Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2025N00020:schedule:1:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2025N00020
Segment Type: schedule
Provision Reference: sch 1 (pt 1/3)
Character Range: 3729–6907

Schedule 1

Declaration of the harvest operations of the Commonwealth Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery as an approved wildlife trade operation, January 2025

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS (section 303FT)

Relating to the harvesting of fish 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), unless those specimens are subject to any exceptions as outlined in this declaration, taken in the Commonwealth Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery:

Condition 1

Operation of the Commonwealth Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery must be carried out in accordance with the management regime in force under the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984 (Cth), Torres Strait Fisheries Regulations 1985 (Cth), Torres Strait Fisheries (Bêche-de-mer) Management Instrument 2022 and Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery Harvest Strategy.

Condition 2

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority must inform the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water of any intended material changes to the Commonwealth Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery management arrangements that may affect the assessment against which Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) decisions are made.

Condition 3

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority 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 Australian Fisheries Management Authority must produce and present reports on the Commonwealth Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water by November annually, as per Appendix B of the Guidelines for the Ecologically Sustainable Management of Fisheries – 2nd Edition.

Species-specific harvest data (including discards) for each species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) must be included in the annual reports.

Condition 5

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority must:

      1.          by August 2025, provide the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water with a proposed timeline for the undertaking and completion of a multi-species stock survey of sea cucumbers in the Torres Strait; and

      2.         by May 2026, have commenced the delivery of a multi-species stock survey of sea cucumbers in the Torres Strait.

Condition 6

By 30 May 2026, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority must progress measures for prickly redfish (Thelenota ananas) to be managed as a 'Middle Tier' species or above under the harvest strategy for the Commonwealth Torres Strait Bêche-de-mer Fishery. This should allow for implementation during the next term of the Wildlife Trade Operation approval for the fishery.

Condition 7

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority must:

     1.       Maintain the annual 15 tonne total allowable commercial catch limit (TACC) for prickly redfish