Calling for public comment: NSW Ocean Trawl Fishery…

Environmental Assessment of the New South Wales Ocean Trawl Fishery under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Export approval for the New South Wales Ocean Trawl Fishery expires on 2 July 2021. In April 2021, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment received an application ‘Assessment of the NSW Ocean Trawl Fishery’ from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. The application has been prepared to address the Australian Government ‘Guidelines for the ecologically sustainable management of fisheries – 2nd edition’. The application will be used to assess the operation of the fishery for the purposes of Parts 13 and 13A of the EPBC Act.

Consideration will be given to:

• declaring the New South Wales Ocean Trawl Fishery, as managed consistent with the Fisheries Management Act 1994; Fisheries Management (General) Regulation 2019; Fisheries Management (Supporting Plan) Regulation 2006; Fisheries Management (Ocean Trawl Share Management Plan) Regulation 2006, as an approved wildlife trade operation, under section 303FN of the EPBC Act, and
• including in the list of exempt native specimens, specimens harvested in the New South Wales Ocean Trawl Fishery, as managed consistent with the Fisheries Management Act 1994; Fisheries Management (General) Regulation 2019; Fisheries Management (Supporting Plan) Regulation 2006; Fisheries Management (Ocean Trawl Share Management Plan) Regulation 2006.

In accordance with the provisions of sections 303FR and 303DC of the EPBC Act, you are invited to comment on this proposal. The call for public comments is open from 28 April 2021 until 28 May 2021. Electronic copies of the application and the guidelines are available from the Department’s website at http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/marine/fisheries or a hard copy can be mailed to you upon request.

Please submit your comments to: The Director Wildlife Trade Assessments Section Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment GPO Box 858 CANBERRA ACT 2601

Submissions may also be emailed 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, please contact sustainablefisheries@awe.gov.au.