that he was not fully satisfied with the animal welfare provisions of the plan. Accordingly, the plan was conditionally approved for the shooting of possums in the field (either free ranging or in traps) but not for the trapping of possums in the field for live transport to abattoirs for slaughter. As such, references to trapping possums in the field for live transport to abattoirs on pages 7, 26-27, 41-43 and in Appendix 8 (Code of Practice for the Capture, Handling, Transport and Slaughter of Brushtail Possums) are not valid and are not to be interpreted as being approved by the minister.
About the management plan
This Wildlife Trade Management Plan has been developed by the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment for common brushtail possums. This management plan covers the commercial harvest of common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) within Tasmania and where the term 'possum' is used within this document it refers to this species.
In Australia the export of possum products requires Australian Government approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The plan has been developed to satisfy the requirements of this Act and to meet the legislative and other requirements of the Tasmanian Government.
This management plan is current for a maximum five-year period from 01 July 2010 to 30 June 2015. The Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Management Plan for common brushtail possums in Tasmania states that the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has approved this management plan.
- Declaration of an Approved Wildlife Trade Management Plan for common brushtail possums in Tasmania (PDF - 157KB) | (RTF - 3929 KB)
The minister's approval was subject to annual reporting to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, and the development of a code of practice for the humane shooting of possums being developed within one year of the commencement of the plan. The minister's approval excluded those parts of the management plan which provided for live transport of trapped possums to abattoirs (see box above).
Before you download
Some documents are available as PDF files. You will need a PDF reader to view PDF files.
List of PDF readers
If you are unable to access a publication, please contact us to organise a suitable alternative format.