coastal and marine natural values of the kimberley - wwf - Australia

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24. Coastal and Marine Natural Values of the Kimberley4.MARINE ANDCOASTAL FAUNAAND FLORA4.1 INTRODUCTIONThe environment of the NorthernKimberley and Dampierland is veryspecies diverse but managementrequires more than just knowledge ofindividual species. Understanding theprocesses and interrelationship betweenspecies at the community level is moreappropriate to identifying areas ofhigh and low biodiversity value. Sincebiodiversity conservation is one of theprinciples of ecologically sustainabledevelopment recognised by Australia,this is vitally important (Commonwealthof Australia, 1992).An ecosystem-oriented approach tomanagement recognises that there ismovement of many animals at differentstages of their life history acrossboundaries, such as the State waters.Much of this movement is seasonallypredictable, which is essential to theviability of populations (Bernstein etal., 1991). Further, not only rare andthreatened species are relevant. This reportselects key threatened species plus othersthat characterise the coastal and marineecosystem. Data or research on the ecology,distribution and abundance of commonspecies is more likely to be available andmore readily interpreted. Common speciesalso make up much of the biomass, aremore directly associated with ecosystemprocesses and easier to observe. There willalways be some gaps / uncertainty in thedata for any specific animal (particularlyrare species), so such a holistic approach isdesirable (Treweek, 1999).Details about the variety and status ofterrestrial biodiversity, including thecoastal ecosystem, in Dampierland andthe Northern Kimberley can be found inthe region’s biodiversity audit (Graham,2002a; McKenzie et al., 2003). Thecontent of these reports are not repeatedhere. Neither is it the purpose of thisreport to describe every threatenedspecies and community, though thesewould need to be investigated, forexample, as part of any environmentalimpact assessment in the region. Forinformation, a list of declared ThreatenedEcological Communities under theWildlife Conservation Act 1950 (WA)are given in Appendix A and threatenedfauna (61 species) and priority fauna(41 species) in Appendix B and AppendixC respectively. Appendix D is a listof fauna and flora listed as threatenedunder the Commonwealth EnvironmentProtection and Biodiversity ConservationAct 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act).4.2 MARINE FAUNA AND FLORAThe following annotated list providesinformation about marine species thatare referred to in subsequent sections ofthis report. This is a select list of speciesthat are most likely to help characterisemarine processes and communities andare also members of groups referred to as‘listed marine species’ under s248 of theEPBC Act. This includes all sea-snakes,seals, crocodiles, dugong, marine turtles,seahorses, sea-dragons and pipefish.Listed marine species are protected frombeing taken, killed or injured.Such species are also considered keycomponents of the Commonwealthmarine area and as components ofthis matter of national environmentalsignificance, can be used to monitorchange in the ecosystem. All marinespecies may be potentially importantto consider in environmental impactassessment or used as biodiversityindicators. The species shown here arechosen to illustrate the Kimberley regionas a whole. At smaller scales, a subset ofthese species or even additional species,may be important or notable.
Coastal and Marine Natural Values of the Kimberley25.Group Location Status Species DescriptionMarine Mammals Nearshore Dugong Dugong Dugon Potentially resident populations at Beagle Bay, Roebuck Bay,Montgomery Islands and One Arm Point (Marsh et al., 2001).Likely to be found in any areas with reasonably large areas ofseagrass. Small population on Ashmore Reef. Suggestions thatthese may be genetically distinct (Whiting, 1999) have since beendiscredited (Hobbs et al., 2007).Vulnerable (Cth)Priority 4 (WA)Humpback WhaleMegaptera novaeangliaeAustralian Snubfi n DolphinOrcaella heinsohniContinental Shelf Priority 4 (WA) Indo-pacifi c HumpbackDolphin Sousa chinensisBryde’s WhaleBalaenoptera brydeiMinke Whale sp.Balaenoptera acutorostrata/ bonaerensisOceanic Priority 4 (WA) Spinner DolphinStenella longirostrisRough-toothed DolphinSteno bredanensisDwarf Sperm WhaleKogia simusBeaked Whales FamilyZiphiidae (e.g. Cuvier’sbeaked whale Ziphiuscavirostris)Table 5: Annotated list of key marine fauna of the Northern Kimberley andDampierland. Status is given as WA (Department of Conservation and EnvironmentList January 2007; Mawson, 2007) or Cth (Commonwealth EPBC Act listing).Kimberley region, especially Camden Sound, used as a calvingarea. Twice-annual migration corridor around Cape Leveque andto west of Lacapede Islands, then ~20Nm offshore further south(Jenner et al., 2001).Potential distribution along length of coastline. Known fromRoebuck Bay, Brunswick Bay, the Troughton Passage and CapeLondonderry. Estuarine species, heavily dependent on specifi cnearshore ecology.Found between estuarine and continental shelf waters, usuallywhere there is a high degree of turbidity. Likely to be localised intidal mixing zones offshore and along strong fronts at the boundaryof rivers and sea (Kimberley Orcaella Conservation Project, DeakinUniversity, In litt).Least migratory of the baleen whales and a tropical waterspecialist. Mostly feeds on shoaling fi sh e.g. anchovy (Bannisteret al., 1996). Likely to occur at areas of relatively high productivityover the continental shelf.Winter migrant from the southern ocean. Both Antarctic andDwarf species are possible, but the latter is more likely. Generallyan oceanic species (Bannister et al., 1996) and sightings at thecontinental slope in October 2004 support this (Simon Mustoe,personal observations).Primarily occurs over the continental slope and deep oceanicwater near islands (Bannister et al., 1996). Occasionally closerinshore. The ‘dwarf’ form that occurs off Australia. One of the morecommonly observed dolphins in NW Australian waters.Primarily oceanic species regularly recorded in the vicinity of ScottReef. Often associates with other tropical cetaceans, particularlyFraser’s Dolphins and Melon-headed Whales. Strandingsrecorded on Barrow Island, WA (Bannister et al., 1996).Locally dependent on strong ocean currents and upwelling andoccurring on or near the continental shelf (Caldwell & Caldwell,1989) – see Figure 8. An unusual and rarely seen species, owingto its small size and enigmatic behaviour. Very boat shy andoverlooked in anything but ideal sea state conditions. May belocally common.Deep ocean specialists, probably resident over deep oceancanyons and other steep features. Most likely species areLongman’s Beaked Whale, Cuvier’s Beaked Whale and Blainville’sBeaked Whale, the latter two being locally common. Cuvier’s Mostlikely a benthic feeder (Waring et al., 2001) to depths of up to2,000m (more usually about 1,000m).
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