Wildlife trade and conservation

Wildlife trade operations

If you want to export for commercial purposes an Australian native wildlife specimen (unless exempt) and/or CITES-listed specimen, it must come from an approved program such as a wildlife trade operation. You can seek an export permit from the federal environment department (applicants still have to apply and be assessed as suitable under national environment law).

A wildlife trade operation is an operation taking specimens that meets legal requirements, such as a market testing operation, a small-scale operation, a developmental operation, a commercial fishery, a provisional operation or an existing stocks operation.

Wildlife trade operations are made through an instrument signed by the Australian Government environment minister and published in the Australian Government Gazette. The minister may specify the period, the circumstances or the conditions under which the operation will be subject in the declaration.  Approval is for a maximum of three years. A declaration may be varied by specifying additional or new conditions or revoking or varying existing conditions by a subsequent instrument published in the Gazette.

Approved wildlife trade operations

The table below lists the types of wildlife trade operations that are currently approved under national environment law. Conditions of approval, additional to the species covered and period of approval, are specified in the individual declarations.

Existing stocks
State Program name Species Organisation Approval period Declarations and variations
From To
Vic Commercial export of taxidermied specimens of native Australian wildlife   South Pacific Taxidermy 29 June 2011 28 June 2014 South Pacific Taxidermy
Small scale
State Program name Species Organisation Approval period Declarations and variations
From To
NSW MDS Australia Pty Ltd Various avian species MDS Australia Pty Ltd 26 September 2010 25 September 2013 MDS Australia Pty Ltd
NSW David Cassat Various invertebrate species David Cassat 26 September 2010 25 September 2013 David Cassat
NSW & Vic Dirk Drenske Various ant species Dirk Drenske 27 January 2010 31 December 2012 Dirk Drenske
Qld Export of marine specimens for biodiscovery research and development Marine Phyla Australian Institute of Marine Sciences (AIMS) 21 September 2011 20 September 2014 AIMS Bioresources Library
Qld Export of Australian Lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) Australian Lungfish (Neoceratodus forsteri) Jindalee International Pty Ltd 1 June 2011 31 May 2014 Jindalee International Pty Ltd
Qld Invertebrates   Australian Insect Farm 1 January 2010 31 December 2012 Australian Insect Farm
Qld Soul Home Various invertebrate species Soul Home 12 October 2011 11 October 2014 Soul Home
SA Venom, venom products and other products derived from venomous snakes Native Snakes (excluding threatened species) Venom Supplies 31 August 2011 30 August 2014 SA snake
Tas Tasmanian Native Flora and Fillers Various native species Tasmanian Native Flora and Fillers 21 September 2011 20 September 2014 Tasmanian Native Flora and Fillers
Tas Bennett's Wallaby skins Macropus rufogriseus Lenah Game Meats 1 November 2009 31 October 2012 Lenah Game Meats
Vic Commercial export of taxidermied specimens of native Australian wildlife   South Pacific Taxidermy 29 June 2011 28 June 2014 South Pacific Taxidermy
Vic Rich River Cut Flower Suppliers Calocephalus sonderi (Pale Beauty Heads) and Pycnosorus globosus (Billy Buttons) Rich River Cut Flower Suppliers 11 November 2009 10 November 2012
Vic Mr Fern - Victorian tree ferns Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis Mr Fern Nurseries 27 January 2010 26 January 2013 Mr Fern
Vic Tree-ferns Dicksonia antarctica M & K Cole Ferns 18 February 2009 17 February 2012 M & K Cole Ferns
WA Merv Cooper's Crazy Crabs Coenobita variabilis (Land Hermit Crabs) Merv Cooper's Crazy Crabs 16 September 2009 31 January 2012 Merv Cooper's Crazy Crabs
Commercial fisheries
State/territory Program name Species Organisation Approval period Declarations and variations
From To
Commonwealth Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery Various Australian Fisheries Management Authority 23 November 2007 23 November 2010 Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery
Commonwealth Coral Sea Fishery Various Australian Fisheries Management Authority 19 November 2007 19 March 2009 Coral Sea Fishery
Commonwealth Western Trawl Fisheries Various Australian Fisheries Management Authority 19 November 2007 19 March 2009 Western Trawl Fisheries
Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery Southern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) Australian Fisheries Management Authority 22 February 2008 25 June 2010 Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery
Commonwealth Southern and Eastern scalefish and shark various scalefish, shark and invertebrate species Australian Fisheries Management Authority 21 December 2006 22 December 2009 Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark
Commonwealth Scientific Surveys for the Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery Commercial Scallops (Pecten fumatus) and Doughboy Scallops Mimachlamys asperrima Australian Fisheries Management Authority 30 May 2007 17 November 2009 Bass Strait Scallops
Commonwealth Small Pelagics Fishery Various Australian Fisheries Management Authority 6 December 07 27 February 09 Small Pelagics Fishery
NT Northern Territory Trepang Fishery Various Northern Territory Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development 21 December 2007 21 December 2010 NT Trepang Fishery
NT Northern Territory Offshore Net and Line Fishery Various Northern Territory Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries and Mines 21 November 2007 28 November 2010 Northern Territory Offshore Net and Line Fishery
NT Northern Territory Aquarium Fishery Various Northern Territory Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries and Mines 29 June 2005 29 June 2008 Northern Territory Aquarium Fishery
Qld Queensland Blue Swimmer Crab Fishery Various Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 19 October 2007 19 October 2010 More about the Queensland Blue Swimmer Crab Fishery
Qld Queensland East Coast Spanish Mackerel Fishery Various Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 31 October 2007 31 October 2010 Queensland East Coast Spanish Mackerel Fishery
Qld Queensland East Coast Beche-de-mer Fishery Various Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 21 December 2007 21 December 2010 Queensland East Coast Beche-de-mer Fishery
Qld Queensland Finfish (Stout Whiting) Trawl Fishery Various Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 23 November 2007 20 November 2010 Queensland Finfish (Stout Whiting) Trawl Fishery
Qld Gulf of Carpentaria Developmental Finfish Trawl Fishery Various Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 29 November 2007 29 November 2010 Gulf of Carpentaria Developmental Finfish Trawl Fishery
Qld Incidental havest of Sygnathid - Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery Solegnathus dunckeri (Duncker's pipehorse), Solegnathus hardwickii (Pallid pipehorse) Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 29 November 2007 29 November 2010 Queensland East Coast Otter Trawl Fishery
Qld Queensland East Coast Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery Various Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 21 December 2007 21 December 2010 Queensland East Coast Tropical Rock Lobster Fishery
Qld Gulf of Carpentaria Line Fishery Various Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 31 August 2007 30 August 2010 Gulf of Carpentaria Line Fishery
Qld Gulf of Carpentaria Inshore Finfish Fishery Various Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 22 August 2007 20 August 2009 Gulf of Carpentaria Inshore Finfish Fishery
SA Giant Crab Giant Crabs Department of Primary Industries and Resources South Australia 14 March 2007 14 March 2010 SA Giant Crab Fishery
Tas King Island Cast Bull Kelp Fishery Durvillaea potatorum (bull kelp) Kelp Industries Pty Ltd 19 February 2008 15 February 2011 Tas Kelp
Tas Giant Crabs giant crabs (Pseudocarcinus gigas) Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment 18 July 2006 22 July 2009 Tas Giant Crab
Tas Tasmanian Scalaris Abalone Fishery Various Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment 17 February 2005 24 February 2008 Tas scalaris abalone
Vic Victorian Giant Crab Fishery Giant Crabs Department of Primary Industries Victoria 14 March 2007 19 March 2010 Vic Giant Crab Fishery
Vic PQ Aquatics Phycodorus eques (leafy seadragon)
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (weedy seadragon)
Hippocampus breviceps (short headed seahorse)
Hippocampus abdominalis (pot bellied seahorse)		 PQ Aquatics 20 December 2006 31 December 2009 PQ Aquatics
Vic Victorian Developmental Jellyfish Fishery Catostylus mosaicus (Jellyfish) Fisheries Victoria 6 June 2007 10 April 2010 Vic Jellyfish
WA Beche-de-mer Fishery Various Department of Fisheries Western Australia 21 December 2007 20 December 2010 WA Beche-de-mer Fishery
WA Pilbara Trap Fishery Various Department of Fisheries Western Australia 11 November 2004 30 November 2007 Pilbara Trap Fishery
WA South Coast Crustacean Fishery Crustaceans Department of Fisheries Western Australia 12 November 2007 16 July 2008 South Coast Crustacean Fishery
WA Shark Bay Experimental Crab Fishery Various Department of Fisheries Western Australia 14 November 2007 12 November 2010 Shark Bay Experimental Crab Fishery
WA West Coast Deep Sea Crab Interim Managed Fishery Deep Sea Crabs Department of Fisheries Western Australia 14 March 2007 14 March 2010 West Coast Deep Sea Crab Interim Managed Fishery
WA Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery Various Department of Fisheries Western Australia 30 November 2007 30 April 2008 Western Australian Pilbara Fish Trawl Interim Managed Fishery
Development
Currently no wildlife trade operations under this heading
Market testing
Currently no wildlife trade operations under this heading

Application form and guidelines

Applying for approval of a wildlife trade operation

If you would like your operation to be included in the list of approved wildlife trade operation (to be assessed as suitable under national environment law), complete the:

Commercial trade

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Last updated: Friday, 13-Jan-2012 14:57:10 EST