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ISRA FACTSHEETS

NEW ZEALAND & PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION

ISRA FACTSHEETS

NEW ZEALAND & PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION

Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs ISRA

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Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs ISRA

Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs

Summary

Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs is located off Port Moresby on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea. The area encompasses the waters around a flat, rectangular island surrounded by a fringing coral reef. Itis characterised by corals, leeward sand flats, seaweeds, and algae, along with scattered coral bommies. Within this area there are: threatened species and range-restricted species (Papuan Epaulette Shark Hemiscyllium hallstromi).

Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs

Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs

DESCRIPTION OF HABITAT

Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs is located off the southern coast of Papua New Guinea. The area includes the waters around Daugo Island, which spans 4.7 km and is surrounded by the Sinavi Reef, a 16 km long and 2.7 km wide reef with a steep forereef slope that drops sharply into the deep waters of the Papuan Gulf (Weber 1973). To the southeast, Nateara Reef extends 6 km eastward as a submerged barrier reef, with depths ranging from 4–6 m. The reef tops are notably flat and large areas which are exposed during low spring tides, reaching a maximum range of 1.7 m (Weber 1973). Nateara Reef is separated from Daugo Island by the narrow Basilisk Passage, which is 50–60 m deep, has strong tidal currents flow, and is not included within the area. The area is characterised by corals, leeward sand flats, including intertidal zones, tidal pools, seagrass and algae beds, and a complex three-dimensional coral structure with numerous crevices (Weber 1973; JA Blakeway pers. obs. 2024).

This Important Shark and Ray Area is benthopelagic and is delineated from inshore and surface waters (0 m) to 30 m depth based on the global depth range of the Qualifying Species.

CRITERION A

VULNERABILITY

One Qualifying Species considered threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species regularly occurs in the area. This is the Vulnerable Papuan Epaulette Shark (Dudgeon et al. 2016).

CRITERION B

RANGE RESTRICTED

Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs holds the regular and predictable presence of the Papuan Epaulette Shark as a resident range-restricted species. This species is reported from the area based on local dive group observations diving in the area several times (>2) per month throughout the year (Port Moresby Sub Aqua Club [POMSAC] 2024). Photographic records (n = 16) from 2011–2024 confirm the regular presence of the species, observed between 4–20 m depth during diurnal and night dives and snorkelling activities (POMSAC 2024). Additionally, divers have observed two individuals engaged in mating behaviour, with the male biting the female’s pectoral fin (POMSAC 2024). This suggests that the area may be a potentially important site for mating. The Papuan Epaulette Shark does not occur in any Large Marine Ecosystem; however, its range is small, extending along the southern coastline of Papua New Guinea from the Gulf of Papua to the western border of Milne Bay, and potentially into the Torres Strait (Dudgeon et al. 2020). Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs is only one of a few primary areas where Papuan Epaulette Shark are regularly encountered in Papua New Guinea.

Daugo Island & Hiri Chief Reefs

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