Draft referral guideline for 14 birds listed as migratory species under the EPBC Act

About this draft guideline

This draft guideline applies to 14 birds listed as migratory species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Migratory species are a matter of national environmental significance. This referral guideline is intended to provide guidance to proponents on the need to refer an action to which the EPBC Act applies. It should be read in conjunction with significant impact guidelines 1.1 - matters of national environmental significance.

These 14 birds are protected under the EPBC Act because they are included in one or more international agreements in which Australia is a party to. These agreements include the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA), China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) and the Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (ROKAMBA) or the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention).

Given these birds have widespread distributions and occupancy of relatively broad habitats, these species or their habitats are often detected during surveys for environmental impact assessments. This guideline aims to outline the circumstances where a significant impact on one or more of these species is likely. In most cases, significant impacts on these 14 birds are unlikely to occur and consideration for them in a referral is unlikely to be required. However this guideline should be read in its entirety to ensure that this is the case when proposing an action as there are circumstances when a referral for significant impacts on these species is recommended.

The guideline was developed in consultation with Charles Darwin University and Birdlife Australia as well as other individuals with experience and knowledge on one or more of these migratory species.

About the public comment process

This draft referral guideline is open for public comment until 30 October 2015.  Comments or information useful for its finalisation can be forwarded to the Species Information Section:

Email: speciespolicy@environment.gov.au

Mail: Species Information Section
Department of the Environment
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
Fax: 02 6274 2875