Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01397:body:0:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01397
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 2912–6017

plan for infection of amphibians with chytrid fungus resulting in chytridiomycosis
1.1 Threat abatement plans and implementation
1.2 The pathogen – history and spread
1.3 Impacts of Chytrid
1.4. Managing the threat
1.5. Climate Change
2. Objectives and actions
Objective 1: Improve understanding of the extent and impact of infection by amphibian chytrid fungus and reduce its spread to uninfected areas and populations
Objective 2: Identify and prioritise key threatened amphibian species, populations and geographical areas and improve their level of protection by implementing coordinated, cost-effective, on-ground management strategies
Objective 3: Facilitate collaborative applied research that can be used to inform and support improved management of amphibian chytrid fungus
Objective 4: Build scientific capacity and promote communication among stakeholders
3. Duration, Review, Funding and Implementation
3.1. Duration and review of the plan
3.2. Funding and implementation
Glossary
References
Attachment A: Map of the distribution of chytridiomycosis (with dates of first detection)

Introduction
This threat abatement plan (TAP) has been developed to address the key threatening process 'Infection of amphibians with chytrid fungus resulting in chytridiomycosis', which is listed under the Commonwealth  Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

The TAP establishes a national framework to guide and coordinate Australia's response to chytrid fungus. It sets out the actions necessary to abate impacts of the listed key threatening process and was developed to comply with the requirements under the EPBC Act for the development of threat abatement plans. It identifies the research, management and other actions needed in Australia's response to this pathogen and replaces the threat abatement plan published in 2006 (Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2006).

The plan has been developed with the involvement and cooperation of a broad range of stakeholders, but the making or adoption of this plan does not necessarily indicate the commitment of individual stakeholders to undertaking any specific actions. Proposed actions may be subject to modification over the life of the plan due to developments in understanding of the organism and its impacts.

The Australian Government Department of the Environment (the Department) is responsible for preparing this TAP. Its development has been informed by:

  • the 2006 threat abatement plan (DEH, 2006) and its review and evaluation by the Australian Government in 2012 (DSEWPaC, 2012), and

  • information provided by key stakeholders between 2011 and 2016.

Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease that affects amphibians worldwide. It is caused by the chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), a fungus capable of causing sporadic deaths in some amphibian populations and 100 per cent mortality in others. The disease has been implicated in the mass die-offs and species extinctions of frogs that have occurred since the 1970s. However, its origin remains uncertain and continues to be