Supplementary Form a Additional Information

Supplementary Form A – whale & dolphin research

DSEWPaC

Supplementary information

Question 3

Extent of aerial survey area, encompassing the Head of Bight and Fowlers Bay.

Question 4.

a). The equipment and methods used to comply with the EPBC Act regulations.

The surveys will be conducted in a Robinson 44 Raven II Helicopter. Photo-ID of individual whales will be collected using a Canon 40D digital SLR camera with a 300-500mm lens. Three flights are scheduled, one in mid-July, mid-August and mid-October to capture the temporal and spatial habitat usage of the Great Australian Bight southern right whale aggregation. Flights are planned to enter the aggregation area from east to west. The purpose of this permit application is to seek permission within the EPBC Marine Mammal Regulations to fly within 200 metres vertically of individual animals to enable the collection of high quality individual photographic ID’s.

b). What steps will be taken to minimise the effects on cetaceans?

The methodology undertaken during two pilot aerial surveys in September and October 2013 (Cetacean permit 2013-0009) will be repeated. During these surveys precautions were taken to ensure minimum interaction time with each whale via flight approach procedures. This entailed hovering at a distance, then flying through at a steady speed when the whales surfaced to capture photo-ID ensuring no hovering occurred in close proximity to any animal. During these surveys, no change of behaviour was recorded for any individual during photo-ID approach, with 76% of approaches lasting less than one minute and 24% lasting 1-2 minutes. Experienced marine mammal scientists will be on-board and if any signs of disturbance or altered behaviour are detected, the photo-ID approach will be halted and the helicopter will immediately move away from the individual/group. The helicopter to be utilised has been specifically identified as one that has low engine and rotor noise, as well as negligible down draft to minimise disturbance.

c). The objectives and purposes of this action

The aims of this project are to photograph, categorise and geo-reference all individual animals within the survey area. These data, and additional data collected in subsequent years, will provide estimates of abundance, population growth rate, and survival and fecundity of southern right whales (Eubalaenaaustralis) in the former Great Australian Bight Marine Park (which will be encompassed by the Great Australian Bight Commonwealth Marine Reserve in July 2014). Information on the status and trends in abundance of SRW populations within the region are essential for evaluating key performance measures of the GAB Marine Park, to assist DEWNR in species management decisions and to meet the first interim recovery objective of the “Southern right Whale Conservation and Management Plan 2011-2021”:

“Demonstrate that the number of southern right whales occurring off south-west Australia (nominally south-west Australian population) is increasing at or near the maximum biological rate.” (DSEWPaC, 2012)

Question 5

a). A copy of the research proposal

Monitoring southern right whale abundance, distribution and population dynamics at the Great Australian Bight aggregation/nursery ground.

The overall aim of this project is to provide an absolute count of the number of southern right whale (Eubalaenaaustralis) present in the former Great Australian Bight Marine Park (which will be encompassed by the Great Australian Bight Commonwealth Marine Reserve in July 2014), at three points during the aggregation/calving season, to obtain photo-ID of all individuals to allow mark-recapture estimates of abundance. All photo-IDs will be processed and uploaded to the Australian Right Whale Photo-Identification Catalogue (ARWPIC). All individuals and groups will be geo-referenced, providing data on the temporal distribution of individuals and different classes throughout the aggregation/calving season.

BACKGROUND

Southern right whales (Eubalaenaaustralis) (SRW) are listed as endangered under the Commonwealth EPBC Act and require sufficient monitoring to meet the objectives of the Conservation Management plan for the Southern Right Whale (DSEWPac 2012).

The species has a southern hemisphere circumpolar distribution between latitude 16°S and 65°S. Between May and October, SRW from Australia migrate between higher latitude feeding grounds (probably between 40°S and 65°S) to calving/nursery grounds in coastal Australian waters. Until recently SRW in Australian waters have been managed as a single population estimated at approximately 3,500 individuals (DSEWPaC 2012). However, a recent genetic study has led to the proposal of two populations in Australian waters (south-western and south-eastern) (Carroll et al. 2011), that are experiencing different rates of recovery from historical whaling effort. While recovery and re-occupancy rates for the south-eastern population are low, the south-western population is estimated to be increasing at 6.79% per annum (Bannister 2011), near or at maximum population growth. Current population estimates put the south-western population at 2,900 individuals (Bannister 2011), therefore accounting for 83% of the total estimated Australian SRW population.

The south-western SRW population is distributed between Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia (WA) and Ceduna, South Australia (SA) (Bannister 2011) with established large coastal aggregation and nursery grounds at Doubtful Island Bay area and Israelite Bay areas in WA, and Head of Bight (HOB) in SA. During the breeding season unaccompanied whales have been shown to travel between areas up to 1,500km apart. In general, female SRW show calving site fidelity and tend to spend 2-3 months at a particular nursery ground. However, calving whales have been recorded at locations up to 700km apart in a single season (DSEWPaC 2012).

Reproductive females produce a single calf every three years, but this three year calving interval can vary as a result of large-scale climate variability (Leaper et al 2006) or if a female loses its calf. Gestation lasts for 12 months, with a 7-8 month lactation period. Reproductive females tend not to be present in these coastal aggregation areas between calving events, and counts of female-calf pairs vary annually as a result of cohort structured breeding (DSEWPaC 2012). The winter distribution of Australian SRWs which do not migrate to coastal calving/aggregations is presently unknown.

The HOB is a significant winter calving/aggregation site for a portion of the south-western population (>40%, Charlton & Burnell 2011) and Fowlers Bay to the east of the HOB is classified as an emerging aggregation area (DSEWPaC 2012). SRWs are present in the area between May and October, with peak abundance occurring between mid-August and mid-September (Bannister 2011).

The SRW aggregation at the HOB has been studied for over twenty years, with varying levels of support from State and Commonwealth agencies, including the Australian Marine Mammal Centre (AMMC), DEWNR & DSEWPaC. These studies have been conducted to facilitate the management of this species and data have primarily been collected from cliff top surveys. Surveys are conducted over a 15km stretch of coastline comprising of 5km of beach (which cannot be directly surveyed) and 10km of limestone cliffs. The potential coastal area that can be successfully surveyed from cliff top sites is dependent on the height of the observation point used (37 to 60m) and environmental conditions (Charlton & Burnell 2011).

Additional information on SRW abundance and photo-ID are collected during annual aerial surveys, which, since 1993, have surveyed the region between HOB and Ceduna. However, these areas are only surveyed twice (one eastern and one return leg) when peak numbers in cow/calf pairs are likely to occur (mid-August to mid-September). As a result aerial count data are only available for a small proportion of time that whales are present at the HOB breeding/calving aggregation.

NEED

SRW are one of the key special features of the GAB Marine Park and the HOB represents a significant aggregation and calving ground for the Australian south-western SRW population. Information on the status and trends in abundance of SRW populations within the region are essential for evaluating key performance measures of the GAB Marine Park, to assist DEWNR in species management decisions and to meet the first interim recovery objective of the “Southern right Whale Conservation and Management Plan 2011-2021”:

To date, land-based surveys have provided relative counts and obtained photographic IDs of SRW at the HOB during the peak calving season. However, the ability to accurately count and photograph all whales in the area, within a season, is affected by distance of animals from shore (or in the eastern end of the study site off the beach) and sighting conditions. For example 16% of all whales counted during the 9 day cliff-top survey conducted in 2010 were classified as being of “unknown status”. Unknown status animals are those individuals who are “unable to be categorised due to limited sightability.” (Charlton & Burnell 2011), i.e. the presence of “an accompanying calf cannot be confirmed or refuted” (Burnell 2007). Only 10% of individuals of this unknown status class were successfully photographically identified. While photo-id rates of female-calf pairs is higher (90% of the numbers counted) any female with calf which is not successfully IDd, or any unknown status whale which was accompanied by a calf and not IDd, will effect estimates of female reproductive rates in the population. “Unaccompanied” whales move quickly through the area and are less likely to be identified at HOB from a single survey during the breeding season. Known mature females which have previously been identified with a calf in the aggregation area spend significantly less time in the area in those years when they do not have a calf (BurnellBryden, 2007).

In 2013, the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR), as well as the Commonwealth Department for Environment (formerly DSEWPaC) made the decision to support the development of a new SRW aerial survey program to directly address the conservation and management needs of the GABMP and SRW management plans. SARDI and DEWNR conducted two pilot aerial surveys, by helicopter, in September and October 2013, encompassing ~270 km of coastline (Mackay & Goldsworthy, 2014). Due to logistical and funding constraints, the surveys could not be conducted during the peak aggregation period (August). During the first survey, 49 SRW were sighted (25 adults and 24 calves), while a single female-calf pair was sighted during the second survey. Photo-IDs and geographic positions of all sighted whales were successfully obtained on both surveys, and no behavioural response to the presence of the helicopter was observed. The results of these pilot studies indicate that aerial surveys provide an efficient and standardised methodology with which to collect data on the abundance, distribution and reproductive state of individual whales in the study area.

Aerial surveys should be conducted on an annual basis to account for inter-annual variability in counts of reproductive females, which occurs primarily as a result of the three-year breeding cycle. The collection of photo-IDs of all sighted whales within a standardised survey area at multiple times within a breeding season, would allow for mark-recapture methods to be applied to the data, and provide an estimate of total abundance during the annual breeding season.

It is recommended that at least three surveys per season are undertaken each year; in July, August (the historical peak in abundance) and September to provide a better understanding of the fecundity, distribution and movement patterns of individual whales with the calving/aggregation period, and to provide an estimate of total abundance using mark-recapture methodology.

METHODS

Three helicopter based aerial surveys will be conducted during the 2014 breeding/ aggregation season, one in July, August and September. Aerial survey protocol will follow the methodology used in Mackay and Goldsworthy (2014). The aim of these surveys will be to provide accurate counts, geographic location, and where possible, photo IDs of all SRW in the study area. During search and count phase of the survey the helicopter will fly at an altitude of no lower than 300 meters (of height specified by permit). To obtain an accurate photo-ID, the helicopter will descend to a flying altitude of a minimum of 200m (of height specified by permit). Once a photo-ID has been obtained the helicopter will immediately return to the “search and count” flying altitude. In addition, in order to minimise any disturbance of the animals, behavioural responses of individual or groups of whales to the helicopter will be assessed in real-time by qualifed and experienced marine mammal scientists aboard the helicopter. Any photo-ID approach (ie reduction of flying altitude to a minimum specified height) will be immeadiatley halted if animals show any sign of disturbance or change of behaviour, even if this results in not being able to obtain a photo-ID of all counted whales.

OUTCOMES

Absolute counts, individual geographic location(s), and photo-IDs of southern right whales at the Great Australian Bight Marine Park and at the Fowlers Bay aggregation during the 2014 breeding/aggregation season.
An analysis of individual distribution within the 2014 breeding/aggregation season.
Mark-recapture estimates of abundance for the 2014 breeding/aggregation season
All photo-ID images will be submitted to the Australasian Right Whale Photographic Identification Catalogue (ARWPIC).

FUTURE SURVEYS

Three additional aerial surveys will be conducted during each of the 2015 and 2016 breeding/aggregation seasons subject to funding. The methodology used and outcomes of each will be the same as described above for the 2014 season surveys.

References:

Australian Government, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.(2012). Conservation management plan for the southern right whale.

Bannister JL (2011) Population trend in right whales off southern Australia 1993-2010. SC/S11/RW10 IWC SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP: Buenos Aires, 13-16 September 2011

Burnell S (2007) Southern Right Whales -2007 Census and Photo Identification at Head of Bight, S.A. Final Report to Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 15pp

Burnell, S.R. &Bryden, M.M. (1997) Coastal residence periods and reproductive timing in southern right whales, Eubalaenaaustralis Journal of Zoology 241: 613–621

Carroll, E., Patenaude, N., Alexander, A., Steel, D., Harcourt, R., Childerhouse, S., Smith, S., Bannister, J., Constantine, R. & Baker, C.S. (2011) Population structure and individual movement of southern right whales around New Zealand and Australia Marine Ecology Progress Series 432: 257–268

Charlton C, Burnell S (2011) Southern Right Whales – 2010 Census and Photo Identification at Head of Bight, South Australia. Final report to Great Australian Bight Marine Park, Department of Environment and National Resources.20pp

Leaper, R., Cooke, J., Trathan, P., Reid, K., Rowntree, V. & Payne, R. (2006) Global climate drives southern right whale (Eubalaenaaustralis) population dynamics Biology Letters 2: 289–292

Mackay, A.I. and Goldsworthy, S.D.(2014).Development and implementation of a new survey protocol for monitoring southern right whales in the Great Australian Bight. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide.SARDI Publication No.F2014/000052-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 756. 26pp.