Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641:body:0:p64
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 261373–276439

Torres Strait Turtle Fisheries - a traditional subsistence fishery that is limited to Traditional Inhabitants of the Torres Strait and Papua New Guinea, and are hunted in the Northern Territory (Groom et al. 2017, in press). Traditional take in the Torres Strait is managed through community-based management plans. The Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) employs Indigenous rangers and a dedicated Sea Team to support the implementation of community-based management plans. The TSRA in conjunction with Australian Border Force works to address additional pressures of 'international illegal take'.
Priority actions specifically required to recover this stock                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Action Area
    * Continue demonstrably successful intervention at Raine Island (Recovery Project), including reducing adult mortality and increasing hatchling production.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        A2, B1

    * Support and expand community based management programs in the Torres Strait and northern Australia.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              A10
    * Continue monitoring nest and hatching success at Bramble Cay and Dauar Island to assess these islands as potential areas of refugia for this stock.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              A2, B1
    * Undertake genetic testing of foraging populations to support assessment of Raine Island population demographics.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       B2
Measure of success
Reproductive output from Raine Island increases over the life of Plan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  B1

Green – Gulf of Carpentaria (G-GoC)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Unknown
Threats                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      B. Marine debris – entanglement      Very high
I. Indigenous take                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           High
E. International take – outside Australia's jurisdiction                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     High
Important nesting areas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Internesting Buffer: 20 km
Major: Wellesley Islands (Bountiful, Pisonia and Rocky Islands), Binanangoi Point to Cape Shield, Gove, Borroloola, Groote Eylandt, Sir Edward Pellew Islands[136].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Mating: Unknown
Minor: Drysdale, Burbidge, Dudley, Hawksnest, Sandy, Watson, Pearce Islands and Isle Woodah, Wedge Rock, North East Isle[136].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Nesting: year round (peak: Jun-Jul)
Index beaches monitored: No ongoing monitoring. Census: Wellesley Group, Groote Eylandt and Sir Edward Pellew Islands[136].                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Hatching: peak: Aug–Sep
Foraging habitat
Post-hatchling/young juveniles: Unknown, likely to disperse through oceanic waters of the Indo-Pacific.
Juvenile-adult: Tidal/sub-tidal habitats with coral reef, mangrove, sand, rocky reefs and mudflats where there are algal turfs or seagrass meadows present[18]. A proportion of turtles may also remain resident in the open ocean[92].
Foraging grounds monitored: None.
Distribution: See Figure 10.
Stock description
Management of this stock is primarily undertaken by community groups and Indigenous rangers with the support of the Northern Territory and Queensland Governments. Green turtle nesting in the Gulf of Carpentaria was estimated to be approximately 5000 per year in 2008, and at 1000's per year for the north-east Arnhem Land rookeries[136]. The majority of this stock nests within Indigenous Protected Areas including: Laynhapuy (Yirralka), Dhimurru, Anindilyakwa (Groote Eylandt Archipelago), Yanyuwa (Li-Anthawirriyarra), Barni-Wardimantha Awara Yanyuwa (Sir Edward Pellew), and Thuwathu/Bujimulla (Wellesley Islands). Management activities include ghost net and marine debris patrols and clean up, monitoring of nesting turtle abundance, and satellite tracking of adult