Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2009B00248:body:0:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2009B00248
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 0–3588

Register of Critical Habitat pursuant to section 207A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

The identification of critical habitat for the Register of Critical Habitat, including location and extent information, is a matter of ecological judgement, and is based on the most up-to-date scientific information available to the Threatened Species Scientific Committee and the Minister for the Environment and Heritage at the time the habitat was being considered.  As new or additional information becomes available, critical habitat identified on the Register may be amended.

Register of Critical Habitat                                                       Effective    Details
Diomedea exulans (Wandering Albatross) – Macquarie Island                          01 JUL 2002  See Attachment A
Thalassarche cauta (Shy Albatross) – Albatross Island, The Mewstone, Pedra Branca  01 JUL 2002  See Attachment B
Thalassarche chrysostoma (Grey-headed Albatross) Macquarie Island                  01 JUL 2002  See Attachment C

Attachment A

Diomedea exulans (Wandering Albatross) – Macquarie Island

Listed Critical Habitat:  Diomedea exulans (Wandering Albatross) – Macquarie Island
Date Effective:           01 July 2002
Location and extent:      Macquarie Island: About 13,000 ha, comprising all islands and rocks above mean high water level, lying within the area bounded by parallels 54°27' S and 54°49' S latitude and meridians 158°45' E and 158°59' E longitude.
Reasons for Listing       Criteria (a).  Whether the habitat is used during periods of stress.  Examples of period of stress: Flood, drought or fire.
                          N/A

                          Criteria (b).  Whether the habitat is used to meet essential life cycle requirements.  Examples: Foraging, breeding, nesting, roosting, social behaviour patterns or seed dispersal processes.
                          All albatrosses spend more than 95% of their time traversing the world's oceans in search of prey, and usually only return to land to breed.  For southern hemisphere species, nesting typically occurs on small islands scattered throughout the Southern Ocean.  Five species of albatross breed within Australian waters, three of which are listed as threatened under the EPBC Act:
                                 * Shy Albatross
                                 * Wandering Albatross
                                 * Grey-headed Albatross

                          There are four major breeding locations under Australian jurisdiction where these albatross species breed.  These are:
                                 * Macquarie Island
                                 * Albatross Island
                                 * Pedra Branca, and
                                 * The Mewstone

                          These remote islands constitute the only suitable breeding habitat under Australian jurisdiction and should be regarded as habitat that is critical to the survival of the three albatross species in Australian waters.

                          Criteria (c).  The extent to which the habitat is used by important populations.  NB: An important population is one that is necessary for a species' long-term survival and recovery.  This may include populations that are: key source populations either for breeding or dispersal, populations that are necessary for maintaining genetic diversity, and/or populations that are near the limit of the species range.
                          Because there are so few populations for these species in Australia, all