Data Zone
Country/territory: Australia
IBA criteria met: -
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 722,190 ha
Site description (2012 baseline)
This Marine IBA is identified using both tracking data and seaward extensions around breeding colonies. It falls within the Australia Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the Indian Ocean, Eastern FAO ocean region. The site covers an area of 7222 km2 and borders the coastline. The depth ranges from 0 to 2076 m, with a mean annual wind speed of 2.19 m/s, mean annual sea surface temperature falls between 14.99 and 15.77 °C and mean annual chlorophyll-a concentrations found to range between 0.25 and 5.18 mg/m3.
Key biodiversity
3 species trigger IBA criteria at this Marine IBA. BirdLife analyses of tracking data estimates that 2416-4413 individuals of Black-browed Albatross (EN) from Iles Kerguelen are present at the site during the Non-breeding (Apr-Sep) life-history stage. 16678-21441 individuals of Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross (EN) from Ile Amsterdam are present at the site during the Non-breeding (Feb-Aug) life-history stage. Seaward extensions around breeding colony; Lawrence Rocks include key near-colony areas for breeding populations of Australasian Gannet (LC) 2745-5216 individuals.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lawrence Rocks - Marine. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lawrence-rocks--marine-iba-australia on 23/09/2023.
