Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00775:reg:18:p70
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00775
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 18 (pt 70/152)
Character Range: 233510–236557

prefers coastal areas, while movements are more local relative to its congeners (Tanton et al. 2004, Hinke et al. 2017). Gentoo Penguins remain close to colonies throughout the year, with colonies occupied year-round. In the non-breeding season, colonies are used as roosts during periods of poor weather.

Population Estimates and Trends
The global population is estimated at 774,000 mature individuals (Lynch 2013). Population trends are difficult to establish because of large year-to-year fluctuations in the size of the breeding population. The three most important locations, containing 80 per cent of the global population, are the Falkland Islands (Malvinas): 132,000 breeding pairs at about 84 breeding sites (Baylis et al. 2013), South Georgia: 98,867 pairs (South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands) (Trathan et al. 1996) and the Antarctic Peninsula (incl. South Shetland Island): 94,751 pairs (Lynch et al. unpublished cited in BirdLife International 2019). About 16,000 pairs were breeding on Heard Island in 1987-88 (Woehler 1991, 2006). On Macquarie Island, there were approximately 2,500–2,600 breeding pairs in 2017 (Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service unpublished data). Current population trends show a 50 per cent decline in the number of breeding pairs on Macquarie Island since 1984 (Robertson 1986), or 2 per cent per annum.

Species profiles

Conservation Concerns and Actions
There are no major land-based threats to Gentoo Penguins on either Heard or Macquarie Islands, although it is possible that Brown Skua and overwintering giant petrels have increased their predation pressure on Gentoo Penguin breeding populations after the removal of alternate non-native prey (rabbits and rodents) on Macquarie Island. Terrestrial protections for Gentoo Penguins include the protection of breeding habitat and the minimization of colony disturbance during the breeding season. In the Antarctic, visitor site guidelines already specify minimum approach distances of 5 m and set off-limit areas.

Interactions with fisheries may pose a threat to the species through incidental capture in fishing nets and resource competition (Ellis et al. 1998). The species appears to be actively feeding on discards from trawling fleets, making it susceptible to bycatch, which potentially could be causing slow decreases in populations whose foraging range overlaps with fisheries (Crawford et al. 2017). Increasing oil exploration around the Falkland Islands is a growing concern for the species (Lynch 2013) and pollution from oil spills represents a threat on local scales. Historically, egg collection was widespread on the Falkland Islands (Clausen and Pütz 2002), and some legal egg collection still continues (Otley et al. 2004) and is strictly regulated; hence it is believed not to contribute to a decrease in the species. It is currently unknown what impact warming oceans will have on Gentoo Penguin populations.

Recommended Management Actions
      Quantify the breeding population on Heard Island

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