Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L00289:body:0:p6
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013L00289
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 18001–21229

Change - There is evidence that climate variability affects reproductive output in southern right whales. Much is unknown about the impact of climate change on the food webs on which southern right whales rely. However, research to date suggests detrimental impacts on reproductive output from warming events are possible. Changes to climate and oceanographic processes may also lead to decreased productivity and different patterns of prey distribution and availability.

E. Noise Interference - Loud noises or long exposure may lead to avoidance of important habitat areas, interruption to communication and, in some situations, physical damage, including permanent or temporary hearing loss. Potential forms of harmful noise interference in Australian waters include seismic surveys, other industrial activities such as drilling, pile driving, blasting and dredging, defence activities, vessel noise, and aircraft operating at low altitude.

F. Habitat Modification - Habitat modification through the development of infrastructure such as ports, marinas, aquaculture facilities, and ocean/marine energy production facilities could lead to the physical displacement of southern right whales from their preferred habitats or disruption to normal behaviour. Animals may also encounter chemical pollution in the form of sewage and industrial discharges, run off from onshore activities, and accidental spills. In their feeding grounds they are most at risk from bioaccumulation of human-made chemicals such as organochlorines.

G. Overharvesting of Prey - Depletion of prey through over-harvesting may be a potential future threat. Changes to climate and oceanographic processes may also lead to decreased productivity and different patterns of prey distribution and availability.

Actions
Actions have been developed to assess population recovery and assist recovery by addressing key threats to Australian southern right whales. The most important known and potential threats to southern right whales are identified through the risk analysis in Section 5. Recovery actions to address these more important threats are discussed in Section 6. Recovery actions have not been developed to address threats rated as 'low' or 'moderate'. Detail of these actions and performance measures are outlined in Section 6 of this Conservation Management Plan. A summary of the actions is provided here. The Conservation Management Plan is based around the need to aid and monitor the recovery of the south-western and the south-eastern populations.

Table 1: Summary of actions to assess population recovery and address key threats to Australian southern right whales.

A: Assessing and Addressing Threats

A.1: Maintain and improve existing legal and management protection

A.2: Assessing and addressing anthropogenic noise (shipping, industrial and seismic)

A.3: Reducing commercial fishing entanglements

A.4: Impacts of climate variability and change

A.5: Addressing vessel collisions

A.6: Addressing infrastructure and coastal development impacts

B: Measuring Recovery

B.1: Measuring and monitoring population recovery

B.2: Investigating the two-population model

B.3: Understanding offshore distribution and migration