Marine bioregional plan for the North-west Marine Region prepared under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 I Disclaimer © Commonwealth of Australia 2012 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Public Affairs, GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601 or email [email protected] Images: Striped Nudibranch – C.Zwick and DSEWPaC, Raccoon butterfly fish – N.Wolfe, Display of colourful coral – Tourism WA, Red and yellow feather star (crinoids) – Tourism WA, Sea Grass Meadow – Lochman Transparencies, Whale tail – Tourism WA, Snorkelling in Ningaloo Marine Park – Tourism WA, Green Turtle – Tourism WA, Black tip reef shark – N.Wolfe, Whale Shark – GBRMPA Marine bioregional plan for the North-west Marine Region prepared under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 MINISTERIAL FOREWORD North-west Marine Bioregional Plan For generations, Australians have enjoyed a unique relationship with the sea. Our oceans play a massive role in Australian life – they provide us with fish to eat, a place to fish, business and tourism opportunities and a place for families to enjoy. Australians know, better than anyone, how important it is that our oceans remain healthy and sustainable. Right now, our iconic marine environment is coming under more and more pressure from industry, from pollution and, increasingly, from climate change. That is why the Australian Government has committed to creating a network of Commonwealth marine reserves around the country. We will protect our precious ecosystems in our oceans as we have done on land with our national parks. The North-west Marine Region extends from the border between Western Australia and the Northern Territory, to Kalbarri—south of Shark Bay in Western Australia, and includes extensive areas of shallower waters on the continental shelf, as well as deep areas of abyssal plain where water depths are 5000 metres or more. The North-west Marine Region includes the world famous whale shark aggregations at Ningaloo, and every year, humpback whales migrate through the region to and from their breeding grounds off the Kimberley coast. Six of the seven species of marine turtle in the world are known to live in the region; all have threatened conservation status. Two vulnerable species of sawfish and the Australian snubfin dolphin, which is only present on the Australian continental shelf, are also found in the North-west. This is a special part of Australia. This region attracts tourists from around the world who come to see the unique environment and numerous coral reef systems, including Ningaloo. The reefs are popular sites for diving and snorkeling, and these areas as well as other habitats are important for recreational fishing, charter fishing and marine mammal watching. Ningaloo Reef was placed on the World Heritage List in 2011, in recognition of its outstanding natural values. ii | Marine bioregional plan for the North-west Marine Region These plans have been developed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and backed by the best available science. During the statutory consultation period, submissions were received from a wide range of stakeholders in the North-west Marine Region. The comments and information provided by communities and industries have informed the finalisation of the plan. Our oceans contain a diversity of species and ecosystems which deserve protection. In this North-west Marine Bioregional Plan, you will find information about this extraordinary array of marine life and ecosystems. Tony Burke Minister for the Environment iii iv | Marine bioregional plan for the North-west Marine Region CONTENTS Ministerial Foreword ..................................................................................................................ii North-west Marine Bioregional Plan ............................................................................................ ii 1 The North-west Marine Bioregional Plan ....................................................................1 1.1 Introduction to Marine Bioregional Planning .....................................................................1 1.2 Goal and objectives of the plan .........................................................................................4 1.3 Application of the plan ......................................................................................................4 1.4 Key elements of the plan and supporting information ......................................................7 1.5 Who will use the plan? ......................................................................................................9 2 The north-west Marine Region and its conservation values .................................. 11 2.1 Identification of conservation values ...............................................................................12 2.2 Conservation values—the Commonwealth marine environment...................................12 2.3 Conservation values—protected species .......................................................................19 2.4 Conservation values—protected places .........................................................................20 3 Pressures affecting conservation values ..................................................................23 3.1 Analysis of pressures on conservation values ..............................................................23 3.2 Outcome of pressure analysis ........................................................................................29 4 Regional priorities, strategies and actions .................................................................... 30 4.1 Regional priorities ...........................................................................................................30 4.2 Strategies and actions .....................................................................................................53 Schedule 1 Analysis of pressures affecting conservation values of the North-west Marine Region ...............................................................................62 S1.1 How were the pressures on conservation values analysed? .............................................62 S1.2 Findings of the analysis ......................................................................................................69 v Schedule 2 Regional advice on matters of national environmental significance .........160 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................162 Using the regional advice ........................................................................................................163 Schedule 2.1 The Commonwealth marine environment of the North-west Marine Region ....166 Schedule 2.2 Cetaceans of the North-west Marine Region ....................................................197 Schedule 2.3 Dugong of the North-west Marine Region .........................................................210 Schedule 2.4 Marine reptiles of the North-west Marine Region .............................................. 215 Schedule 2.5 Seabirds and migratory shorebirds of the North-west Marine Region ..............231 Schedule 2.6 Sharks and sawfishes of the North-west Marine Region ..................................248 Map data sources ...................................................................................................................260 vi | Marine bioregional plan for the North-west Marine Region 1 THE NORTH-WEST MARINE BIOREGIONAL PLAN 1.1 Introduction to Marine Bioregional Planning Australia has one of the largest marine jurisdictions of any nation in the world. Australian waters cover 14.7 million square kilometres, including waters around the external territories of Cocos (Keeling), Christmas, Heard and McDonald Islands as well as waters adjacent to Australia’s Antarctic Territory. Within that area, Commonwealth waters surrounding the Australian continent and Tasmania cover 7.4 million square kilometres. The biodiversity of Australia’s vast marine jurisdiction has been recognised as globally significant. Australia’s oceans provide a home to a diverse array of marine species including marine mammals and reptiles, more than 4000 species of fish and tens of thousands of species of invertebrates, plants and micro-organisms. Many of Australia’s marine species are endemic and, therefore, occur nowhere else in the world. Others utilise Australian waters as part of their global migrations. As well as being home to an amazing diversity of marine environments, Australia’s oceans support a range of marine industries, providing a significant contribution to the national economy. These industries include commercial fishing and aquaculture, petroleum and mineral exploration and production, shipping, ports, recreational and charter fishing, and tourism. With 80 per cent of Australia’s population living in the coastal zone, the marine environment has important social and cultural values, including recreational opportunities, amenity, cultural heritage, conservation and scientific significance. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a close, long-standing relationship