Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p70
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 70/98)
Character Range: 423204–426736

demersal longline, trawl

                                        Marine pollution: heavy metal contamination

                                        Marine pollution: marine plastics ingestion

Likely

Possible                                Introduced pest species: predation by brown rats, stoats

Unlikely

Rare or Unknown

Note: Threats occurring in Australia's jurisdiction are highlighted in bold.
Figure 11: Modelled Australian distribution of Northern Royal Albatross (Diomedea sanfordi).

Phoebetria fusca Sooty Albatross (Hilsenberg 1822)
Family: Diomedeidae

Taxonomy

Phoebetria fusca (Hilsenberg 1822) is accepted nomenclature for the Sooty Albatross. Originally Diomedea fusca Hilsenberg 1822. The genus Phoebetria was introduced by Reichenbach (1852) and a review by Nichols & Murphy (1914) included the Sooty Albatross within the genus as Phoebetria fusca. Genetic analyses support this nomenclature (Robertson & Nunn 1998, Nunn et al. 1996) with the nomenclature widely accepted (ACAP 2012r).

Current status of taxon

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth): Vulnerable

Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (Western Australia): Endangered

National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (South Australia): Endangered

Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Victoria): Critically Endangered

Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (Tasmania): Rare

Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (New South Wales): Vulnerable

Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland): Vulnerable

IUCN Red list of Threatened Species: Endangered

Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020: population visiting Australia Near Threatened

Species description

A small-medium albatross, the Sooty Albatross is approximately 84-89 cm in length, 2.3-2.7 kg in weight, with a wing length of 49-54 cm, and bill length of 101-117 mm (ACAP 2015, Menkhorst et al. 2017). Tubenosed; separate nostrils on a large, black plated bill, with yellow to orange bill stripe on lower mandible. Generally, dark brownish-black plumage, except for partial white ring to eye and lighter base to the primaries, with slender wings and wedge-pointed tail (Onley & Scofield 2007, BirdLife International 2018h).

Life history

Breeding locality                                                       Jurisdiction

Amsterdam Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Saint Paul Island  France

Marion Island, Prince Edward Island                                     South Africa

Tristan da Cunha                                                        United Kingdom

There are 15 breeding sites for the Sooty Albatross that occur on island groups of France (Amsterdam Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Saint Paul Island), South Africa (Marion Island, Prince Edward Island), and Tristan de Cunha (United Kingdom) (ACAP 2012r). The Sooty Albatross is predominantly a biennial breeder, when successful (Ryan 2007). Adults mostly arrive at colonies in August/September. Females lay a single egg from mid-September to late October that hatches after incubation period of 9-10 weeks in mid-December (Berruti 1979, Weimerskirch et al. 1986). Fledging of chicks occurs after approximately 4-6 months in May-June (Berruti 1979, Weimerskirch et al. 1986, 1987). Annual breeding success estimated for one site varied significantly, averaging 58% (range 10-85%) (Weimerskirch & Jouventin 1998). The Sooty Albatross disperses widely in the southern Atlantic Ocean and southern Indian Ocean. Juveniles return to breeding colonies when eight years old,