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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2009 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
Musk Duck Biziura lobata	LC	resident (1975–2003)	200–750 birds	A4i
Black Swan Cygnus atratus	LC	resident (1975–2003)	10,000 birds	A4i
Chestnut Teal Anas castanea	LC	resident (1975–2003)	3,730 birds	A4i
Fairy Tern Sternula nereis	VU	resident (1975–2003)	5–80 birds	A1, A4i

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2009. The most recent assessment (2019) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	moderate (70–90%)	moderate (70–90%)	poor

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Pollution	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	whole of popul­ation/area (>90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	few indivi­duals/small area (<10%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Some of area covered (10–49%)	A compre­hensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Very little or no conservation action taking place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
1964	Sale Common N.C.R.	Nature Conservation Reserve (Ia)	1
1984	Macleod Morass W.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	1
1984	The Dardenelles G.L.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Morley Swamp G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Poddy Bay G.L.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Tucker Swamp G.L.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Mitchell River Silt Jetties G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Eagle Point G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Point Fullarton G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Mitchell River water reserve G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Tambo Delta - Metung G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Baxter Island G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1984	Fraser Island G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
1987	Lake Coleman W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	2
1987	Clydebank Morass W.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	1
1987	Heart Morass W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	1
1989	Dowd Morass W.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	1
1994	Jones Bay W.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park	Conservation Park (VI)	15
2001	The Lakes National Park	National Park (II)	4
2001	Blond Bay W.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	3
2001	Jones Bay G.L.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	3
2001	Backwater Morass G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	1
2001	Victoria Lagoon G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	1
2001	Red Morass G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Salt Lake - Backwater Morass G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Blond Bay G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	3
2001	Steel Bay - Newland Backwater G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Andrew Bay - Grebe Bay G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Avon-Perry River Delta G.L.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Rigby Island G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Swell Point - Roseneath Point G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Slaughterhouse Creek G.L.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Clydebank Frontage G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Wattle Point G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Hollands Landing G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Nicholson floodplain G.L.R	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2001	Swan Reach Bay G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2013	Raymond Island G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1
2013	Bancroft Bay - Kalimna G.L.R.	Natural Features Reserve (VI)	<1

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	86
Forest	5	Melaleuca forests & woodlands
Shrubland	3	Chenopod shrubs, samphire shrubs and forblands

Land use	% of IBA
fisheries/aquaculture	major (>10)
nature conservation and research	major (>10)
tourism/recreation	minor (<10)

Victorian State Government with management responsibilities shared by East Gippsland Shire Council, West Gippsland Shire Council, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Parks Victoria, Department of Primary Industries (mostly fisheries), Southern Rural Water, East Gippsland Water, West Gippsland Water, East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, Environment Protection Authority, Gippsland Coastal Board, Gippsland. Ports.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Gippsland Lakes (Australia). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/gippsland-lakes-iba-australia on 23/12/2024.