Flora - 15% change from 31,000 ha The extent of saltmarsh in Kellogg Brown and Root (2010), on Total saltmarsh extent will not decline Medium Saltmarsh which the LAC was based is considered erroneous, as 31,000 ha below 850 hectares. is greater than the entire mapped area of coastal saltmarsh in Victoria of 19,212 ha (Boon et al. 2011). The most recent mapping of saltmarsh, using the definitions of Boon (2011) indicate that there are 1143 hectares of saltmarsh inside the Ramsar site boundary (noting that there is a large area of saltmarsh adjacent to the site, but outside the site boundary). As natural variability of saltmarsh extent is low and the recovery of saltmarsh from disturbance is known to be slow (Saintilan 2009), the LAC is based on the 2011 extent. The LAC has been set to be consistent with that for other Victorian Ramsar sites supporting saltmarsh – a 25% decline from the time of listing. LAC for condition of saltmarsh is also desirable and Boon et al. (2011) suggested EVC benchmarks for the community. However, there is no benchmark of condition against which change could be assessed. Waterbirds A drop in mean or maximum The wording of this LAC, makes it difficult to assess against Abundance of waterbirds will not Medium values of ≥ 20 per cent over a without considerable effort in determining the numbers of decline below the following (calculated five-year period for the guilds waterbirds and the groups in questions. The LAC has been as a rolling five year average of identified in the ECD. to make future assessments easier. maximum annual count): Total waterbirds – 12 000 The site is important (particularly around French Island) for Migratory waders – 5300 nesting fairy tern and oystercatchers. There is no long term Australasian waders - 800 quantitative data available for most beach nesting birds. Data Ducks - 500 on fairy tern nests indicate highly variable numbers, and gaps Fishers - 550 of up to five years when terns do not nest (Lacey and O’Brien Gulls - 1600 2015). Insufficient data to set a quantitative LAC. Large wading birds - 980 Swans – 1600 Breeding of beach nesting birds annually Low within the site
Flora - Saltmarsh 15% change from 31,000 ha The extent of saltmarsh in Kellogg Brown and Root (2010), on which the LAC was based is considered erroneous, as 31,000 ha is greater than the entire mapped area of coastal saltmarsh in Victoria of 19,212 ha (Boon et al. 2011). The most recent mapping of saltmarsh, using the definitions of Boon (2011) indicate that there are 1143 hectares of saltmarsh inside the Ramsar site boundary (noting that there is a large area of saltmarsh adjacent to the site, but outside the site boundary). As natural variability of saltmarsh extent is low and the recovery of saltmarsh from disturbance is known to be slow (Saintilan 2009), the LAC is based on the 2011 extent. The LAC has been set to be consistent with that for other Victorian Ramsar sites supporting saltmarsh – a 25% decline from the time of listing. LAC for condition of saltmarsh is also desirable and Boon et al. (2011) suggested EVC benchmarks for the community. However, there is no benchmark of condition against which change could be assessed. Total saltmarsh extent will not decline below 850 hectares. Medium Waterbirds A drop in mean or maximum values of ≥ 20 per cent over a five-year period for the guilds identified in the ECD. The wording of this LAC, makes it difficult to assess against without considerable effort in determining the numbers of waterbirds and the groups in questions. The LAC has been to make future assessments easier. The site is important (particularly around French Island) for nesting fairy tern and oystercatchers. There is no long term quantitative data available for most beach nesting birds. Data on fairy tern nests indicate highly variable numbers, and gaps of up to five years when terns do not nest (Lacey and O’Brien 2015). Insufficient data to set a quantitative LAC. Abundance of waterbirds will not decline below the following (calculated as a rolling five year average of maximum annual count): Total waterbirds – 12 000 Migratory waders – 5300 Australasian waders - 800 Ducks - 500 Fishers - 550 Gulls - 1600 Large wading birds - 980 Swans – 1600 Breeding of beach nesting birds annually within the site Medium Low
Western-Port-Ramsar-Site-Management-Plan_revised.docx