Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024N00229:body:0:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024N00229
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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

DECLARATION OF AN APPROVED SMALL-SCALE WILDLIFE TRADE OPERATION –
ANTASTIC 2024-2027

I, Belinda Jago, Branch Head, Ocean and Wildlife Branch, as Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water am satisfied that the operation conducted by Antastic to commercially export native Australian queen ants, is a small-scale Wildlife Trade Operation, as defined by regulation 9A.20(2) under subsection 303FN(10)(b).

I declare under subsection 303FN(2) that Antastic is an approved small-scale Wildlife Trade Operation.

This declaration has effect subject to the following conditions applied under section 303FT:

   1. The operation must be carried out in accordance with the Wildlife Trade Operation (Small-scale) for Antastic 2024-2027 submitted on 2 February 2024.

   2. Annual harvest for export is restricted to the following native ant taxa. Harvest levels must not exceed the maximum quantities set out for each genus.

Genus            Annual harvest quota
Amblyopone       1000
Anonychomyrma    1000
Aphaenogaster    1000
Brachyponera     1000
Camponotus       1000
Calomyrmex       1000
Crematogaster    1000
Dolichoderus     1000
Iridomyrmex      1000
Leptomyrmex      1000
Lioponera        1000
Melophorus       1000
Meranoplus       1000
Monomorium       1000
Myrmecia*        1000
Notoncus         1000
Nylanderia       1000
Oecophylla       1000
Opisthopsis      1000
Pheidole         1000
Podomyrma        1000
Polyrhachis      1000
Pseudoneoponera  200
Pseudonotoncus   200
Pseudoponera     200
Rhytidoponera    1000
Solenopsis       1000
Technomyrmex     1000
Teratomyrmex     200
Tetramorium      1000
Tetraponera      200

           * Myrmecia inquilina is excluded from harvest.

  3.      Harvest is only permitted from private properties identified in the proposal and from
  non-protected public areas in Queensland.

  4.      The approval holder may apply in writing to the department to add additional taxa and harvest locations to the approval. Additional taxa or specimen harvested at additional locations can only be harvested for export after approval from the department is obtained.

  5.      Harvest must not involve any excavation or damage to existing ant nests or colonies.

  6.      The declaration is valid for three (3) years from the date of its registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.

  7.      Mr Ben Ferguson, on behalf of Antastic, must submit a report to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water every 6 months. The first report is due by the 10th of August 2024.  The reports must include details of:

         * The total number of specimens harvested at the genus level, harvesting dates and locations.

         * A summary of the queen ant population monitoring completed at each harvest location, including a yearly comparison of the number of surveys completed, survey methodology, survey timing and the outcomes.

Dated this 12th day of March 2024

Belinda Jago

Delegate of the Minister for the Environment and Water

A person whose interests are affected by this declaration may, within 28 days, make an application in writing to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and