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title: "Australia decides not to list its Flesh-footed Shearwater populations under its Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act"
---

# Australia decides not to list its Flesh-footed Shearwater populations under its Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act

Following the species’ public nomination in 2012, Australia has been considering listing its populations of the Flesh-footed Shearwater *Puffinus creatopus* under its Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ([EPBC ](http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc)[Act](http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc)) ([click here](http://www.acap.aq/en/news/news-archive/60-2013-news-archive/1328-australia-considers-listing-the-flesh-footed-shearwater-under-its-environmental-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-act)).

 Following “a rigorous scientific assessment of the species’ threat status” by the Act’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee ([TSSC](http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/committee-members.html)) the decision has now been made not to list the species under the Act.  Therefore a recovery plan for this species will not now be produced.  [Click here](http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/9f9a6424-7ceb-4be0-b41b-c2b8e1d06160/files/flesh-footed-shearwater-conservation-advice.pdf) for the TSSC’s conservation advice.

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Shearwaters/Flesh_footed/flesh-footed_shearwater_barry_baker.jpg)

 Flesh-footed Shearwater, photograph by Barry Baker

 The EPBC Act provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places.  A national recovery plan in terms of the Act exists for Australia’s breeding and visiting populations of albatrosses and giant petrels *Maconectes* spp., covering 21 species for the period 2011 to 2016 ([click here](http://www.antarctica.gov.au/environment/plants-and-animals/albatrosses-and-giant-petrels)).

 The Flesh-footed Shearwater has been identified as a potential candidate for inclusion within ACAP.  It is listed as of [Least Concern](http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3930) globally by BirdLife International.

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 05 September, 2014*