Importing Exotic fish
Due to the impacts of coronavirus on working arrangements, stakeholders are requested to contact the Wildlife Trade Sections via email rather than telephone. Please email wps@awe.gov.au with any questions about applying for a permit or for queries relating to existing permit applications. If you have an existing application, please include your application reference number in your email. We will respond to your query as soon as possible.
About the document
Fish species that do not occur naturally in Australia are known as exotic fish. Some exotic fish are popular aquarium pets, but if released they pose a serious threat to Australia’s aquatic ecosystems.
The import of exotic fish into Australia is controlled by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), administered by the Department of the Environment and Energy (the Department), and the Biosecurity Act 2015 as administered by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR).