Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01747:reg:4:p30
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01747
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 4 (pt 30/80)
Character Range: 87206–90194

should 'maximise the chances of the long-term survival' of affected species, the implementation of this plan is an important component of efforts to conserve and recover Australia's biodiversity. The significance of this threat is further recognised in the Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2023 which includes 2 targets explicitly relating to the management of feral cats (and foxes).

The EPBC Act specifies that, in making a plan, regard must be had to '... the most efficient and effective use of the resources that are allocated for the conservation of species and ecological communities' (section 271(3)(b)). This requirement is addressed in this plan through the 'relative priority' rankings given to the actions in section 8 of this plan.

In addition to these specific guiding principles, the EPBC Act stipulates that 'in making a threat abatement plan, regard must be had to:

    * '... minimising any significant adverse social and economic impacts consistently with the principles of ecologically sustainable development' (section 271(3)(c)); and

    * 'meeting Australia's obligations under international agreements between Australia and one or more countries …' (section 271(3)(d)). This requirement may be especially relevant for the management of cats on islands that contain significant colonies of seabirds, many of which are listed under international agreements.

This plan has been developed with regard to these matters.

     7 Long term goal

The EPBC Act provides an overall context and purpose for threat abatement plans: that 'a threat abatement plan must provide for the research, management and other actions necessary to reduce the key threatening process concerned to an acceptable level in order to maximise the chances of the long-term survival in nature of native species and ecological communities affected by the process' (section 271(1)). Within that given context, the Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats 2024 sets a long-term goal, with a 30-year horizon: To reduce the impacts of cats sufficiently to ensure the long-term viability of all affected native species.

Cat impacts arise from predation, and potentially also from competition, or pathogens that are spread by cats. Impacts may be direct (e.g. cats substantially reduce a population via predation or disease), or indirect (e.g. cats disrupt ecosystems by reducing the abundance of ecologically significant species).

The goal will be achieved when:

    * There are no further extinctions of native species, nor extirpations of island populations (including seabird colonies), due to impacts from cats.

    * Cat-driven declines in extremely and highly cat-susceptible native species (defined in Table 1, section 4.1.1) are stopped and reversed to the extent that these species are no longer eligible for listing as threatened as a result of cat impacts. Recognising that some cat-susceptible species may also be affected by other factors, the effective control of cat