Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641:body:0:p82
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 522502–541117

Turtle Conservation Program. Both programs are required to continue through the life of this plan. Monitoring of nesting near Cape Lambert (Bells Beach) and on Delambre Island is conducted by Rio Tinto[17].
Hatchling success at Cemetery Beach and Mundabullangana in 2011-2012 were the lowest recorded for any flatback turtle rookery, and may be attributed to the high temperatures occurring during incubation at these rookeries. This stock appears to be nesting close to the limit of the thermal tolerance of the embryos, which is around 32°C[182, 228]. Alternatively, storm surges associated with high cyclonic activity in the region affecting the embryonic development may also be a factor[182].
In the past, predation by foxes had impacted this stock on mainland beaches, although management by government agencies and community groups has largely controlled foxes at key sites (Whiting, pers. comm. 2015).
Priority actions specifically required to recover this stock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Action Area
    * Quantify and model how changes in ambient temperatures (sand and water), sea level, frequency of extreme weather events, ocean circulation and acidification affect marine turtle nesting, sex ratios, hatching success, habitats, food availability and their ability to adapt to these changes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    A2

    * Manage anthropogenic activities to ensure marine turtles are not displaced from identified habitat critical to the survival as per section 3.3 Table 6.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              A9
    * Ensure that spill risk strategies and response programs include management for turtles and their habitats, particularly in reference to slow to recover habitats, e.g. seagrass meadows or corals.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   A4

    * Manage artificial light from onshore and offshore sources to ensure biologically important behaviours of nesting adults and emerging/dispersing hatchlings can continue.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             A8

    * Continue the implementation of the North West Shelf Flatback Turtle Conservation Program.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            A1, A6, A8, A9, B3
    * Continue long-term nest monitoring program at Barrow Island, Mundabullangana Station and Delambre Island.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            A1, B1
    * Quantify predation of eggs and hatchlings by terrestrial predators.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  A6, B1
    * Determine genetic stock relatedness among Western Australian flatback turtle rookeries.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              B3
Measure of success
Trends in nesting turtle abundance are stable or increasing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                B1

Hawksbill – north Queensland (H-nQld)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Declining [54, 146]
Threats                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       B. Marine debris – entanglement        Very high
E. International take – outside Australia's jurisdiction                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Very high
D. Terrestrial predation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      High
A. Climate change and variability                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             High
Important nesting areas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Internesting Buffer: 20 km
Major: Long (Sassie), Hawkesbury, Dayman, Milman, Boydong, Mt Adolphus, Albany, Zuizin, Mimi, Bourke, Aukane, Layoak, Bet, Saddle and Dadalai Islands[136].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Mating: year round
Minor: Islands in Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait, and mainland coast of western Cape York Peninsula north of Cotterell River.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Nesting: year round (peak: Dec–Feb)
Index beaches monitored: Milman Island (1991-2010)[54].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Hatching: year round (peak: Feb–May)
Foraging habitat
Post-hatchling/young juveniles: Little is known, but