May 2004
Meeting 10/5/04
The project team met with CMR scientist Dr Alan Butler and
DEH representatives on the 10 May 2004, to discuss the extent
of the study region and the criteria by which we will access
conservation values.
The study region
Agreement was made on the extent of the study region >view
study region.
Assessing conservation significance
The purpose of the study is to assess whether the Norfolk Seamounts
marine area possesses biodiversity values worthy of protection.
The assessment should identify and describe any areas of high
conservation value in the Norfolk Seamounts marine
area and should provide an assessment of the conservation values
of the area in accordance with the identification criteria as
outlined in Guidelines for
identification of MPAs detailed in the Strategic Plan of Action
for the NRSMPA.
The relevance of two categories, Representativeness and comprehensiveness, needs to be assessed
in relation to the provincial structure identified in IMCRA
(IMCRA Technical Group 1998). IMCRA identifies the Norfolk province
and divides it into three regions, Norfolk Province a - Norfolk
Is; b - Lord Howe Is; and c - Middleton and Elisabeth Reefs
(IMCRA Technical Group 1998). However, IMCRA is an inshore and
shelf-based regionalisation, thus its relevance to the present
CVA needs to be examined further. As mentioned above, we intend
to compare data from the Norfolk Is region with data from seamounts
in the general vicinity, including areas on the Lord Howe Rise.
The criteria under Ecological Importance are especially relevant and should be interpreted broadly
To determine Uniqueness we will compare
faunal lists from studies in the Australian EEZ and others directly
north/ south of the region in New Caledonia and north of New
Zealand.
The point under Vulnerability Assessment in the Guidelines for identification of MPAs detailed in
the Strategic Plan of Action for the NRSMPA only refers
to natural processes. We aim to also identify the area's vulnerability
to anthropogenic activities and processes in fulfillment of
point 5. However we will not be providing a social impact study.
> Information
that will be compiled for the study
Other outcomes for May
- Drafted a letter [view
letter as PDF] to contacts which CMR will post out to stakeholders.
- CMR and DEH decided to draft a follow-up article for the
local Norfolk Is paper to inform Norfolk Island residence
of the website and an alternative form of contact/information.
- Continued to identify relevant literature and data.
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