Wildlife Trade Management Plan Crocodile Farming in the Northern Territory 2021 - 2025.

The Wildlife Trade Management Plan (WTMP) for crocodile farming in the Northern Territory (NT) for the period 2021–2025 constitutes a legally sanctioned framework under subsection 303FO of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), facilitating the sustainable commercial utilisation of Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus). The Plan is predicated upon compliance with both domestic legislation and international obligations, notably the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The WTMP delineates a dual-objective regime: firstly, to ensure the long-term conservation of the species and its habitat within the NT; and secondly, to manage the species for the socio-economic benefit of Territorians, particularly Indigenous communities. The plan is underpinned by principles of evidence-based decision-making and adherence to animal welfare standards codified in the relevant legislation and codes of practice. Management arrangements under the WTMP include the establishment of annual harvest ceilings (viable eggs and live crocodiles—based) to ensure ecological sustainability. Permitting mechanisms are administered by the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security (DEPWS), encompassing enterprise permits for farms, take permits for live harvest and egg collection, and import/export permits aligned with CITES requirements. Compliance is monitored through audits, inspections, and reporting obligations, with enforcement measures available for breaches. The Plan mandates annual reporting to the Commonwealth, detailing harvest statistics, permit issuance, farm holdings, and compliance indicators. Monitoring of population trends is conducted via spotlight surveys and harvest return analysis, with adaptive management provisions in place should significant population declines be detected.