Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641:body:0:p76
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 423736–439596

impacting loggerhead turtles.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 A3, B3
    * Continue long-term monitoring of nesting and foraging populations.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           B1,B2
Measure of success
Trends in nesting turtle abundance for this stock remain stable or are increasing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  B1

Flatback – Eastern Queensland (F-eQld)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Stable[148]
Threats                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        A. Climate change and variability             Very high
G. Light pollution                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             High
Important nesting areas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Internesting Buffer: 60 km
Major: Peak Island, Wild Duck Island, Avoid Island and Curtis Island[148].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Mating: Unknown
Minor: Woongarra Coast[148].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Nesting: Oct–Jan (peak: late Nov–early Dec)
Index beaches monitored: Peak Island (1980- ), Wild Duck Island (1981- ), Curtis Island (1980‑ ), Avoid Island (2007, 2012‑ ) and Woongarra Coast (Mon Repos) (1968‑ )[62, 64, 148].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Hatching: Dec–Mar (peak: Feb)
Foraging habitat
Post-hatchling/young juveniles: Remain on Australian continental shelf from Hervey Bay to the Torres Strait and up to the Gulf of Papua[74].
Juvenile-adult: Little is known of foraging habitat although trawl captures indicate flatbacks feed in turbid inshore (10-40 m) soft bottom habitats over the continental shelf of northern Australia[199].
Foraging grounds monitored: Foraging grounds currently unknown.
Distribution: See Figure 14.
Stock description
Breeding for this stock is predominantly in the southern Great Barrier Reef around Peak, Wild Duck, Avoid, Curtis and Facing Islands. Low density nesting also occurs on many mainland beaches and offshore islands north of Gladstone. This stock appears to be stable at Wild Duck and Curtis Islands, and on the Woongarra Coast, however tagging data from Peak Island (the largest rookery) has shown a decline over the last three decades[148]. The cause of this decline is not known. Most of the threats facing this stock and their habitats are the result of increased coastal development, particularly with regard to light pollution[121], which is likely to continue to increase into the future. This stock may be susceptible to increased sand temperature associated with climate change as egg survival is reduced when temperatures exceed 32°C[165]. This stock is largely managed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority with considerable contributions from local and Indigenous communities.
Priority actions specifically required to recover this stock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Action Area
    * Understand the decline in nesting numbers at Peak Island, including impacts of light.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    A8, B1
    * Quantify and model how changes in ambient temperatures (sand and water), sea level, frequency of extreme weather events, ocean circulation and acidification affect marine turtle nesting, sex ratios, hatching success, habitats, food availability and their ability adapt to these changes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           A2

    * Develop and implement best practice light management guidelines for existing and future developments adjacent to marine turtle nesting beaches.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          A1, A8
    * Support retrofitting of lighting at coastal communities and industrial developments, including imposing restrictions around nesting seasons.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             A8

    * Understand flatback turtle