26.10.2014 Views

parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...

parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...

parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79<br />

Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study<br />

Victorian distributions. Many areas of the Victorian coast have never been sampled and<br />

therefore biota ranges may be much greater than those suggested.<br />

In a <strong>study</strong> assessing the conservation of shallow subtidal reef fishes in Victoria Colton and<br />

Swearer (2009; 2010) observed 71 species of fish at Cape Howe and Gabo Island. They<br />

regard seven (Table 26), as species of concern as they are numerically and spatially rare at<br />

the state level. Four of these species are fished but low numbers in shallow subtidal reef<br />

may be partly because this is not their primary habitat.<br />

Table 26. Fish species of conservation concern because of their limited statewide distribution and<br />

abundance recorded at Cape Howe and Gabo Island (Colton and Swearer 2009). Species in bold are<br />

targeted for fishing.<br />

Family Species Common name Reason<br />

Carangidae Seriola lalandi yellowtail<br />

kingfish<br />

Unknown, fishery, tends<br />

to be pelagic<br />

Cheilodactylidae Nemadactylus macropterus jackass<br />

Usually deeper, fished<br />

morwong<br />

Moridae Lotella rhacina rock cod Unknown<br />

Orectolobidae Orectolobus sp. (O. spotted or Unknown<br />

maculatus, or O. halei) banded<br />

wobbegong<br />

Pentacerotidae Pentaceropsis recurvirostris Unknown<br />

Sphyraenidae Sphyraena novaehollandiae barracuda Fishery; prefers different<br />

habitat to that sampled<br />

Triakidae Mustelus antarcticus gummy shark Fished<br />

2.4.5 MAJOR THREATS<br />

Threats to <strong>natural</strong> <strong>values</strong> were derived from lists of hazards and associated risks in Carey et<br />

al. (2007b). These were the result of a statewide consultative process to identify threats to<br />

MPAs. Through public and agency workshops, the <strong>natural</strong> <strong>values</strong> in individual MPAs and the<br />

threats that could affect them over the next ten years, were considered and ranked to<br />

identify hazards. This list of hazards was then ranked (low, medium, high and extreme) by<br />

the risk posed by each hazard (Carey et al. 2007b). Five hazards with the potential to be<br />

extreme were identified by Carey et al. (2007b). They are listed in rank order and the habitat<br />

or area at risk within the park is indicated in brackets:<br />

1. Poaching of abalone in commercial quantities leading to decreased abalone<br />

populations and consequent impacts on subtidal reef communities (subtidal reef);<br />

2. Lack of ecological knowledge leading to inappropriate management and thus impacts<br />

on habitats and communities (all of MNP);<br />

3. Introduced <strong>marine</strong> pests from recreational boats leading to impacts on relevant<br />

ecological communities (potentially all of MNP);<br />

4. Introduced species from commercial vessels (including secondary introductions)<br />

leading to changes in community structure (potentially all of MNP); and<br />

5. Anchoring of recreational boats causing physical damage to subtidal reef habitats<br />

and communities (subtidal reef).<br />

84

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!