Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p41
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 41/98)
Character Range: 334499–337591

sub-Antarctic Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990, BirdLife International 2004, ACAP 2012m). Birds breeding on Macquarie Island foraged an average 1516 km from the island in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic waters (Weimerskirch & Robertson 1994), however very little is known about the foraging strategies of the Light-mantled Albatross outside the breeding season. The size of the breeding populations of Light-mantled Albatross on Heard Island, McDonald Islands and Macquarie Island before human visitation is unknown. Harvesting of eggs and/or birds may have occurred during the 19th Century while the islands were occupied by sealers (Cumpston 1968, Townrow 1988, Downes 2002).

An island-wide census of the breeding population of Light-mantled Albatross on Macquarie Island was last conducted in 2013 with 2150 ± 300 breeding pairs recorded, with the population currently monitored at three study sites with 79 (67-131) breeding pairs recorded in 2019-20 (DPIPWE 2021a). The population breeding on Heard Island has not been systematically surveyed since 1954 when it was estimated there were 200-500 breeding pairs on the island (Downes et al. 1959), with a later estimate of 500 breeding pairs (minimum) (Woehler 2006). A small population was recorded on McDonald Islands (Johnstone 1980), but its current size is unknown. Visits to McDonald Islands are not permitted, as the location is subject to intermittent volcanic activity (Stephenson et al. 2005, Commonwealth of Australia 2014).

Population estimates and trends

The breeding population of Light-mantled Albatross on Macquarie Island is experiencing a moderate decline based on a TRIM (TRends and Indices for Monitoring data) analysis (Pannekoek & van Strien 2006) over the past 10 years (DPIPWE 2021a), with no estimates available for Heard Island and McDonald Islands.
Global estimates of population change over three generations for the species are subject to considerable uncertainty, due to an absence of comprehensive studies of all breeding populations, with a moderately rapid population decline suspected to be taking place over 100 years (BirdLife International 2018i). There were an estimated 15,900 breeding pairs in 2021, but this figure excluded uncertain estimates of 5000 breeding pairs from the Auckland Islands (ACAP 2022).

Habitat critical to survival of species

Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and Macquarie Island, are subject to management plans that protect these listed world heritage sites and adjacent marine reserves (Parks and Wildlife Service 2006, Commonwealth of Australia 2014). All three breeding populations of Light-mantled Albatross in Australia's jurisdiction are likely to be important for the long-term persistence of the species within Australia.
The species is limited to 71 breeding sites in Australia (Heard Island, McDonald Islands, Macquarie Island), France (Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands), New Zealand (Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Campbell Islands), South Africa (Marion Island, Prince Edward Island), and other (South Georgia/Islas Georgias del Sur), with the largest