Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p48
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 48/98)
Character Range: 355342–359130

before human visitation is unknown. Harvesting of eggs and/or birds may have occurred during the 19th century while the island was occupied by sealers (Cumpston 1968, Townrow 1988). An island-wide census of the breeding population of Grey-headed Albatross on Macquarie Island was conducted in 2019/20 with 113 (58-114) breeding pairs recorded (DPIPWE 2021a).

Population estimates and trends

The breeding population of Grey-headed Albatross on Macquarie Island is experiencing a moderate increase based on a TRIM analysis (Pannekoek & van Strien 2006) over the past 10 years (DPIPWE 2021a).
Globally, the population is experiencing a very rapid decline over three generations (BirdLife International 2018r). There were an estimated 80,850 breeding pairs in 2020 (ACAP 2022).

Habitat critical to survival of species

Macquarie Island is included on the register of critical habitat for the Grey-headed Albatross under the EPBC Act. The species is limited to 29 breeding sites that occur on island groups of Australia (Macquarie Island), Chile (Islas Diego Ramirez, Islas Ildefonso), France (Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands), New Zealand (Campbell Island), South Africa (Prince Edward Islands), and other (South Georgia/Islas Georgias del Sur), with the largest population on South Georgia/as Georgias del Sur (ACAP 2012j).

Threats

The risk matrix for the Grey-headed Albatross is provided at Table 20, with the threats occurring in Australia's jurisdiction highlighted.
Table 20: Grey-headed Albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma) risk matrix.
Likelihood of occurrence  Consequences

Not significant           Minor         Moderate                                                                                                           Major                                                               Catastrophic

Almost certain                          Climate variability and change: variation in Southern Oscillation Index, sea temperature rise                      Fisheries interactions: pelagic longline, demersal longline

                                        Marine pollution: marine plastics ingestion                                                                        Introduced pest species: predation by cats, black rats, house mice

Likely

Possible

Unlikely

Rare or Unknown                         Climate variability and change: habitat damage from severe storms, heat stress and degradation of nesting habitat

                                        Disease: avian cholera

Note: Threats occurring in Australia's jurisdiction are highlighted in bold.
Figure 3: Modelled Australian distribution of Grey-headed Albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma).

Thalassarche melanophris Black-browed Albatross (Temminck 1828)
Family: Diomedeidae

Taxonomy

Thalassarche melanophris (Temminck 1828) is accepted nomenclature for the Black-browed Albatross. There has been significant taxonomic debate about the classification of Diomedeidae including, but not limited to, the introduction of the genus Thalassarche by Reichenbach (1852). Originally Diomedea melanophris Temminck 1828. The Black-browed Albatross was considered polytypic until it was included in the resurrected genus Thalassarche (Reichenbach 1852) at the specific level as Thalassarche melanophris based on genetic analyses (Robertson & Nunn 1998) with the nomenclature generally accepted (ACAP 2012d).

Current status of taxon

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth): Vulnerable
Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (Western Australia): Endangered
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (South Australia): not listed
Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Victoria): not listed
Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (Tasmania): Endangered
Biodiversity Conservation