Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS) – 2009-2012 version 1. Name and address of the compiler of this form: FOR OFFICE USE ONLY. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and DD MM YY Environment (DPIPWE) GPO Box 44 HOBART, Tasmania 7001 Australia Designation date Site Reference Number +61 3 6165 4396 [email protected] 2. Date this sheet was completed/updated: August 2011 3. Country: Australia 4. Name of the Ramsar site: The precise name of the designated site in one of the three official languages (English, French or Spanish) of the Convention. Alternative names, including in local language(s), should be given in parentheses after the precise name. Jocks Lagoon 5. Designation of new Ramsar site or update of existing site: This RIS is for (tick one box only): a) Designation of a new Ramsar site ; or b) Updated information on an existing Ramsar site 6. For RIS updates only, changes to the site since its designation or earlier update: a) Site boundary and area The Ramsar site boundary and site area are unchanged: or If the site boundary has changed: i) the boundary has been delineated more accurately ; or ii) the boundary has been extended ; or iii) the boundary has been restricted** and/or If the site area has changed: i) the area has been measured more accurately ; or ii) the area has been extended ; or iii) the area has been reduced** ** Important note: If the boundary and/or area of the designated site is being restricted/reduced, the Contracting Party should have followed the procedures established by the Conference of the Parties in the Annex to COP9 Resolution IX.6 and provided a report in line with paragraph 28 of that Annex, prior to the submission of an updated RIS. Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS), page 2 In 2001, the boundary of the Jocks Lagoon Ramsar site was mapped more accurately and the area was been recalculated from 18.1ha to 18.58ha. The boundary of the site remains the same. b) Describe briefly any major changes to the ecological character of the Ramsar site, including in the application of the Criteria, since the previous RIS for the site: The previous RIS described the site as meeting Ramsar Criterion 4. This was based on the presence of the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum playfairi at the site (Croome and Tyler 1987). The genus Prorocentrum was previously thought to be entirely marine and is therefore of scientific interest. Jocks Lagoon is one of only seven known sites where this species exists. However, the presence of this species at the site is not evidence of providing support for the species at a critical stage, or for providing refuge in adverse conditions. Rather, it provides further justification for the site meeting criterion three – supporting populations important for regional biodiversity. Therefore, the site is not considered to meet this criterion currently or at the time of listing. Additions to the justification of listing criteria since the time of listing include: • two Ramsar habitat types that had not previously been recorded at the site [Ts (intermittent sedgeland marsh) and U (peat sedgeland and teatree)] • three more rare wetland dependent plant species: slender twigsedge (Baumea gunnii); zigzag bogsedge (Schoenus brevifolius); and yellow onion orchid (Microtidium atratum). 7. Map of site: Refer to Annex III of the Explanatory Note and Guidelines, for detailed guidance on provision of suitable maps, including digital maps. a) A map of the site, with clearly delineated boundaries, is included as: i) a hard copy (required for inclusion of site in the Ramsar List): ; ii) an electronic format (e.g. a JPEG or ArcView image) (Figure 1); iii) a GIS file providing geo-referenced site boundary vectors and attribute tables . b) Describe briefly the type of boundary delineation applied: e.g. the boundary is the same as an existing protected area (nature reserve, national park, etc.), or follows a catchment boundary, or follows a geopolitical boundary such as a local government jurisdiction, follows physical boundaries such as roads, follows the shoreline of a waterbody, etc. The boundary of Jocks Lagoon Ramsar site includes all of Lot 1 on Central Plan Register (CPR) 5655 from the Tasmanian Information and Land Services, Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (Figure 2). CPR 5655 horizontal datum is Australian Geodetic Datum (AGD66) Universal Transverse Mercator Projection Australian Map Grid (UTM AMG66) and Australian Height Datum (Tasmania) for vertical datum. 8. Geographical coordinates (latitude/longitude, in degrees and minutes): Provide the coordinates of the approximate centre of the site and/or the limits of the site. If the site is composed of more than one separate area, provide coordinates for each of these areas. Latitude: 41 degrees 20' 41.9" South; Longitude: 148 degrees 18' 29.4" East 9. General location: Include in which part of the country and which large administrative region(s) the site lies and the location of the nearest large town. Jocks Lagoon Ramsar Site is situated on the north-east coast of Tasmania, approximately 5 km south-east of the township of St Helens. It lies on the eastern side of a narrow strip of land that extends out to St Helens Point (Figure 2). It lies between parallel dunes and is 200 to 300 metres inland (westward) of the Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS), page 3 east coast of Tasmania. The Site is in the Break O’Day municipality, which has a population 6,000 residents (Break O’Day Council, 2009). 10. Elevation: (in metres: average and/or maximum & minimum) The whole area is less than 20 m ASL 11. Area: (in hectares) 18.58 hectares 12. General overview of the site: Provide a short paragraph giving a summary description of the principal ecological characteristics and importance of the wetland. Jocks Lagoon is a small, dystrophic freshwater lagoon, lying primarily on privately owned land and partly in the St Helens Conservation Area (Figure 3). It is one of a chain of lagoons, swamps and wetlands occurring along St Helens providing a freshwater resource in an otherwise dry coastal area. Jocks Lagoon was considered to have the highest wetland values in the area. The Lagoon is a high quality representative example of this type of wetland in the region. Access to the site is possible by 2-wheel drive vehicle or on foot. It is approximately 150 metres wide and 650 metres long, with a north-south orientation. It receives water from a small inlet stream with a catchment approximately three kilometres wide and one kilometre long and also from local groundwater. Although dark from tannins the waters of the lagoon are clear, low nutrient and acidic. The northern half of Jocks Lagoon is mostly a large area of open water with isolated patches of emergent rush and sedge. In contrast, much of the southern half of the lagoon is covered with rush and sedge emerging from the water surface. The water level of the lagoon fluctuates with rainfall and reaches a depth of two to three metres. The aquatic flora of the lagoon is diverse and includes several rare species (Section 2.4). 13. Ramsar Criteria: Tick the box under each Criterion applied to the designation of the Ramsar site. See Annex II of the Explanatory Notes and Guidelines for the Criteria and guidelines for their application (adopted by Resolution VII.11). All Criteria which apply should be ticked. 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 8 • 9 14. Justification for the application of each Criterion listed in 13 above: Provide justification for each Criterion in turn, clearly identifying to which Criterion the justification applies (see Annex II for guidance on acceptable forms of justification). Criterion 1: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region. – Jocks Lagoon is a high quality representative of a wetland with Ramsar wetland types K (coastal freshwater lagoons), E (saline water shores), Ts (freshwater lakes and pools <8ha) and U (non-forested freshwater marshes on peat soils) within the Tasmanian Drainage Division. The site is in near natural condition, with minimal disturbance. There is dense vegetation cover within the site and its surrounds, minimising erosion of the site, which is considered to be in good geomorphic condition (Dunn 2005). Criterion 3: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.Jocks Lagoon supports rare, poorly reserved and scientifically valuable species. It provides wetland habitat for five threatened flora species considered to be at risk in Tasmania. These are: Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS), page 4 Jointed twigsedge (Baumea articulata, rare, Tasmanian TSP ACT 1995). Jocks Lagoon is one of the few wetlands in Tasmania containing the jointed twigsedge and is considered a key site for the species (DPIW 2009). In Tasmania, jointed twigsedge is associated with rivers on the north-east coast (DPIW 2009); Slender twigsedge (Baumea gunnii, rare, Tasmanian TSP ACT 1995). In Tasmania, slender twigsedge inhabits wet moors, creeks and riverbanks (DPIW 2009) but was not previously known at the site until it was found in a botanical survey undertaken by Micah Visoiu (DPIPWE botanist) concurrently with a site visit for the 2011 ECD; Zigzag bogsedge (Schoenus brevifolius, rare, Tasmanian TSP ACT 1995). This species is only shown as occurring in six localities on the Tasmanian rare species database (DPIW 2009). The species was not previously known at the site but was found as part of the botanical survey undertaken by Micah Visoiu (DPIPWE botanist) concurrently with a site visit for the 2011 ECD.