Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641:body:0:p60
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 226532–234622

nesting in Australia from stocks in neighbouring countries, all leatherback turtles nesting in Australia are considered as one stock. In addition, there is a separate table with management actions for those turtles that nest in neighbouring countries, but are known to forage in Australian waters.
Priority actions are provided for the recovery of each stock in the following tables and give greater context to the overarching actions described in Section 5.3. The tables also provide justification as to why some stocks are considered to be at a greater risk of decline and therefore a higher priority for implementation of management actions.

Stock trends
The conservation status of marine turtles in Australia is determined on a species basis and provided under relevant Commonwealth, state and territory legislation (Table 4). To ensure conservation of genetic diversity, this plan considers the management of turtles on a stock basis. Trends in nesting numbers at index beaches, combined with demographic information from foraging grounds (where available) and known sources of mortality are used to infer trends in stock viability. These trends are noted in the top right hand corner of the stock tables.

Measure of success
A measure of success is provided for each stock in terms of demographic trends in turtle abundance over the life of the plan.

Specific actions to recover each stock
Green – southern Great Barrier Reef (G-sGBR)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Recovering[34]
Threats                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   A. Climate change and variability            High
B. Marine debris – ingestion                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              High
C. Chemical and terrestrial discharge – chronic                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           High
Important nesting areas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Internesting Buffer: 20 km
Major: Northwest, Wreck, Hoskyn, Tryon, Heron, Lady Musgrave, Masthead, Erskin, Fairfax, North Reef and Wilson Islands[136].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Mating: Sept–Nov
Minor: Bushy Is., the Percy Islands, Bell Cay, Lady Elliott Is., Swains Reef, North Fraser Is., mainland coast from Bustard Head to Bundaberg[136].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Nesting: Oct–Apr (peak: late Dec–early Jan)
Index beaches monitored: Heron Island (1944- ), Wreck Island (1977- ), North West Island (1977- ), Lady Musgrave (1972- )[145].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Hatching: Dec–May (peak: Feb–Mar)
Foraging habitat
Post-hatchling/young juveniles: Spend the first 5-10 years in oceanic waters of the southern Pacific Ocean, utilising floating seaweed rafts and opportunistically feeding on gelatinous organisms, before returning to inshore foraging habitat[18].
Juvenile-adult: Tidal/sub-tidal habitats with coral reef, mangrove, sand, rocky reefs and mudflats where algal turfs or seagrass meadows are present[18]. A proportion of turtles may also remain resident in the open ocean[92].
Foraging grounds monitored: Moreton Bay, Heron/Wistari Reefs, Shoalwater Bay[145], Hervey Bay[225].
Distribution: See Figure 11.
Stock description
This stock was subject to commercial harvest up until 1959[136]. The stock now appears to be recovering well, with good survivorship rates amongst juveniles at foraging grounds and adults at nesting beaches[34]. Combined nesting and foraging ground monitoring means that the