Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641:body:0:p85
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L00641
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 560955–563934

Unknown.
Juvenile-adult: Tidal and sub-tidal coral and rocky reef habitats where they feed on algae, sponges and soft corals. Hawksbill turtles can be found in clear or turbid water, on reefs, seagrass meadows or on soft-bottom habitats[18].
Foraging grounds monitored: Fog Bay (1990-1997)[239].
Distribution: See Figure 13.
Stock description
Hawksbill turtles nesting in north-east Arnhem Land appear to be from the same genetic stock as those nesting in Queensland and the Torres Strait[63]. Given the seasonal separation in nesting between these two nesting aggregations[136], for the purposes of this plan they are considered separate stocks.
Hawksbill turtles in the Northern Territory were subject to a large-scale commercial harvest and trade during the 1600 and 1700's, which is likely to have substantially depleted the stock[136]. In 2000, the number of nesting females in eastern Arnhem Land was estimated to be approximately 2500[134]. There has been no long-term monitoring for this stock and its status is currently unknown. Recent monitoring undertaken on three islands (Hawk, Lane and North East) off north eastern Groote Eylandt indicated over 200 nesting females in 2009, and nearly 600 in 2010, highlighting the importance of these islands to this stock[105].
This stock is co-managed by the Northern Territory Government and local Indigenous communities and ranger groups. The loss of eggs to both human egg harvest and terrestrial predators has historically been observed to be unsustainable[36, 125]. Communities who identified it as a potential concern have proposed increasing education and support for ranger groups as the most effective means to manage this threat[13]. There is also an ongoing substantial international harvest of hawksbill turtles for the black market tortoiseshell trade in the broader region that is likely to be a major source of mortality in this stock[134].
Ghost nets are likely to be responsible for the death of many hundreds of turtles annually with immature hawksbill turtles being the most frequently reported in nets washed up on beaches in the Northern Territory[136, 237]. Ranger groups have expressed a concern at the potential for foraging hawksbill turtles to be captured and drown in nets that are snagged on coral reefs and identified the rangers' inability to retrieve a net when submerged. Changes in ocean circulation, ocean acidification and increased coral bleaching will directly affect the availability of hawksbill turtle foraging habitat and food availability[83]. Where nesting occurs on the mainland, a low level of predation by feral dogs and goannas has been reported[36], however this has not been quantified. Potential future threats to this stock also include seabed mining in internesting and foraging habitat[106].
Establishing long-term nest monitoring will inform whether declines observed in the northern Queensland stock are also occurring in the north-east Arnhem Land stock.
Priority actions