Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2007B00291:body:0:p3
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2007B00291
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 5705–8916

World Heritage sites, their status as Marine Protected Areas under the EPBC Act, and in the case of Macquarie Island, additional protection afforded by Tasmanian legislation.   While such protection arrangements remain in place, this habitat is protected for use by both seal species.  Protection for Maatsuyker Island is the jurisdictional responsibility of the Tasmanian government.

Major Benefits to Other Native Species or Ecological Communities (270(2)(h))

Minimising threats to the Sub-antarctic Fur seal or Southern Elephant seal may benefit other marine species that share the same breeding and/or foraging habitat.

Two other Arctocephalus breed on Macquarie Island.  Several albatross and giant petrel and penguin species also breed on Macquarie.  In the surrounding water several species of whale have been recorded including southern right whale Eubelaena australis, sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus and killer whale Orcinus orca.

Heard Island is an important breeding ground for several penguin species and the globally endangered black-browed albatross Thalassarche melanophrys, light-mantled albatross Phoebetria palpebrata, southern giant-petrel Macronectes giganteus, the Heard Island cormorant Phalacrocorax atriceps nivalis and the lesser sheathbill Chionis minor nasicornis.  The island is also an important breeding location for the Antarctic fur seal, and wintering area for the leopard seal Hydrurga leptonyx.

Implementation of this plan is unlikely to have any negative impacts on any other native species or ecological communities. Research activities associated with monitoring will need to undertaken in a manner that will ensure that disturbance to threatened species on the islands is minimised.

Duration and Cost of the Recovery Process (270(2)(f))

This plan should be reviewed in 5 years time and remain in place until such time that the populations of both species have improved to the point that they can be removed from the EPBC Act threatened species list.

The cost of this plan should be covered under the core business expenditure of the affected organisations, though should emerging threats be identified, additional costs are likely to occur.

Affected Interests (270(2)(g)(i))

Organisations likely to be affected by the actions proposed in this plan include the following:  AFMA; Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Department of the Environment and Heritage, including the AAD; the Tasmanian Government Departments of Tourism, Parks, Heritage and the Arts and Primary Industries, Water and Environment; researchers; commercial fishers; conservation groups; wildlife interest groups; and tourism operators.

Organisations/Persons Involved in Evaluating the Performance of the Plan (270(g)(ii))

The National Seal Recovery Group should evaluate the performance of this plan and report the results of their review to the Minister of the Environment and Heritage, through the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC).

Where to Get the Plan

This recovery plan is obtainable from:
www.deh.gov.au/coasts/species/seals/plan

Migratory and Marine Species Section
Wildlife Conservation Branch
Department of the Environment and Heritage
GPO