Table 4: Summary of current key Saltwater Crocodile management actions across the Top End Management Actions by Government Park / Town Site Permanent traps Traps when water flow allows Additional Traps as required Regular spot lighting Spot lighting before opening for swimming Visual inspections level and clarity criteria for opening Other management tools (eg. floats) Litchfield NP Y N/A Y N Y daily Y respond to public sightings - additional traps if required indicator float installed Berri Springs salt / fresh water Y N/A Y Y Y daily Y respond to public sightings - additional traps if required Litchfield NP N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings - additional traps if required Litchfield NP N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings - additional traps if required Litchfield NP N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings - additional if required Manton Dam western boundary and spillway Y N/A Y Y not closed weekly N/A respond to public sightings - additional traps if required / 19 permanent traps between Woods Inlet and Y N/A Y Y N weekly trap run more regularly if crocs reported in traps N/A respond to public sightings - additional traps if required Nhulunbuy Ski beach, Yacht club and Town Billabong Y N/A Y N N/A weekly trap run more regularly if crocs reported in traps N/A respond to public sightings - additional traps if required Private lake / own traps N/A Y Y Y Up to management N/A Indicator floats & barrier fencing Douglas Douglas N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings - additional traps if required Butterfly Main Pool and Creek N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings - additional traps if required N Y Y N By DDTP Management N Y respond to public sightings - additional traps if required
Dam Dam In process N/A Y Y N/A N N/A respond to sightings by PAWA staff Nitmiluk Gorge Y Y Y Y Y daily Y Respond to public sightings. Aerial Survey / Floats Leilyn Y Y Y Y daily Respond to public sightings NP Y Y NA weekly N/A Swimming Not Allowed / Aerial survey / Floats Elsey NP 12 mile Y Y Y Y weekly Y Aerial survey / Floats Waterhouse landing Y Y Y weekly Y Aerial Survey Four Mile Y Y Y weekly Y Aerial Survey Borroloola Rocky Creek Boat Ramp Y Y Y N/A weekly N/A Swimming not recommended/allowed. Saltwater crocodiles present. Town Ramp Y Y Y NA weekly N/A Swimming not recommended/allowed. Saltwater crocodiles present Low level to Gorge Y Y Y Floats
Management Actions by Australian Government in Site traps Traps when water flow allows Traps as required Other capture and removal methods Extra traps as required for target areas Regular spot lighting Spot lighting before opening for swimming Regular / weekly inspections Detection devices Croc detection barriers management tools (e.g. floats) Acting on and investigating visitor and resident reported sightings Jim Y N Y N Y Y Floats maintained at various locations Installed as required once water levels drop Free (usually pig legs) installed as required at sandy bank areas for croc track detection Y Twin Y N Y N Y Y Floats maintained at various locations Croc track detection barriers installed as required across creek Free baits installed as required at sandy bank areas for croc track detection Y Y N Y N Y Y Floats maintained at various locations Croc detection barriers installed as required across creek Free installed as required at sandy bank areas for croc track detection Y Gunlom Y N Y N Y Y Floats maintained at various locations Croc track detection barriers installed as required across creek Free installed as required at sandy bank areas for croc track detection Y Koolpin Y N Y N Y Y Floats maintained at various locations Croc detection barriers installed as required across creek Free baits installed as required at sandy bank areas for croc track detection Y Moline Rockhole N N Y N N Y Y Y Jabiru Lake N N Y Harpoon Y Intermittent spotlighting Y trial
Appendix 4: Annual Milestone Matrix for 2012-2014 Program Milestone Program Reference Action Officer 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 Objective 1 - To facilitate the sustainable use of Saltwater Crocodiles Ensure all harvest permits minimise the possible negative impact on or conflict with tourism, social or cultural interests. 4.1 Restrictions on live animal harvesting. Director, Wildlife Use Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Develop and implement a GIS database to assist with both allocation of eggs and monitoring harvest effort and compliance. 4.1 Harvest ceilings. Director, Wildlife Use Commence Investigate and take appropriate action on all suspected local impacts on the population. 4.1 Harvest ceilings. Director, Wildlife Use Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Instigate adaptive management actions should there be any increased threats to the Saltwater Crocodile and their habitat. 4.1 Harvest ceilings. Director, Wildlife Use Ongoing, review review review review review Ensure the harvest ceiling is set in accordance with the provisions of this management program. 4.1 Harvest ceilings. Director, Wildlife Use July - September July – September July – September July – September July - September Assess all permit applications and ensure egg allocation is distributed across harvest regions in accordance with the provisions of this management program. 4.1 Harvest ceilings Director, Wildlife Use September - October September – October September – October September – October September - October Ensure that the annual commercial harvest of Saltwater Crocodiles does not exceed the approved ceiling for each category. 4.2 Permits and compliance. Director, Wildlife Use North July - September July – September July – September July – September July - September Assess applications and issue permits under the TPWC Act. 4.2 Permits and compliance Director, Wildlife Use Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Monitor and audit harvest applications, approvals and returns and investigate and resolve any discrepancies. 4.2 Permits and compliance Director, Wildlife Use Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ensure all permit applications have correct landholder approval. 4.2 Permits and compliance Director, Wildlife Use Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ensure monthly farm stock returns comply with permit conditions and are reported half yearly to farms and NRETAS. 4.2 Permits and compliance RDPIFR Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Ongoing, review Audit farm hatchlings annually. 4.2 Permits and compliance RDPIFR annually annually annually annually annually
Objective 1 - To facilitate the sustainable use of Saltwater Crocodiles cont. Ensure compliance with the issue of skin tags and permits. 4.2 Permits and compliance RDPIFR Conduct random checks on farm stock numbers. 4.2 Permits and compliance RDPIFR Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Review permit conditions annually and amend where necessary. 4.2 Permits and compliance Director, Wildlife Use July - September July – September July – September July – September July - September Ensure compliance with permit conditions is at or near 100% and addressing permit breaches through warning letters, caution notices, infringement notices or prosecution is at or near 100%. 4.2 Permits and compliance Director, Wildlife Use annually annually annually annually annually Review and analyse available data to describe changes to Saltwater Crocodile populations and their distribution and publish the outcomes as appropriate. 4.3 research. Director, Wildlife Use Commence Develop population/harvest simulation models to provide an additional decision support tool to assess harvest options and possible harvest impacts at different spatial scales. 4.3 research. Director, Wildlife Use Commence Milestone Program Reference Action Officer 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 Objective 2 - To promote community awareness and public safety Analyse the risk of areas where human interaction with crocodiles may occur and prepare options for the appropriate level of management actions. Risk Assessment Director, Wildlife Use Commence Analyse problem crocodile capture data to assess trends and identify areas of increasing risk to humans. Risk Assessment Director, Wildlife Use Commence Develop and implement a ‘CROCWISE’ plan to educate and heighten the awareness of the dangers of crocodiles in the ’s waterways. Risk Assessment Marketing and Communications Commence permits to remove problem crocodiles as necessary and appropriate. 4.4 Removal of problem crocodiles. Director, Wildlife Use Ongoing, as Ongoing, as needs Ongoing, as Ongoing, as needs Ongoing, as needs
Objective 4 - To monitor and report on the impact of the harvest of Saltwater Crocodiles Continue the population survey program for Saltwater Crocodiles as stipulated in this program. 4.7 Monitoring Director, Wildlife Use Commence Review Review Review Review Analyse and assess the results of the survey program and implement any resulting management recommendations. 4.7 Monitoring Director, Wildlife Use July - September July – September July – September July – September July - September Annually the progress of the Management Program against each of the performance indicators and adjust management practices as necessary. 4.8 Reporting Director, Wildlife Use March March March Submit annual reports to the Australian Government and provide a summary on the Northern Territory Government website. 4.8 Reporting Director, Wildlife Use October October October October October Review and update the Management program by 2014. 4.8 Reporting Director, Wildlife Use commence complete