Collect animal materials for scientific research

Anyone who wants to collect native animal materials for scientific research must:

  • apply for a permit
  • get a benefit-sharing agreement.

Planned research is bioprospecting if it meets the definition in section 5 of the Biological Resources Act 2006.

Confirm your project is bioprospecting

You must get written confirmation about whether the proposed project is bioprospecting, as defined in section 5 of the Act.

Email managementbra.daf@nt.gov.au to request confirmation.

Apply for a permit

If you want to conduct research on native species from terrestrial or marine ecosystems, you must apply for a permit from the relevant department below.

If your application is successful, you will be notified and issued with a valid permit.

To access native animal materials on land, you must get approval from the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the NT.

Fill in an application for a permit to undertake scientific research on wildlife:

Application for a permit to undertake scientific research on wildlife PDF (177.1 KB)
Application for a permit to undertake scientific research on wildlife DOCX (66.7 KB)

You must include:

  • written informed consent from the resource access provider, as per section 28 of the Act, and
  • either:
    • a signed benefit-sharing agreement, or
    • proof that you have started the process to get a benefit-sharing agreement with the resource access provider, as per sections 29 and 30 of the Act.

Submit your application and supporting documents to the Parks and Wildlife permits office.

To access native animal materials from marine environments, you must get approval from NT Fisheries.

Fill in the section 17 special permit form DOCX (58.5 KB).

You must include:

  • written informed consent from the resource access provider, as per section 28 of the Act, and
  • either:
    • a signed benefit-sharing agreement, or
    • proof that you have started the process to get a benefit-sharing agreement with the resource access provider, as per sections 29 and 30 of the Act.

Submit your form and supporting documents to NT Fisheries.

Get a benefit-sharing agreement

You must enter into a benefit-sharing agreement with the resource access provider.

A resource access provider could be:

  • the NT Government (for example, national parks, pastoral leases, Territory waters)
  • a freehold landholder
  • the Aboriginal Land Trust.

Find the full definition of resource access providers in section 6 of the Act.

Under the Biological Resources Act 2006, you can get a benefit-sharing agreement before or after you get a permit. No matter the order, parties must have an agreement completed.

How to negotiate

To enter into a benefit-sharing agreement, you must negotiate a benefit-sharing deed.

To help you draft a deed, you can use the templates below as a guide.

If you enter into an agreement with a government access provider, follow these steps:

Step 1. Get the NT benefit sharing deed template DOCX (98.1 KB).

Step 2. Update the template as necessary. You can get legal help if needed.

Step 3. Check that the deed meets all requirements listed in section 29 of the Act.

Step 4. Email the draft deed for review to managementbra.daf@nt.gov.au.

If you enter into an agreement with a non-government access provider, follow these steps:

Step 1. Get the non-NT benefit sharing deed template DOCX (100.6 KB).

Step 2. Negotiate an agreement directly with the access provider.

Step 3. Check the deed meets all requirements listed in section 29 of the Act.

To find out more about bioprospecting, go to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries website.

Contact

For more information, contact Industry Development and Corporate Services by:

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