Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01633:body:0:p3
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01633
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 6116–9190

International Whaling Commission's (IWC) 'Conservation Management Plan' (Plan) format, while also meeting the requirements of a recovery plan under the EPBC Act.

Recovery Objective
The long-term recovery objective for blue whales is to minimise anthropogenic threats to allow for their conservation status to improve so that they can be removed from the EPBC Act threatened species list.

Interim Recovery Objectives
Acknowledging that the long-term recovery objective is unlikely to be achieved over the ten year period of this plan, the following interim recovery objectives have been set for the next ten years. The first two interim objectives assist in assessing the conservation status of the pygmy and Antarctic blue whale subspecies, and the remaining two relate to legal and management protection, and to minimising recognised threats. The interim recovery objectives are:
     1. The conservation status of blue whale populations is assessed using efficient and robust methodology;
     2. The spatial and temporal distribution, identification of biologically important areas, and population structure of blue whales in Australian waters is described;
     3. Current levels of legal and management protection for blue whales are maintained or improved and an appropriate adaptive management regime is in place; and
     4. Anthropogenic threats are demonstrably minimised.

Blue Whale Biology
Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) are the largest baleen whales and consist of four currently recognised subspecies. At least two subspecies are found in the Southern Hemisphere;  the pygmy blue whale (B. m. brevicauda) and the Antarctic blue whale (B. m. intermedia), which are characterised by differences in morphology, distribution, genetics and vocal behaviour. As with other baleen whales, they generally migrate between breeding grounds at lower latitudes where both mating and calving takes place during the winter, and feeding grounds at higher latitudes during the summer and have overlapping but different spatial distributions. Australian blue whales are represented by three generally recognised and overlapping populations, namely:
     1. Antarctic blue whale population – all those Antarctic blue whales occupying or passing through Australian waters;
     2. Indo-Australian pygmy blue whale – all those pygmy blue whales occupying or passing through waters from Indonesia to western and southern Australia; and
     3. Tasman-Pacific pygmy blue whale – all those putative pygmy blue whales occupying or passing through waters in south east Australia and the Pacific Ocean.
Pygmy blue whales
Indo-Australian pygmy blue whales inhabit Australian waters as far north as Scott Reef, the Kimberley region, and west of the Pilbara, as far south as south-west Australia, across to the Great Australian Bight and the Bonney Upwelling, and to waters as far east as off Tasmania.
They have known feeding grounds in the Perth Canyon off Western Australia, and the Bonney Upwelling System and adjacent waters off Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. These