Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00930:reg:5:p8
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00930
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 5 (pt 8/11)
Character Range: 249832–259164

Maintain long-term annual monitoring programs of the western population across its range that are capable of measuring and evaluating population recovery, including continuance of aerial surveys and photo-identification.
   3. Characterise, measure, and monitor the biology of southern right whales (i.e., fitness related traits) to evaluate factors that might influence population recovery, including supporting the development of new technologies to facilitate such characterisation.
   4. Prioritise long-term monitoring programs for the western and eastern populations within national and/or state threatened species funding programs.
   5. Enable sharing and exchange of information required for monitoring the population recovery of southern right whales through support for national databases (e.g., Australian Right Whale Photo Identification Catalogue) and data processing (e.g., automated image matching).
Interim objectives addressed                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Threats to be mitigated
1, 2, 3, 4, 5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8
Description
Long-term monitoring is required to understand ongoing population trends and recovery trajectories of southern right whales, including expansion of spatial distribution and occupancy of coastal habitat within Australian waters. Specifically, a targeted long‐term monitoring program needs to be established for the eastern population to provide information required for establishing recovery rates for this population. To date, most data from the eastern population has been opportunistic citizen science monitoring data. Effort should focus on research that determines environmental influences and impacts from anthropogenic activities on important biological rates for the species that can affect population recovery. New technologies and methods should explore to support effective, efficient, and sustained approaches to the long-term monitoring of both populations, particularly where they can be utilised to expand existing collection, utilisation, and delivery of information.
Within the period of this plan
Measure of success
    1. The western and eastern populations are monitored to provide reliable population estimates, demographic data (e.g., calving rates, movement, temporal and spatial habitat occupancy, behaviour) and recovery rates.
    2. Population modelling is undertaken in standardised and comparative frameworks to promote streamlined processes for future updates.

Risks: Long-term monitoring programs may not be financially supported, which may result in gaps in information needed to establish the status of southern right whales.
Likelihood of success: Moderate to high.

Action Area B2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Priority
Characterise population structure.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Very High
Action
   1. Characterise the population structure and degree of connectivity between the Australian western and eastern populations and southern right whales in New Zealand waters using multiple approaches (e.g., photo-identification, molecular and biochemical methodologies).
   2. Quantify the spatial and temporal interchange and intra-season coastal movement of individuals between the western and eastern population regions.
Interim objectives addressed                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Threats to be mitigated
1, 2, 3, 4, 5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8
Description
Southern right whales that occur seasonally off the Australian coast are recognised as