Cross sections of the Kerguelen Plateau (depth, m, with distance, km), showing the main features of the topographic relief of the plateau and the extent to which the current marine reserve covers the different depth zones and features of the HIMI EEZ 14. [...] 16 The aim of this report is to provide the existing knowledge on the natural, physical, and historical setting of the HIMI EEZ, and the existing pressures, threats and management to assess the contribution of The Reserve to Australia’s Nationally Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (NRSMPA). [...] This report provides a detailed background of HIMI’s biogeography and physical setting within the region, details of the biology and ecology of the HIMI EEZ, a review of the pressures HIMI is facing now and into the future, and a description of the existing management arrangements. [...] The information compiled in this report provides the basis for an assessment of the comprehensiveness, adequacy, and representativeness of The Reserve as established by the principles of the NRSMPA, and if The Reserve remains likely to be adequate for maintaining the values it was designed to protect. [...] Understanding the marine ecosystems surrounding Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) and their conservation status 17 2.1 Regional Context, Biogeography, and Change In order to understand the regional context of the HIMI EEZ it is necessary to examine the oceanography and the biogeography of the fauna of the broader region.
- Pages
- 152
- Published in
- Australia
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents 3
- Table of Contents 4
- Table of Contents 5
- List of Figures 6
- List of Figures 7
- List of Tables 7
- Foreword 8
- Executive Summary 9
- Recommendations 13
- 1.0 Introduction 14
- 2.0 Approach 19
- 2.1 Regional Context Biogeography and Change 20
- 2.2 Assessment of the Reserve 20
- 3.0 Biogeography of the region 20
- 3.1 Benthic regionalisation 21
- 3.2 Pelagic regionalisation 27
- 4.1 HIMI in the Southern Ocean 33
- 4.0 The Physical Setting of HIMI 33
- 4.2 Topography 36
- 4.3 Geology glaciology and geomorphology 38
- 4.4 Oceanography 41
- 5.1 The terrestrial environment of Heard Island and McDonald Islands. 54
- 5.0 Biology and Ecology of the HIMI EEZ and surrounds 54
- 5.2 Productivity and Plankton 55
- 5.3 Fish 57
- 5.4 Birds and Marine Mammals 61
- 5.5 Benthos 68
- 5.6 Food webs 71
- 6.1 History of use 73
- 6.2 Marine pollution tourism and military activities 73
- 6.0 Pressures on HIMIs marine ecosystems 73
- 6.3 Industry fisheries 74
- 6.4 Scientific field activities 82
- 6.5 Climate change 83
- 6.6 Invasive Species 90
- 7.0 Extended Continental Shelf 91
- 8.1 Legislation policy and international obligations 93
- 8.0 Management 93
- 8.2 Management approaches 96
- 9.0 Assessment of comprehensiveness adequacy and representativeness CAR 100
- 9.1 Previous assessments of representation of bioregions in shallow waters 102
- 9.2 Assessment Zones 102
- 9.3 Features of Assessment Zones 106
- 9.4 Representation of key ecological metrics in each Assessment Zone 109
- 9.5 Environmental change in each Assessment Zone 111
- 9.6 How well is the current marine reserve protecting the environment 114
- 9.6 Assessment of comprehensiveness adequacy and representativeness CAR 114
- 10.0 Adequacy of the existing Commonwealth Marine Reserve 115
- 10.1 Key Conservation Areas requiring protection 116
- 10.2 Representation of Key Conservation Areas in The Reserve 122
- 11.0 Conclusions 127
- 12.1 Legislation policy and international obligations 127
- 12.0 Future work 127
- 13.0 Appendices 129
- Whole EEZ bathymetry 133
- Bottom Slope 133
- Decadal Mean Sea Surface Temperature 133
- Decadal Mean Temperatures derived from BRAN2020 133
- Decadal mean Chlorophyll a density 134
- Anomalies of decadal mean temperatures and Chlorophyll a 134
- 14.0 References 144
