Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00930:reg:2:p17
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00930
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2 (pt 17/48)
Character Range: 107861–110968

females at Head of Bight (Charlton et al. 2022) is unknown.

2.10   Biologically important areas and habitat critical to survival

     2.10.1     Biologically Important Areas
Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) for southern right whales were originally developed as part of the Commonwealth Bioregional Planning Process to develop Marine Bioregional Plans that were released in 2012 and a review and update of the BIA framework was undertaken in 2022/23. The BIA framework is comprised of the protocol for Designation of BIAs for Protected Marine Species (the BIA Protocol), the BIA designation process, and BIA geospatial map layers. Maps produced in association with the identification of BIAs allow current information to be stored and referenced in a geospatial environment and can be updated by the Australian Government as new information becomes available. Consequently, the most current BIA information and spatial data layers must be considered and used to inform conservation planning, environmental impact assessments and decision-making.
Information on BIAs can be found at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/marine/marine-species/bias
BIAs represent spatially and temporally defined areas of the marine environment used by protected species for carrying out life critical functions. These are areas known or likely to be regularly or repeatedly used by individuals or aggregations of a species, stock or population for reproduction, feeding, migration or resting. It is important to note, BIAs do not represent a species' full range and are different to their distribution maps, which indicate the present distribution of the species within Australia and the Commonwealth Marine Area. BIAs occur within the areas defined by distribution maps and provide more specific information about areas used by species for biologically important behaviour. BIAs are not formally protected areas, parks, reserves, or sanctuaries, although they may be designated within these areas.

Each BIA has been identified based on the best available information and knowledge, including peer-review scientific literature, unpublished grey literature, and expert knowledge. The presence of the observed behaviour indicates that the habitat required for the behaviour is also present. However, the absence of an identified BIA does not mean that an area is not important habitat and rather insufficient data may currently exist to designate it as a BIA. New or unpublished data may exist that may need to be considered in the context of marine estate management and marine development proposals.
Southern right whale BIAs are mapped in this Recovery Plan for reproduction and migration areas.
Reproductive areas
These are areas regularly used by breeding females and are likely to be important for the species recovery through contributing to overall population increases in abundance, maintenance of genetic diversity (given site fidelity may lead to small-scale genetic differences) and expanding habitat occupancy. Within reproductive BIAs, southern right whales demonstrate a spatial and temporal dependence