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

Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79
Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study
Flora
No threatened marine flora has been recorded in the park (Parks Victoria 2006g).
Fish
Many fish found in streams and rivers in terrestrial Wilsons Promontory National Park, have
marine larval stages that would pass through and probably feed in the MNP. This would
include the critically endangered Australian mudfish, and the state and nationally vulnerable
Australian grayling (Table 3). Other fish recorded in or near the MNP are the broad-finned
galaxias Galaxias brevipinnis, spotted galaxias G. truttaceus, pouched lamprey Geotria
australis and short-headed lamprey Mordacia mordax. Great white sharks Carcharodon
carcharias are often sighted around the islands of Wilsons Promontory MNP and park is a
nationally significant area for recovery of great white shark populations (Carey et al. 2007b).
The eastern blue groper Achoerodus viridis is present in low numbers in Wilsons Promontory
MNP. It is thought to be threatened by over fishing and a temporary protection from all
fishing was introduced in April 2011.
Table 3. Conservation listed fish records from Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park and
surrounds.
Victorian listing National listing
Common name Scientific name FFG VROTS EPBC
Australian mudfish Neochanna cleaveri L CR
Australian grayling Prototroctes maraena L VU VU
L = FFG listed, VU = vulnerable, CR = critically endangered
Birds
Twenty-five conservation listed shore or sea birds have been sighted in or in the immediate
surrounds of Wilsons Promontory MNP (Table 4). Twenty-two are recognised as threatened
in Victoria, listed under the FFG Act 1988 or the Victorian Rare or Threatened Species
(VROTS) list. Five birds are listed at both the state and national level, including the southern
giant-petrel which is nationally recognised as endangered. The soft-plumaged petrel is listed
as vulnerable at the national level EPBC Act 1999. Seven birds are recognised
internationally under the Australia Migratory Bird Agreement with either China (CAMBA) or
Japan (JAMBA).
A pair of hooded plovers has been recorded as breeding in the MNP on the beach at Oberon
Bay. Hooded plovers also nest outside the MNP at Picnic and Squeaky Beaches. They have
been observed but do not nest at Norman Beach and on the beaches of Waterloo Bay. The
hooded plover is endemic to Southern Australia and is recognised as endangered in Victoria
and listed as vulnerable nationally. Hooded plovers feed and nest on the beach or in the
nearby dunes of high energy ocean beaches (Wescott 2002). Beach-washed seaweed is an
important habitat and food source of the wide variety of invertebrates they eat (Wescott
2002). They nest in solitary pairs and defend their breeding territories from August to March.
There is a high mortality of eggs and chicks caused by disturbance from humans and dogs,
and predation by foxes and cats (Wescott 2002).
There are two breeding colonies of little penguins within the boundaries of the Wilsons
Promontory MNP, one on Anser Island (400 breeding pairs) and one on Wattle Island (500
breeding pairs). Breeding colonies of little penguins are also on the Glennie Group and
Norman Island outside the MNP. These birds are a protected species under the Wildlife Act
1975. Little penguins nest from May to January with adults foraging within 20 km of the
colony while feeding chicks. Outside of the breeding season they may travel larger distances
from their colonies to feed, mainly keeping within 15 km of the coast.
21