Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641:body:0:p86
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 563643–583936

Potential future threats to this stock also include seabed mining in internesting and foraging habitat[106].
Establishing long-term nest monitoring will inform whether declines observed in the northern Queensland stock are also occurring in the north-east Arnhem Land stock.
Priority actions specifically required to recover this stock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Action Area
    * Liaise with countries throughout the region to address and reduce the source of marine debris in Australian waters.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 A3
    * Ensure clean-up activities are timed appropriately to coincide with on-shore peaks in marine debris (i.e. prior to wet season).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     A3
    * Work on a regional scale to understand market supply chains and to reduce unsustainable harvest and illegal and unregulated trade.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  A5
    * 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

    * Support communities in their management of terrestrial predators.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   A6
    * Support the implementation of management plans and build capacity to undertake monitoring, education, and compliance management of marine turtles.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  A1, A3, A6, A10
    * Establish long-term monitoring programs at index beaches and key foraging areas to assess trends in nester abundance.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               B1
Measure of success
Trends in nesting turtle abundance are assessed for this stock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            B1

Hawksbill – Western Australia (H-WA)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Unknown[136]
Threats                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                E. International take – outside Australia's jurisdiction  Very high
A. Climate change and variability                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      High
G. Light pollution                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     High
Important nesting areas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Internesting Buffer: 20 km
Major: Dampier Archipelago (Rosemary Island), Delambre Island and Montebello Islands[136].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Mating: all year
Minor: Ah Chong, South East and Timouille, Sholl Island, Lowendal Islands including Varanus, Beacon, Bridled, Barrow, Muiron Islands and mainland beaches from Cape Range to Ningaloo and Gnaraloo to Red Bluff[136].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Nesting: all year (peak: Oct–Jan)[189]
Index beaches monitored: Varanus (1987-2015), Rosemary (1994-2015) Islands[136].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Hatching: all year (peak: Dec–Feb)
Foraging habitat
Post-hatchling/young juveniles: Unknown.
Juvenile-adult: Tidal and sub-tidal coral and rocky reef habitats where they feed on algae, sponges and soft corals. Hawksbill turtles can be found in clear or turbid water, on reefs, seagrass meadows or on soft-bottom habitats[18].
Foraging grounds monitored: None.
Distribution: See Figure 13.
Stock description
The Western Australia hawksbill turtle stock is one of the largest in the world and the largest in the Indian Ocean[136]. Most of the nesting for this stock is located in the Pilbara. Some hawksbill turtle nesting occurs at Scott Reef and Ashmore Reef, but genetic affiliations are unknown. The Dampier Archipelago has the largest nesting aggregation recorded with approximately 1000 nesting females per year at Rosemary Island[136]. Surveys undertaken at Varanus and Rosemary Islands suggest that survivorship of nesting females has remained high