Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L00289:body:0:p26
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L00289
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 79619–82597

ingestion of, or entanglement in, harmful marine debris' has been listed as a key threatening process under the EPBC Act. Harmful marine debris consists of plastic garbage washed or blown from land into the sea, fishing gear abandoned by recreational and commercial fishers, and solid non-biodegradable floating materials (such as plastics) disposed of by ships at sea. In many existing southern right whale aggregation areas, such as the Great Australian Bight, the primary source of marine debris tends to be marine activities (shipping, remote industrial platforms etc). In possible expansion areas near cities around 75–80 per cent of marine debris comes from land based activities44. However, ingestion is thought to be unlikely in Australian coastal waters as whales are less likely to be feeding.

B: Vessel disturbance
Vessel disturbance can occur in the form of collisions or by disrupting the behaviour of animals, and the type of vessels involved can range from large commercial vessels to recreational vessels, including personal watercraft. Southern right whales appear to be the primary species involved in vessel collisions in the southern hemisphere although there are low numbers of recorded strikes in Australasian waters100. Vessel collision can lead to mortality or significant injury and vessel collision is one of the main reasons why the North Atlantic right whale population has failed to recover 34,67,96. Although collisions in Australian waters are much rarer this does highlight the issue as one of concern, particularly as whale numbers increase and especially for the south-east population. Chronic disturbance leading to increased energetic costs as individual animals try to avoid vessels may result from activities such as boat-based whale watching, particularly by recreational boats.

Vessel collisions
Vessel collisions fall into four categories: indeterminate collisions with the bow or hull of a vessel where the animal suffers blunt trauma; bow bulb draping where animals become wedged on the front of ships; propeller strike; and collisions where animals bump into vessels.

There were two fatal vessel collisions and three non-fatal collisions with southern right whales recorded in Australian waters in the period 1950–200657, albeit this is likely to be under-reported and therefore an underestimate of the incidence of vessel collisions. Two additional fatal collisions with southern right whales were recorded in Australian waters in the period 2007–2010 in Australia's report on ship strikes to the IWC.

Vessel collision is a greater risk for southern right whales when they are in the coastal zone due to the higher probability of encountering vessels. It is likely that this risk will increase as shipping traffic grows and the impact on an individual, especially in south-east Australia, is likely to have a significant, potentially population-scale effect, if further evidence confirms this as a small demographically discrete