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EPBC Referral Documents 2013/6836

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EPBC Referral Documents 2013/6836 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Referral of proposed action Project title: Importation, rearing and release of Tachardiaephagus somervillei (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) as a biological control agent for the yellow lac scale Tachardina aurantiaca (Hemiptera: Kerriidae) on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean 1 Summary of proposed action NOTE: You must also attach a map/plan(s) showing the location and approximate boundaries of the area in which the project is to occur. Maps in A4 size are preferred. You must also attach a map(s)/plan(s) showing the location and boundaries of the project area in respect to any features identified in 3.1 & 3.2, as well as the extent of any freehold, leasehold or other tenure identified in 3.3(i). 1.1 Short description Use 2 or 3 sentences to uniquely identify the proposed action and its location. Supercolonies of the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (YCA) are a major and on- going threat to biodiversity values on Christmas Island, especially to red land crabs Gecarcoidea natalis and robber crabs Birgus latro. To date, the management of YCA supercolonies has depended on surveillance, monitoring and control using toxic bait (mostly fipronil), particularly through aerial baiting programs in 2002, 2009 and 2012. While this program has been very effective in suppressing YCA supercolonies and there are encouraging signs of recovery in many treated areas, new supercolonies continue to form. There is widespread concern for the sustainability of this program in terms of its expense, non-target impacts, and the resources it diverts from other conservation programs. Recent research conducted by La Trobe University, funded by the Director of National Parks and endorsed by the Christmas Island Crazy Ant Scientific Advisory Panel, indicates that long-term, sustainable suppression of YCA supercolonies could be achieved through the introduction of a host-specific biological control agent that would indirectly affect YCA by reducing carbohydrate supply provided by scale insects, a key resource implicated in supercolony dynamics. The yellow lac scale Tarchardina aurantiaca (Hemiptera, Kerriidae; hereafter Tachardina) is likely to be the single biggest contributor to the honeydew economy of YCA supercolonies across the island. This species, like all other scale insect species on the island, is not native to Christmas Island. The proposed action is to import, rear and release on Christmas Island a key natural enemy of Tachardina, the parasitoid microhymenopteran wasp Tachardiaephagus somervillei (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae; hereafter Tachardiaephagus) as a biological control agent for this scale insect. The expectation is that Tachardiaephagus should indirectly suppress supercolony formation by YCA by controlling its key scale insect mutualist. 1.2 Latitude and longitude Latitude Longitude Latitude and longitude details location point degrees minutes seconds degrees minutes seconds are used to accurately map the boundary of the proposed action. If these coordinates are NE extreme -10 24 40 105 42 14 inaccurate or insufficient it may NW extreme -10 26 14 105 32 59 delay the processing of your SW extreme -10 30 54 105 32 1.6 referral. S extreme -10 34 41 105 39 53 E extreme -10 28 4 105 42 49 Page 1 of 44 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 1.3 Locality and property description Provide a brief physical description of the property on which the proposed action will take place and the project location (eg. proximity to major towns, or for off-shore projects, shortest distance to mainland). The project will be carried out on Christmas Island, an Australian External Territory located in the northeastern Indian Ocean at 10° 25’S and 105° 40’E (Fig. 1a). The island is approximately 2600 km northwest of Perth and 360 km south of the western end of Java, Indonesia. The island covers 135 km2, of which approximately 85 km2 (64%) is National Park (Fig. 1b). The remaining area is unallocated Commonwealth Crown Land (18%); mine lease (15%) (leased by Phosphate Resources Limited from the Commonwealth) and committed land, including private dwellings (3%). The Park contains two Ramsar wetlands at The Dales and Hosnie’s Spring (Fig. 1b). Christmas Island rises from the sea in a series of cliffs and terraces to a maximum elevation of 361 meters. The terraces are separated by slopes covered by loose and jagged limestone boulders, or by sheer cliffs (Fig. 1c). The interior of the island is a slightly undulating plateau, from 160-361 metres above sea level (Fig. 1d). About 75% of the island is covered by vegetation, mostly rain forest. Figure 1. (a) Geographic location of Christmas Island in the north eastern Indian Ocean, (b) Christmas Island showing the National Park (green), unallocated crown land (yellow), Ramsar sites (Blue hatching) and phosphate mining leases (green stippling). The National Park and Unallocated Crown Land together show the extent of remaining rainforest on Christmas Island, (c) Christmas Island rises in a series of cliff and terraces to a maximum elevation of 361 m (d) the interior of the Island is a slightly undulating plateau, from 160-361 m above sea level. (b) (a) (c) (d) Page 2 of 44 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 1.4 Size of the development YCA supercolonies have formed patchily in rainforest across the footprint or work area (hectares) entire Island (Fig. 2). The intention is for the biological control agent to both control existing supercolonies and suppress the formation of new ones, by eventually colonising and establishing self-sustaining populations across the entire forested area from an initially small number of release points. Thus, the proposed action is forecast to occur over the entire forested area of the Christmas Island National Park and adjacent unallocated Crown Land, totalling c. 10,000 ha. Figure 2. Composite map showing YCA Supercolonies treated with toxic bait between 2000-2012. This map effectively shows the extent of supercolony formation over the last twelve years. 1.5 Street address of the site Christmas Island National Park, PO Box 867, Drumsite, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, 6798. Unallocated Crown Land, managed by the Commonwealth Department of Department of Regional Australia, Local Government and Sports (DRALGAS). 1.6 Lot description Describe the lot numbers and title description, if known. N/A 1.7 Local Government Area and Council contact (if known) If the project is subject to local government planning approval, provide the name of the relevant council contact officer. Although local government approval is not required for the proposed action, consultation will still occur. The relevant local government is the Shire of Christmas Island – Western Australia Local Government Association. CEO Kelvin Mathews. Page 3 of 44 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 1.8 Time frame Specify the time frame in which the action will be taken including the estimated start date of construction/operation. Foreign exploration in Southeast Asia has already located Tachardina at sites across 1900 km in Malaysia, within its native range in Southeast Asia. Research on the biology of its main parasitoid Tachardiaephagus is already underway in Southeast Asia, principally at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and at Sarawak Forestry in Semenggoh, Sarawak (see O’Dowd et al. 2012, and Section 2.1 below). A preliminary draft for host specificity testing has been produced (see Attachment 1) and host specificity testing could be completed in Malaysia by June 2013. Coincident with these activities, rearing facilities for Tachardiaephagus will be constructed on Christmas Island (see Attachment 2). Tachardiaephagus will be imported to Christmas Island when both tasks are completed, and a population will be established under controlled laboratory conditions in the rearing facility. The first field releases are planned for mid- 2014, and there will be multiple releases thereafter through 2015 and 2016. 1.9 Alternatives to proposed No action Were any feasible alternatives to taking the proposed action (including not taking the action) considered but are not proposed? Yes, you must also complete section 2.2 1.10 Alternative time frames etc Does the proposed action No include alternative time frames, locations or activities? Yes, you must also complete Section 2.3. For each alternative, location, time frame, or activity identified, you must also complete details in Sections 1.2-1.9, 2.4-2.7 and 3.3 (where relevant). 1.11 State assessment No Is the action subject to a state or territory environmental Yes, you must also complete Section 2.5 impact assessment? NOTE: As described in Section 2.4, the regulatory framework under which the introduction of a biological control agent to the external Australian territory of Christmas Island would be considered cannot yet be clearly identified. Therefore, the requirement for a formal state or territory environmental impact assessment is also unclear. The matters of greatest relevance in the assessment of this Referral are the host specificity of the proposed biological control agent, and the likelihood of off-target impacts on other scale insects or species of concern. These issues are addressed in Section 2.5 in lieu of a formal environmental impact assessment. 1.12 Component of larger action No Is the proposed action a component of a larger action? Yes, you must also complete Section 2.7 1.13 Related actions/proposals Is the proposed
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