Background Paper Population Status and Threats to Albatrosses and Giant Petrels Listed as Threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Citation Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2011), Background Paper, Population Status and Threats to Albatrosses and Giant Petrels Listed as Threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Commonwealth of Australia, Hobart Acknowledgements This Background Paper was developed by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. The AAD is grateful for the support of a wide range of organisations and individuals, who provided valuable information and assistance during the preparation of this Paper. Particular thanks to: - Ms Rachael Alderman and Dr Rosemary Gales from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania.; and - Mr Ian Hay, Ms Tara Hewitt, Dr Graham Robertson and Dr Mike Double of the AAD. Cover photograph: Light mantled albatross and chick, North Head, Macquarie Island, 2010; photographer Sarah Way, Tasmanian Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water and Environment. 1 CONTENTS SUMMARY OF THREATS AND ISSUES........................................................................................................ 4 1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 PURPOSE ....................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 OVERVIEW OF STATUS.................................................................................................................................. 6 1.2.1 Conservation status of albatrosses and giant petrels .......................................................................... 6 1.2.2 Status of breeding populations under Australian jurisdiction ........................................................... 11 2 GENERIC THREATS AND ISSUES............................................................................................................ 13 2.1 INCIDENTAL CATCH DURING LONGLINE FISHING OPERATIONS.......................................................... 13 2.1.1 Issues relating to longline fisheries ................................................................................................... 18 2.2 INCIDENTAL CATCH DURING TRAWL FISHING OPERATIONS .............................................................. 19 2.2.1 Issues Relating To Trawl Fisheries.................................................................................................... 21 2.3 INCIDENTAL CATCH DURING DRIFTNETTING OPERATIONS ................................................................ 22 2.3.1 Issues Relating To Driftnetting .......................................................................................................... 23 2.4 INCIDENTAL CATCH DURING TROLLING OPERATIONS........................................................................ 23 2.4.1 Issues relating to trolling operations................................................................................................. 24 2.5 INTENTIONAL SHOOTING/KILLING ..................................................................................................... 24 2.5.1 Issues relating to intentional shooting/killing.................................................................................... 24 2.6 IMPACTS OF INTRODUCED PEST SPECIES ............................................................................................ 25 2.6.1 Issues relating to feral pest management........................................................................................... 28 2.7 HUMAN DISTURBANCE AT THE NEST.................................................................................................. 29 2.7.1 Issues related to human disturbance.................................................................................................. 32 2.8 AVIAN PARASITES AND DISEASES ...................................................................................................... 32 2.8.1 Issues relating to parasites and diseases ........................................................................................... 33 2.9 LOSS OF NESTING HABITAT AND COMPETITION FOR NEST SPACE....................................................... 33 2.9.1 Issues relating to nesting habitat loss and interspecific competition................................................. 34 2.10 COMPETITION WITH FISHERIES FOR MARINE RESOURCES .................................................................. 35 2.10.1 Issues relating to competion with fisheries ...................................................................................... 36 2.11 DEPENDENCE ON DISCARDS FROM FISHING AND TOURIST VESSELS................................................... 36 2.11.1 Issues relating to discards ............................................................................................................... 38 2.12 MARINE POLLUTION........................................................................................................................... 38 2.12.1 Issues relating to marine pollution .................................................................................................. 41 2.13 CLIMATE CHANGE .............................................................................................................................. 42 2.13.1 Issues relating to climate change..................................................................................................... 43 2.14 POPULATION MONITORING AND FORAGING ECOLOGY PROGRAMS .................................................... 43 2.14.1 Issues relating to monitoring and foraging ecology ........................................................................ 46 2.15 EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES ............................................................................... 46 2.15.1 Issues relating to education ............................................................................................................. 47 2.16 INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION AGREEMENTS AND OBLIGATIONS .................................................. 47 2.16.1 Issues relating to international agreements..................................................................................... 53 3 BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF SPECIES .......................................................................................... 55 3.1 SPECIES BREEDING IN AREAS UNDER AUSTRALIAN JURISDICTION ..................................................... 55 3.1.1 Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans Linnaeus 1758............................................................. 55 3.1.2 Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris Temminick 1828......................................... 60 3.1.3 Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta Gould 1841............................................................................ 65 3.1.4 Grey-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma Forster 1785................................................ 68 3.1.5 Light-mantled Albatross Phoebetria palpebrata Forster 1785 .................................................... 72 3.1.6 Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli Mathews 1912............................................................. 75 3.1.7 Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus Gmelin 1789 ....................................................... 78 3.2 SPECIES FORAGING BUT NOT BREEDING IN AREAS UNDER AUSTRALIAN JURISDICTION ..................... 83 3.2.1 Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena Matthews 1929............................................................. 84 3.2.2 Antipodean Albatross Diomedea antipodensis............................................................................. 85 2 3.2.3 Northern Royal Albatross Diomedea sanfordi Murphy 1917....................................................... 86 3.2.4 Southern Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora Lesson 1825.................................................. 88 3.2.5 Amsterdam Albatross Diomedea amsterdamensis Roux et al. 1983............................................. 89 3.2.6 Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis Rothschild 1893 ....................................................... 90 3.2.7 Campbell Albatross Thalassarche impavida (Mathews 1912) ..................................................... 91 3.2.8 Buller’s Albatross Thalassarche bulleri Rothschild 1893............................................................ 92 3.2.9 White-capped Albatross Thalassarche steadi............................................................................... 93 3.2.10 Salvin’s Albatross Thalassarche salvini (Rothschild 1893)..................................................... 94 3.2.11 Chatham Albatross Thalassarche eremita (Murphy 1930)...................................................... 96 3.2.12 Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos Gmelin 1789........................ 97 3.2.13 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri Mathews 1912...................................... 98 3.2.14 Sooty Albatross Phoebetria fusca Hilsenberg 1822 ................................................................ 99 4 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................................