Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 - Register of Critical Habitat pursuant to section 207A (Cth)

Register of Critical Habitat pursuant to section 207A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

The identification of critical habitat for the Register of Critical Habitat, including location and extent information, is a matter of ecological judgement, and is based on the most up-to-date scientific information available to the Threatened Species Scientific Committee and the Minister for the Environment and Heritage at the time the habitat was being considered. As new or additional information becomes available, critical habitat identified on the Register may be amended.

Register of Critical Habitat Effective Details Diomedea exulans (Wandering Albatross) – Macquarie Island 01 JUL 2002 See Attachment A Thalassarche cauta (Shy Albatross) – Albatross Island, The Mewstone, Pedra Branca 01 JUL 2002 See Attachment B Thalassarche chrysostoma (Grey-headed Albatross) Macquarie Island 01 JUL 2002 See Attachment C

Attachment A

Diomedea exulans (Wandering Albatross) – Macquarie Island

Listed Critical Habitat: Diomedea exulans (Wandering Albatross) – Macquarie Island Date Effective: 01 July 2002 Location and extent: Macquarie Island: About 13,000 ha, comprising all islands and rocks above mean high water level, lying within the area bounded by parallels 54°27' S and 54°49' S latitude and meridians 158°45' E and 158°59' E longitude. Reasons for Listing Criteria (a). Whether the habitat is used during periods of stress. Examples of period of stress: Flood, drought or fire. N/A

Criteria (b). Whether the habitat is used to meet essential life cycle requirements. Examples: Foraging, breeding, nesting, roosting, social behaviour patterns or seed dispersal processes. All albatrosses spend more than 95% of their time traversing the world's oceans in search of prey, and usually only return to land to breed. For southern hemisphere species, nesting typically occurs on small islands scattered throughout the Southern Ocean. Five species of albatross breed within Australian waters, three of which are listed as threatened under the EPBC Act: * Shy Albatross * Wandering Albatross * Grey-headed Albatross