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Commonwealth of Australia

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)

Section 279

Variation of a Threat Abatement Plan

I, GREG HUNT, Minister for the Environment, under section 279 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), having reviewed the Threat Abatement Plan 2006 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations, which was registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments on 16 October 2006, have decided to vary that threat abatement plan by replacing it with a revised threat abatement plan for the key threatening process as specified below:

The Threat Abatement Plan 2014 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations will come into force on the day after the plan is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.

The Plan is available electronically from the Australian Government Department of the Environment’s website at: http://www.environment.gov.au. Copies of the Plan can also be requested from the Department’s Community Information Unit (ciu@environment.gov.au); or by post to the Australian Government Department of the Environment, GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 or by telephone on 1800 803 772.

Dated this     14th           day of     August   2014.

 

Greg Hunt

Minister for the Environment

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Threat Abatement Plan 2014

for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

Department of the Environment

ISBN: 978-1876934231 (Pbk) ISBN: 978-1876934248 (Pdf)

 

This publication is available on the internet at:
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/tap-approved.html

 

It is also available be emailing the Department of the Environment at cui@environment.gov.au or freecall 1800 803 772.

 

This plan should be cited as: Commonwealth of Australia (2014). Threat Abatement Plan 2014 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations, Department of the Environment, Canberra.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Commonwealth of Australia 2014

This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to Department of the Environment, Public Affairs, GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 or email public.affairs@environment.gov.au.

 

Disclaimer

The contents of this document have been compiled using a range of source materials and are valid as at July 2014. The Australian Government is not liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of or reliance on the contents of the document.

 

Contents

Summary

Introduction

Threat abatement plans

Background

Objective

Actions to achieve the objective

Mitigation actions

Research and development, and innovation

Other actions

Data collection and analysis

Criteria to measure performance of threat abatement plan

Duration and cost of threat abatement process

Organisations and persons involved in evaluating the performance of threat abatement plan

Major ecological matters that may be affected by threat abatement plan

References

Annex: Summary of the seabird species affected by oceanic longline fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone

 

Glossary

 

Summary

Oceanic longlining is a fishing method used to target pelagic and demersal finfish and shark species. This method involves setting one or more single mainlines containing many individual hooks on branch lines or snoods. The mainline can either be anchored or drifting. It can be oriented vertically or horizontally in the water column and vary considerably in length and number of hooks. Longlining occurs in almost all Australian waters.

The adverse impact of longline fishing activities on seabirds was not fully realised until the 1980s. The incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations was listed as a key threatening process on 24 July 1995. Threat abatement plans for this key threatening process have been in place since 1998 with the current plan, Threat Abatement Plan 2014 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during longline fishing operations, made on 14 August 2014. The ultimate aim of this plan is to achieve zero bycatch of seabirds from longline fishing in Commonwealth fisheries.

Considerable progress has been made under successive threat abatement plans to reduce the impact of oceanic longlining on seabirds. This has been achieved through the combined efforts of the fishing industry, researchers and non-governmental stakeholders working with government to reduce seabird bycatch in longline fisheries in a feasible, effective and efficient way. The prescriptions in this plan recognise this success and seek to further reduce the incidental capture of seabirds.

Threat abatement plans provide a national strategy to guide the activities of government, industry and research organisations in abating the impact of key threatening processes. The content of a plan must provide for the research, management and other actions necessary to reduce the key threatening process to an acceptable level. Content requirements and matters to be taken into consideration are outlined in s 271 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Protection Act 1999. Accordingly, this plan, among other things, states the objective to be achieved; specifies the actions to achieve the objective; states the criteria to measure performance of the plan; identifies the organisations and persons involved in evaluating the performance of the plan; and identifies albatross and other seabird species affected by the key threatening process. The plan is subject to review within five years.

 

Introduction

This threat abatement plan is a variation to the Threat Abatement Plan 2006 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations (Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2006). It has been developed by the Department of the Environment to continue to implement existing, as well as new actions needed to abate the listed key threatening process of incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations in a feasible, effective and efficient way. The plan binds the Commonwealth and its agencies in responding to the impact of longline fishing activities on seabirds, and identifies the research, management and other actions needed to reduce the impacts of this key threatening process on affected seabird species. The plan will be reviewed within five years.

Threat abatement plans

Under s 270A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) the Commonwealth Government develops threat abatement plans; implements the actions under these plans that are its direct responsibility; and facilitates the implementation of actions where other groups share the implementation responsibilities (e.g. fishers, states and territories). Part 13 of the EPBC Act describes the process, content and consultation required when making or varying a threat abatement plan. The legislation requires the Government to implement the plans to the extent to which they apply in areas under Commonwealth control and responsibility. In addition, government agencies must not take any actions that contravene a threat abatement plan. Where a plan applies outside Commonwealth areas in states or territories, the Commonwealth must seek the cooperation of the affected jurisdiction, with a view to jointly implementing the threat abatement plan.

Background

Oceanic longline fishing is a method used to target pelagic and demersal finfish and shark species. Longline fishing occurs in almost all Australian waters today. The adverse impact of longline fishing activities on seabirds was not fully realised until the 1980s when seabird bycatch was first reported and then documented.

The incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations was listed as a key threatening process on 24 July 1995. Under Commonwealth legislation, now the EPBC Act, an initial threat abatement plan was prepared and approved by the Minister in 1998. Following review after five years a second plan was approved by the Minister in 2006. A review of that threat abatement plan was undertaken in 2011. This Threat Abatement Plan 2014 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations is a result of that review.

This threat abatement plan meets the requirements of the EPBC Act and coordinates national action to alleviate the impact of longline fishing activities on seabirds in Australian waters. Its content reflects changes and improvements which have occurred during the life of the previous plan and highlights the expectation of best and improving practice in all longline fisheries in achieving the ultimate goal and interim objective of this plan. It applies to all longline fisheries under Commonwealth jurisdiction.

Over the life of the previous threat abatement plans, substantial progress has been achieved towards reducing the key threatening process. The incidental bycatch rates for several fisheries are well below the 0.01 or 0.05 birds per 1000 hooks, the maximum permissible levels set as a performance indicator under the previous plan. The prescriptions in this plan recognise this success and seek to further reduce the incidental capture of seabirds.

Only five longline fisheries operating in the Australian Fishing Zone have been identified as having significant or potential seabird bycatch problems, from among the number of longline fisheries operating in Australian waters. These are the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery, the Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery, the Antarctic Fishery, the Coral Sea Fishery and the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery. These fisheries are managed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).

Information on the level and nature of interactions between seabirds and fishing gear has increased significantly since 1995 and there is now extensive information available upon which to base decision-making. Considerable research and development activities have been undertaken into seabird bycatch mitigation measures including at sea trials. This work could not have been achieved without the continued engagement and support of industry. The prescriptions in this threat abatement plan also draw on best and improving practices in seabird bycatch mitigation for oceanic longline fishing developed under the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP). This international agreement, to which Australia is a Party, aims to achieve and maintain a favourable conservation status for albatrosses and petrels (ACAP, 2013a; 2013b). ACAP has been developed under the auspices of another international agreement, the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). There is now increased confidence concerning the effectiveness of several mitigation measures, particularly line weighting strategies, use of bird-scaring lines, retention of offal during line setting, and night setting (in certain instances). These mitigation measures form the basis of the prescriptions set out in this threat abatement plan.

This threat abatement plan is closely linked to recovery plans for threatened seabirds caught on longlines; the Threat Abatement Plan for the impacts of marine debris on vertebrate marine life (DEWHA, 2009); Australia’s National Plan of Action ‑ Seabirds that is being prepared to meet Australia’s commitment to the International Plan of Action for Reducing the Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries (FAO, 1999); and the National Policy on Fisheries Bycatch (DAFF, 1999) that is under review. This threat abatement plan relies on the recovery plans to collect specific data on population trends of those threatened species found breeding in Australia. Of particular relevance is the National recovery plan for threatened albatrosses and giant petrels (DSWEPC, 2011), which updates the first recovery plan for albatrosses and giant petrels that was released in 2001. The recovery plan sets out a coordinated conservation strategy for albatrosses and giant petrels listed as threatened under the EPBC Act. It considers threats to albatrosses and giant petrels both at terrestrial breeding sites and at sea in their foraging habitat.

This threat abatement plan represents an important component of Australia’s domestic contribution to the global conservation of seabirds by managing the threat of incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations. However, conservation of migratory seabird species relies on more than Australian action. Mitigation strategies, such as those outlined in this plan, should be pursued in international waters and waters under the jurisdiction of other nations, particularly those in the southern hemisphere. Australia is actively pursuing such action through, among other things, those regional fisheries management organisations to which it is a Party, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, ACAP and CMS.

The following sets out the threat abatement plan for the listed key threatening process of incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations.

Objective

Threat abatement plans must state the objective to be achieved (EPBC Act s 271(2)(a)). The goal of this threat abatement plan is to achieve a zero bycatch of seabirds, especially threatened albatross and petrel species, in all longline fisheries. However, using currently available mitigation methods, this goal may not be realistic in the short-term, although it is expected that improved and emerging mitigation measures will mean near-zero bycatch is feasible within the life of this plan. Therefore, the objective of this threat abatement plan is to continue to significantly reduce the seabird bycatch and bycatch rate during oceanic longline fishing operations in the Australian Fishing Zone.

As many seabird species have large distributional ranges, actions by Australia alone are unlikely to be sufficient to prevent any decline in some populations. Accordingly, Commonwealth Government agencies will pursue the global adoption of bycatch and other threat mitigation strategies through international conservation and fisheries management forums.

The objective of this threat abatement plan is to be achieved through five key actions:

1.              Mitigation – effective measures will continue to be applied, both through legislative frameworks and fishing practices, to ensure seabird bycatch and bycatch rates are continually reduced, recognising the importance of other factors such as safety, practicality and the characteristics of the fishery.
2.              Education – results from data analysis will continue to be communicated throughout the community, stakeholder groups and international forums, and programs will continue or be established to provide information and education to longline operators.
3.              International initiatives – global adoption of seabird by-catch mitigation trigger and other limits, and effective bycatch and other threat mitigation methods will continue to be pursued through international conservation and fisheries management forums.
4.              Research and Development and Uptake – research into new and existing mitigation measures and their development, trial, adoption and assessment will continue to be supported including, as relevant, research into whether mitigation measures are ineffective, through the granting of individual permits and the potential approval of new measures to apply throughout a fishery.
5.              Innovation – innovation in ‘bird friendly’ fishing measures and devices will continue to be encouraged.

Data collection and analysis are other key actions of this threat abatement plan. Data will be collected and analysed to assess the performance of this threat abatement plan including mitigation measures and to improve knowledge of seabird-longline interactions.

Actions to achieve the objective

Threat abatement plans must specify actions needed to achieve the objective(s) (EPBC Act s 271(2)(c)). This threat abatement plan requires that government agencies identified below implement the following actions. The EPBC Act also requires that all government agencies act in a manner that is consistent with and does not undermine the provisions of this plan.

Mitigation actions

1.              AFMA will require all pelagic longline tuna fishers operating within either the Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery or the Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery, or both fisheries, southwards of the parallel of 25 degrees South to:

2.              employ a line-weighting strategy approved by AFMA that enables the bait to be rapidly taken below the reach of most seabirds;

3.              employ at least one bird-scaring line constructed to a specified standard approved by AFMA, or use another proven mitigation measure approved by AFMA for use without such a line;

4.               not discharge offal during line setting; and

5.              employ, as part of an adaptive management approach to seabird bycatch mitigation, such other mitigation measures as AFMA may stipulate following consultation with the Department of the Environment (including, but not limited to, use of bird exclusion devices and/or managing offal discharge during line hauling, night setting, and area closures).

6.              AFMA will continue to require domestic and foreign vessels in all longline fisheries operating within Australian jurisdiction to adopt proven mitigation measures that ensure the performance criteria for each fishery are achieved in all areas and seasons.

7.              AFMA will implement an appropriate management response (described below) if the circumstances described in the table below occur, or data analysis indicates that the performance criteria, defined in this threat abatement plan, have not been met in any fishing area, season or fishery, or that independent monitoring has dropped below acceptable levels. Consistent with an adaptive management approach, the management response will be implemented as soon as practical, but no later than within three months of identification of a problem.

1.              AFMA will consider the different demersal longline sectors in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery when applying a management response.
2.              AFMA will take into account the conservation status of seabirds caught during longline fishing operations in determining whether a more rigorous management response is required.
3.              AFMA and the Department of the Environment will report annually to the stakeholder group on progress towards achieving the objective of this threat abatement plan and implementation of actions under the plan.
4.              AFMA will implement extension and training programs for longline fishers, where appropriate.
5.              AFMA will implement a risk based compliance strategy to ensure that all requirements of this threat abatement plan relevant to the mitigation of seabird bycatch are complied with. AFMA will provide to the stakeholder group annual summary compliance reports including using, as appropriate, templates, such as those required by the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna. These reports will include an assessment of the effectiveness of implementation of all mitigation measures and describe any incidents of non-reporting of interactions or mortalities.
6.              AFMA and the Department of Agriculture will communicate the results of implementing this threat abatement plan and promote seabird bycatch mitigation and the need to use effective mitigation measures to foreign fishers through international fisheries forums. The Department of Agriculture will report annually to the stakeholder group on progress made on this action.
7.          The Department of the Environment will communicate the results of implementing this threat abatement plan. It will promote seabird bycatch mitigation and need to use effective mitigation measures in relevant international conservation forums, including ACAP and CMS. The Department of the Environment will report annually to the stakeholder group on progress made on this action.

Research and development, and innovation

1.          AFMA, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Environment will promote and support research and development of new and existing mitigation measures, including by facilitating access to and awareness among stakeholders of fisheries research funding programs, particularly those conducting research and development into seabird mitigation measures.
2.          AFMA will support trials of new seabird bycatch mitigation measures and devices under operational conditions by granting individual scientific permits to operators. As appropriate, the Department of the Environment will provide advice to help in ensuring the experimental design of trials is robust, scientifically and otherwise, and will be properly complied with. Measures will be tested for a sufficient amount of fishing effort and in a manner that takes proper account of differences across seasons and between boats, and gives confidence in the results. Once a new seabird bycatch mitigation measure or device has been demonstrated to consistently and effectively meet the threat abatement plan criteria, it may be included in the management arrangements for fisheries.
3.          AFMA will encourage innovation in the research, development, adoption and review of effective seabird bycatch mitigation measures and devices including international research.

Other actions

Data collection and analysis

1.          AFMA will collect data on the bycatch of seabirds, and effectiveness of mitigation measures. In addition to collecting these data from fishing operator logbook reports AFMA will independently monitor fishing activities through the use of AFMA scientific observers or other independent observers approved by AFMA and/or electronic monitoring systems approved by AFMA. The level of independent monitoring shall be commensurate with the nature and level of seabird bycatch in each fishing area, season and fishery and comply with the requirements set out below.
2.          The minimum level of on-board observer coverage by AFMA scientific observers or other independent observers is set out in the table below.

1.          Video footage collected as part of independent monitoring using an electronic monitoring system will be subject to independent auditing. AFMA will ensure auditing results in accurate reporting by fishing operators of hooks set, seabird interactions and the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

2.          AFMA will continue to require that all seabirds killed on longlines in the Australian Fishing Zone are:

3.              if feasible, brought aboard the vessel;

4.              reported to AFMA;

5.               reported to the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme, if banded;

6.              if feasible, collected whole or tissue sampled for analysis, and stored on board the vessel in a manner that limits decay, while meeting any vessel food safety requirements established by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service; and

7.              if feasible, either transported, as a whole seabird specimen or tissue sample, to a storage and analysis facility nominated by the Department of the Environment, or undergo other analysis, as required by the Department with these costs met by the Department.

The Department of the Environment will analyse collected seabird specimens or tissue samples to determine, as appropriate, species, subspecies, provenance (where possible), age, sex and breeding status and other relevant circumstances of the bycatch incident.

1.          AFMA and the Department of the Environment will analyse and review seabird-fisheries interactions data to assess seabird bycatch levels by fishing area, season, fishery and fishing method to monitor compliance with the criteria. These analyses will be prepared annually and take into account possible biases in independent monitoring. The analyses will be provided to the stakeholder group and will show, for each fishing area, season and fishery, the observed and overall bycatch rates, together with the species composition of any seabird bycatch, if available.

2.          AFMA will ensure that logbooks for all longline fisheries and/or electronic monitoring system information collection procedures accurately record:

3.              number of seabirds caught;

4.              species of seabirds caught;

5.               life status of seabirds caught;

6.              type of bait used;

7.              fishing gear and mitigation measures used and stage of operation when the seabird bycatch occurred;

8.                time of day/night of line setting and haul;

9.              date and location of the catch; and

10.              external factors (such as weather conditions and moon phase) that may influence seabird bycatch.

11.          AFMA will use independent monitoring to validate seabird bycatch data collected by fishing operators and reported through the logbook system, and to identify potential deficiencies in existing programs.

12.          AFMA, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Environment, together with representatives of key stakeholders and relevant experts, will collaborate to consider the impact of actions under this threat abatement plan on other marine species.

Criteria to measure performance of threat abatement plan

Threat abatement plans must state criteria against which achievement of the objective(s) is to be measured (EPBC Act s 271(2)(b)). This threat abatement plan requires that seabird bycatch in all fishing areas, seasons and fisheries is less than the following bycatch rates:

Seabird bycatch occurs where a seabird is observed caught during longline fishing (see also the definition of interaction). This is the number of seabirds reported caught by an AFMA scientific observer or other independent observer approved by AFMA on board the fishing vessel and/or reported in the logbook records by the fishing operator where longline fishing is subject to independent monitoring using an electronic monitoring system approved by AFMA.

AFMA will monitor performance against these criteria at a fishery level and for individual vessels. AFMA may, as appropriate, hold individual vessels responsible for meeting the criteria and apply a management response to vessels that breach the criteria.

These criteria have been set on the basis of annual fishing levels at the time this threat abatement plan was approved. Trends in fishing effort will be reviewed annually and, if fishing levels increase or decrease significantly (by more than 20 per cent), AFMA and the Department of the Environment may review the maximum permissible bycatch rates identified above, taking into account spatial and temporal trends, and the vulnerability of seabird species encountered. AFMA, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Environment, may arrange more sophisticated analyses where bycatch rates are close to the maximum permissible levels and are uncertain.

Duration and cost of threat abatement process

Threat abatement plans may identify the duration and cost of the threat abatement process (EPBC Act s 271(4)(a)). This threat abatement plan will be reviewed within five years of its coming into force. The cost of this plan will be covered under the core business expenditure of the affected agencies. There are costs to industry in meeting the requirements set out in this plan. The overall costs should be similar to those incurred in implementing the previous plan, and are not expected to significantly increase, and may decrease in some instances as a result of this plan. These costs are an unavoidable consequence of the need to abate the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations in a feasible, effective and efficient manner.

Organisations and persons involved in evaluating the performance of threat abatement plan

Threat abatement plans may identify the organisations and persons involved in evaluating performance of the plan (EPBC Act s 271(4)(b)). The Department of the Environment will evaluate performance of this threat abatement plan in consultation with key stakeholders and relevant seabird experts. It will report the results of the review to the Minister for the Environment, through the Threatened Species Scientific Committee.

Major ecological matters that may be affected by threat abatement plan

Threat abatement plans may specify any major ecological matters that will be affected by the plan (EPBC Act s 271(4)(c)). This threat abatement plan is unlikely to affect other ecological matters, but all actions undertaken will take into account any impacts on the conservation status of non-seabird species including fish, sharks, marine mammals and marine reptiles.

References

ACAP (2013a). ACAP Summary advice for reducing impact of demersal longlines on seabirds. Available on the internet at:
http://www.acap.aq/index.php/en/bycatch-mitigation/cat_view/128-english/392-bycatch-mitigation/391-mitigation-advice

ACAP (2013b). ACAP Summary advice for reducing impact of pelagic longlines on seabirds. Available on the internet at:
http://www.acap.aq/index.php/en/bycatch-mitigation/cat_view/128-english/392-bycatch-mitigation/391-mitigation-advice

AFMA (2012a). Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery Management Plan 2010. Available on the internet at:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2012C00169

AFMA (2012b). Heard Island and McDonald Islands Fishery Management Plan 2002. Available on the internet at:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/F2005B02477

AFMA (2012c). Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery Management Plan 2003. Available on the internet at:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/F2005B02463

AFMA (2012d). Western Tuna and Billfish Fishery Management Plan 2005. Available on the internet at:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/F2005L03187

AFMA (2013). Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery Management Plan 2006. Available on the internet at:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/F2006L00933

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2009). National Policy on Fisheries Bycatch. Available on the internet at:
http://www.daff.gov.au/fisheries/environment/bycatch/nat_by_policy_1999

Department of the Environment and Water Resources (2006). Threat Abatement Plan 2006 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations. Available on the internet at:
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/science/southern-ocean-ecosystems-environmental-change-and-conservation/southern-ocean-fisheries/seabird-bycatch/threat-abatement-plan-seabirds

Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2009). Threat Abatement Plan for the impacts of marine debris on vertebrate marine life. Available on the internet at:
http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/threat-abatement-plan-impacts-marine-debris-vertebrate-marine-life

Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2011). National recovery plan for threatened albatrosses and giant petrels: 2011 – 2016. Available on the internet at:
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/recovery/albatrosses-and-giant-petrels.html

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (1999). International Plan of Action for reducing incidental catch of seabirds in longline fisheries. Available on the internet at:
http://www.fao.org/fishery/publications/ipoa/en

IUCN (2014). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Version 2014.1. Viewed: 1 July 2014. Available on the internet at:
www.iucnredlist.org

Annex: Summary of the seabird species affected by oceanic longline fishing in the Australian Fishing Zone

The following reflects current information on the taxonomy and conservation status of each seabird species, including information from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Version 2014.1 (IUCN, 2014) and ACAP. A distinction is drawn between species that breed and forage in areas under Australian jurisdiction and species foraging, but not breeding in areas under Australian jurisdiction. The likely incidence in longline bycatch is assessed in the absence of seabird mitigation measures.

• Species breeding in areas under Australian jurisdiction
• Species name International conservation status EPBC Act listing Likely incidence in longline bycatch Jurisdiction and location of breeding areas
• Wandering albatrossDiomedea exulans Vulnerable Vulnerable Moderate Australia: Heard Island, Macquarie IslandFrance: Iles Crozet, Iles KerguelenSouth Africa: Prince Edward IslandsUnited Kingdom/Argentina: South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)
• Black-browed albatrossThalassarche melanophris Near Threatened Vulnerable High Australia: Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Macquarie IslandChile: island groups of Diego de Almagro, Diego Ramirez, Evangelistas, and Ildefonso; islets in the Magallanes region, and Tierra del FuegoFrance: Iles Crozet, Iles KerguelenNew Zealand: Antipodes Island, Campbell IslandUnited Kingdom/Argentina: Falklands Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)
• Shy albatrossThalassarche cauta Near Threatened Vulnerable Moderate Australia: Tasmanian islands of Albatross, Mewstone, and Pedra Branca
• Grey-headed albatrossThalassarche chrysostoma Endangered Endangered Moderate Australia: Macquarie IslandChile: island groups of Diego Ramirez, and IldefonsoFrance: Iles Crozet, Iles KerguelenSouth Africa: Prince Edward IslandsNew Zealand: Campbell IslandUnited Kingdom/Argentina: South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)
• Light-mantled albatrossPhoebetria palpebrata Near Threatened Not listed Low Australia: Heard Island, Macquarie IslandFrance: Iles Crozet, Iles KerguelenNew Zealand: Antipodes Island, Auckland Islands, Campbell IslandSouth Africa: Prince Edward IslandsUnited Kingdom/Argentina: South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)
• Northern Giant PetrelMacronectes halli Least concern Vulnerable Low Australia: Macquarie IslandFrance: Iles Crozet, Iles KerguelenNew Zealand: Antipodes Island, Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham IslandSouth Africa: Prince Edward IslandsUnited Kingdom/Argentina: South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)
• Southern Giant PetrelMacronectes giganteus Least concern Endangered Low Antarctica: Australian Antarctic Territory (Frazier, Hawker and Giganteus Islands), Antarctic Peninsula, South Orkney Islands, South Shetland Islands, Terre AdélieArgentina: Isla Arce, Isla de los Estados, Isla Gran Robredo, Isla ObservatorioAustralia: Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Macquarie IslandChile: Isla Noir, Islas Diego RamirezFrance: Iles Crozet, Iles KerguelenNorway: Bouvet IslandSouth Africa: Prince Edward Islands United Kingdom/Argentina: Falklands Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur), South Sandwich Islands (Islas Sandwich del Sur)United Kingdom: Gough Island
• Great-winged PetrelPterodroma macroptera Least Concern Not listed Moderate Australia: southern and southwestern AustraliaFrance: Iles Crozet, Iles KerguelenNew Zealand: North Island South Africa: Prince Edward IslandUnited Kingdom: Tristan da Cunha Group
• Grey PetrelProcellaria cinerea Near Threatened Not listed Moderate Australia: Macquarie IslandFrance: Iles Amsterdam, Iles Crozet, Iles KerguelenNew Zealand: Antipodes Islands, Campbell IslandsSouth Africa: Prince Edward IslandsUnited Kingdom: Tristan da Cunha Group
• Wedge-tailed shearwaterArdenna pacificus Least Concern Not listed Moderate Australia: numerous island and coastal locationsOther: extensive distribution
• Flesh-footed shearwaterArdenna carneipes Least Concern Not listed High Australia: southern AustraliaFrance: Ile St PaulNew Zealand: North Island
• Sooty shearwaterArdenna griseus Near Threatened Not listed Low Australia: southeastern Australia (including Macquarie Island)Chile: southernNew Zealand: islands off New ZealandUnited Kingdom/Argentina: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
• Short-tailed shearwater Ardenna tenuirostris Least Concern Not listed Low Australia: southern Australia
• Southern skuaStercorarius antarcticus Least Concern Not listed Low Australia: Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Macquarie IslandOther: extensive distribution across sub-Antarctic

 

• Species foraging in areas under Australian jurisdiction
• Species name International conservation status EPBC Act listing Likely incidence in longline bycatch Jurisdiction and location of breeding areas
• Tristan albatrossDiomedea dabbenena Critically endangered Endangered Low United Kingdom: Tristan da Cunha Group
• Antipodean albatrossDiomedea antipodensis Vulnerable Vulnerable Low New Zealand: Antipodes Island, Auckland Islands, Campbell Island
• Northern royal albatross Diomedea sanfordi Endangered Endangered Low New Zealand: Chatham Islands (Big Sister Island, Little Sister Island, Forty-fours Island), South Island (Otago Peninsula, Taiaroa Head)
• Southern royal albatrossDiomedea epomophora Vulnerable Vulnerable Low New Zealand: Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, South Island (Taiaroa Head)
• Amsterdam albatrossDiomedea amsterdamensis Critically Endangered Endangered Low France: Iles Amsterdam
• Laysan albatrossPhoebastria immutabilis Near Threatened Not listed Low Japan: Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands (Mukojima)Marshall Islands: Wake AtollMexico: Isla Guadalupe, Islas Revillagigedos, Islas Rocas AlijosUnited States: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (including Laysan Island and Midway Atoll)
• Campbell albatrossThalassarche impavida Vulnerable Vulnerable High New Zealand: Campbell Island
• Buller's albatrossThalassarche bulleri Near Threatened Vulnerable Low New Zealand: Chatham Islands, Snares Islands, Solander Islands, Three Kings Islands
• White-capped albatrossThalassarche steadi Near Threatened Vulnerable Moderate New Zealand: Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Chatham Islands
• Salvin's albatrossThalassarche salvini Vulnerable Vulnerable Low New Zealand: Bounty Islands, Snares Islands
• Chatham albatrossThalassarche eremita Vulnerable Endangered Low New Zealand: Chatham Island
• Atlantic yellow-nosed albatrossThalassarche chlororhynchos Endangered Not listed Low United Kingdom: Tristan da Cunha Group
• Indian yellow-nosed albatrossThalassarche carteri Endangered Vulnerable Moderate France: Iles Amsterdam, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Iles St Paul South Africa: Prince Edward Islands
• Sooty albatrossPhoebetria fusca Endangered Vulnerable Low France: Iles Amsterdam, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Iles St Paul South Africa: Marion Island, Prince Edward IslandUnited Kingdom: Tristan da Cunha Group
• White-chinned PetrelProcellaria aequinoctialis Vulnerable Not listed Moderate France: Iles Crozet, Iles KerguelenNew Zealand: Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Campbell IslandsSouth Africa: Prince Edward IslandUnited Kingdom/Argentina: Falklands Islands (Islas Malvinas), South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur)
• Westland PetrelProcellaria westlandica Vulnerable Not listed Low New Zealand: South Island (Punakaiki)
• Black PetrelProcellaria parkinsoni Vulnerable Not listed Low New Zealand: Great Barrier Island, Little Barrier Island