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Proposal to declare an approved wildlife trade operation for the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery, including the harvest of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini, S. mokarran and S. zygaena)

« Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery

Proposal to declare an approved wildlife trade operation under Part 13A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) for the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery, including the harvest of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini, S. mokarran and S. zygaena)

Proposal

The export approval for the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery is valid until 1 October 2015 and the fishery is currently undergoing assessment by the Department of the Environment for potential export accreditation. The Department of the Environment’s assessment of the fishery will take into account public comments previously received on a separate proposal made to provide ongoing export approval for the East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery.

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has sought a short term extension to the EPBC Act export approval for the fishery for no longer than 12 months to allow for implementation of the outcomes from the Queensland Fishery Management Review, as they relate to this fishery. To give legislative effect to this proposal, the Department of the Environment is required to undertake a minimum 20 business day public consultation period.

The Department’s proposal includes extending the export approval for the three hammerhead shark species currently taken in the fishery which on 14 September 2014 were listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Those hammerhead species include scalloped hammerhead (S. lewini), great hammerhead (S.mokarran) and smooth hammerhead (S. zygaena). Australia is a range state for the three hammerhead species and hammerhead sharks which are caught as byproduct in the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery.

The catch of these CITES listed hammerheads is currently approved for export from the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery under an approved wildlife trade operation declaration made under Part 13A of the EPBC Act. The Australian CITES Scientific Authority in the Australian Government Department of the Environment has previously developed a national non detriment finding to ensure that Australia’s legislated CITES obligations are met. For more information please visit Non-detriment finding for five CITES Appendix II shark species.

Commenting on this proposal

In accordance with the provisions of sections 303FR of the EPBC Act, you are invited to comment on this proposal to extend the export approval for no more than 12 months for the Queensland East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery under Part 13A of the EPBC Act.

The call for public comments is open from 31 August 2015 until 25 September 2015.

Please submit your comments to:

The Director
Sustainable Fisheries Section
Department of the Environment
GPO Box 787
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Submissions may also be sent by fax to (02) 6274 2875, or email to sustainablefisheries@environment.gov.au

Any comments received will form part of the documentation provided to the Australian Government Minister for the Environment for a decision. Copies of comments may be made available to other persons with a particular interest in the application. If you wish to claim confidentiality for any part of your comments, would you please discuss the matter with the Director of the Sustainable Fisheries Section (02) 6274 1917.