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.
| 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 | |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Currently no wildlife trade operations under this heading |
| 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
- Approved sources for commercial trade
- Aquaculture programs
- Artificial propagation programs
- Captive breeding programs
- Commercial import programs
- Wildlife trade management plans
- Wildlife trade operations
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