An application for an aquaculture licence, lease or exemption can be lodged online through the iApply portal.
Go to iApplyOnline applications are suitable for:
- the grant of an aquaculture licence
- the variation of an aquaculture licence
- the grant of an aquaculture lease
- the grant of an exemption.
To lodge an application in iApply, you will need to request a personal account by emailing aquaculture@dpird.wa.gov.au the following details:
- individual or registered company name
- email address
- contact phone number.
Once an iApply account has been created, you will receive an email with your account login details and can begin making an application. Assessment of your application will begin once a completed application has been lodged.
User guides
The following user guides provide details on how to lodge an application in iApply:
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Grant of an aquaculture licence user guidepdf (248 KB)
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Variation of an aquaculture licence user guidepdf (285 KB)
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Grant of an aquaculture lease user guidepdf (544 KB)
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Grant of an exemption user guidepdf (2.08 MB)
Background documents
The following documents provide supporting information to guide your application:
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Administrative Guideline No. 1 – Assessment of Applications for Authorisations for Aquaculture and Pearlingpdf (834 KB)
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Administrative Guideline No. 2 – Principles for Grant and Management of Aquaculture Leases in Coastal Waters of Western Australiapdf (598 KB)
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Management and Environmental Monitoring Plan (MEMP) Guidance Statementpdf (390 KB)
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Aquaculture Management and Environmental Monitoring Plan (MEMP) Templatedoc (151 KB)
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Fee for initial application for the licence |
$180 |
|
Fee for application for renewal of the licence |
$92 |
|
Fee for the grant or renewal of an authorisation |
$363 |
|
Cost of licence for first year |
$180 + $363 = $543 |
|
Cost of licence subsequent years |
$92 + $363 = $455 |
|
Fee for initial application for the licence |
$180 |
|
Fee for application for renewal of the licence |
$92 |
|
Fee for the grant or renewal of an authorisation |
No fee |
|
Cost of licence for first year |
$180 |
|
Cost of licence subsequent years |
$92 |
|
Fee for initial application for the licence |
$814 |
|
Fee for application for renewal of the licence |
$92 |
|
Fee for the grant or renewal of an authorisation |
$363 |
|
Cost of licence for first year |
$814 + $363 = $1177 |
|
Cost of licence subsequent years |
$92 + $363 = $455 |
|
Fee for application for transfer or variation of an authorisation (freehold land) |
$180 |
|
Fee for application for transfer or variation of an authorisation (non-freehold land) |
$599 |
|
Fee for aquaculture lease, grant or renewal |
$2597 |
|
Finfish |
Non-finfish |
|
$35/hectare/year (years 1-5) $80/hectare/year (years 6-12) $160/hectare/year (years 13-21) |
$35/hectare/year (years 1-5) $50/hectare/year (years 6-12) $60/hectare/year (years 13-21) |
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Minimum fee (total amount $1000 per annum) |
|
|
Fee for an exemption to collect broodstock, grant |
$290 |
|---|---|
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Fee for an exemption to conduct an aquaculture trial, grant |
$2465 |
Anyone who keeps, breeds, hatches, cultures and sells fish is legally required to hold an aquaculture licence.
There are some exceptions where an aquaculture licence may not be required. These exceptions include:
- keeping fish for non-commercial purposes on private land
- keeping fish, except marron, for display or ornamental hobby purposes
- keeping fish for display or ornamental purposes in retail establishments
- keeping fish for display in public aquaria.
The Australian Business website provides details on the difference between a business and a hobby and can help you determine if your keeping of fish is a business or hobby. The Australian Taxation Office also provides further detail on what is considered a business.
An aquaculture licence authorises a specific aquaculture activity at a defined site, whereas a lease provides tenure for the specified area of land or water. An aquaculture lease does not authorise the use of the leased area without an aquaculture licence.
Proposals in coastal waters or areas vested in the Minister for Fisheries are required to be accompanied by an application for the grant of an aquaculture lease.
If you are not sure if your aquaculture proposal will be feasible and would like to undertake research prior to attempting the activity at a commercial scale, an exemption may be a more appropriate way to get started.
An exemption enables small scale research to determine the feasibility of your proposal before making applications for a licence and lease for commercial production. Exemptions are intended for short-term (up to 3 years) use only and do not to replace the requirement to apply for a licence.
Further detail and instructions on how to apply for a licence, lease, or exemption is provided under the apply for aquaculture licence, lease or exemption section.
Broodstock collection may be required as part of a commercial aquaculture activity. Where obtaining a commercial fishing licence or acquiring broodstock from an existing licence holder is not practicable, applying for an aquaculture exemption may be appropriate.
An aquaculture licence is issued subject to conditions set out in Regulation 69 of the Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995. Additional conditions may also be specified in the licence by the CEO.
If an aquaculture lease is terminated or expires, the aquaculture licence authorising the activity being carried out in the leased area is cancelled. Similarly, if an aquaculture licence authoring the activity being carried out in the leased area is cancelled or not renewed, the lease is also terminated.
The department regularly reviews licence conditions to improve efficiency in licensing, management and compliance activities across all sectors of the aquaculture industry.
Licence holders must provide annual aquaculture production returns so that the department can compile annual aquaculture production statistics. This data is essential for efficient industry management.
Annual production returns can be submitted online. Information on how to submit production returns electronically can be found on our aquaculture reporting page.
Alternatively, an Aquaculture Production Annual Returns Book, can be provided by the department upon request.
Contact us
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Aquaculture Management1 Nash Street, Perth WA 6000 Australia
Post: Locked Bag 4, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983