Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L00289:body:0:p5
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L00289
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 15250–18258

probably forage between about 40°S and 65°S, generally south of Australia. In the region of the Sub-Tropical Front (41–44°S) they mainly consume copepods, while at higher latitudes (south of 50°S) krill is the main prey item. Right whales feed by surface skimming or shallow dives, trapping plankton on fine baleen fibres. The migratory paths between calving and feeding areas are not well understood.

Southern right whales have few natural predators. Calves, juveniles or weakened adults may be killed by sharks, which are common in some Australian calving grounds, or killer whales. Adult southern right whales rarely strand, but small numbers of calves are regularly found dead or stranded near calving grounds.

Threats
The known and potential threats to southern right whales are described below. The known threats of entanglement and vessel disturbance are more likely to affect individuals, while the potential threats are more likely to have a population level effect.

Known threats affecting southern right whales in Australian waters are:

A. Entanglement - Entanglement can harm or kill individual whales, and can reduce the fitness of an individual by restricting mobility and impairing breathing, swimming or feeding ability. Entanglement causes physical damage, e.g. nets and lines cutting through the skin and blubber thus exposing the animal to infection and amputation or death. Entanglements in Australian waters primarily come from commercial fishery equipment and marine debris.

B. Vessel Disturbance - Vessel disturbance can occur in the form of collisions or by disrupting the behaviour of animals. Southern right whales appear to be the primary whale species involved in vessel collisions in the southern hemisphere100. They accounted for 50 per cent of whale mortalities resulting from vessel collisions in a rapid assessment of data on vessel collisions with cetaceans in the southern hemisphere100. Vessel collision can lead to mortality or significant injury. Chronic disturbance leading to increased energetic costs or disruption of critical social behaviours as individual animals try to avoid vessels may result from activities such as boat-based whale watching, particularly from recreational boats.

Threats potentially affecting the Australian population of southern right whales are:

C. Whaling - The impacts of commercial hunting on southern right whales have been well documented.  While currently banned under the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling and due to classification by the IWC of all southern right whale populations as Protected Stocks, the potential for other countries to recommence commercial whaling exists and pressure may well increase as the population recovers.

D. Climate Variability and Change - There is evidence that climate variability affects reproductive output in southern right whales. Much is unknown about the impact of climate change on the food webs on which southern right whales rely. However, research to date suggests detrimental