Bismarck Sea


IBA Justification

The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2012 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:
Species Red List Season (year/s of estimate) Size IBA criteria
Beck's Petrel Pseudobulweria becki CR resident (2008) < 50 individuals A1, A4ii

IBA Conservation

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2012. The most recent assessment (2012) is shown below.

IBA conservation status
Year of assessment State Pressure Response
2012 favourable high very low
Whole site assessed? State assessed by Accuracy of information
yes habitat poor

State (condition of the key species' habitats)
Habitat Quantity (% remaining) Quality (% carrying capacity) Result
Marine Neritic good (>90%) good (>90%) favourable

Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats)
Threat Timing Scope Severity Result
Biological resource use happen­ing now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) high
Pollution happen­ing now most of popul­ation/area (50–90%) slow deteri­oration (1–10% over 3 gener­ations) high
Climate change and severe weather likely in long term (beyond 4 years) whole popul­ation/area (>90%) no deteri­oration (<1% over 3 gener­ations) low

Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats)
Designation Planning Action Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%) No manage­ment planning has taken place Very little or no conservation action taking place very low

Habitats

Habitat % of IBA Habitat detail
Marine Neritic 100


Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Bismarck Sea (Papua New Guinea). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bismarck-sea-iba-papua-new-guinea on 09/01/2025.