Welcome to the Fish Translocation System

The Western Australian Government aims to protect our economy, the environment and the community by managing the risks of pests and diseases entering, emerging, establishing or spreading.

The translocation into and within the State of Western Australia (WA) of live fish1 that are not endemic2 to WA is common practice for a number of purposes and is managed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (Department).

Meeting the requirements of the FRMA and BAM Act

Fish are principally regulated under the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA) and the Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995 (FRMR). In relation to the import and movement within the state of live fish, noxious fish and non-endemic fish are regulated based on the species of fish. This translocation system is designed to assist you with this.

The import of fish is also regulated under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (BAM Act), in relation to the risk presented by what fish may be carrying (e.g. disease, other organisms) and the medium they are transported in (e.g. water that may contain other organisms). Please ensure your intended import complies with the BAM Act at https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/importing-animals/quarantine-organisms-and-potential-carriers.

Rainbow Trout

Translocation

Under FRMR regulation 176, fish that are not endemic to the State can only be translocated into and within WA in accordance with:

  1. the written approval of the CEO; or
  2. the written authority of the CEO; or
  3. an aquaculture licence3 (for commercial aquaculture activities).

The Department has developed a new online application and approval system to process applications for translocation approvals from the Chief Executive Officer. This will provide a faster, simpler service to industry.

The application process is free-of-charge and it should only take a few minutes to apply.

Approval types

The system manages three main ways to legally translocate (move) live non-endemic fish into and within Western Australia. You will need:

  • an Automated Translocation Approval (which you will receive immediately); or
  • a Streamlined Translocation Approval; or
  • a Standard Translocation Approval.

If you cannot not meet the requirements for an Automated Approval, you may still be eligible for another type of approval and the system will redirect you to submit either a Streamlined or Standard Translocation Application. The resulting application will be sent to the Department's Translocation Officer for processing.

Further information

You can contact the Translocation Officer for more information telephone 1300 374 731 or by email translocation@dpird.wa.gov.au.

To submit a new application, click on the button below.

New Application

Click the button below to retrieve an incomplete application.

Resume Application

You must notify the Fisheries office when translocating fish.

Shipment Notification

1 An aquatic organism of any species (whether alive or dead) and includes —

  1. the eggs, spat, spawn, seeds, spores, fry, larva or other source of reproduction or offspring of an aquatic organism; and
  2. a part only of an aquatic organism (including the shell or tail); and
  3. live rock and live sand,

but does not include aquatic mammals, aquatic reptiles, aquatic birds, amphibians or (except in relation to Part 3 and Division 1 of Part 11) pearl oysters.

2 Endemic to the State, an area of the State or WA waters means a fish that has a documented range of distribution, because of natural processes, in the State, that area of the State or WA waters.

3 For aquaculture licences, please see Administrative Guideline 1 - Assessment of Applications for Authorisations for Aquaculture and Pearling in Coastal Waters of Western Australia Administrative Guideline