Gau Marine (31006)
Fiji, Oceania
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Gau Marine
Central coordinates: Latitude: -18.0093, Longitude: 179.3017
System: marine
Elevation (m): 0 to 0
Area of KBA (km2): 453.90693
Protected area coverage (%): 0.11
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Supersedes another site: 30103
Delineation rationale: This boundary includes the original colony area with an additional 5km marine foraging buffer. This buffer extends not from coastline but from the edge of reef extent (Allen Coral Atlas, 2020). These buffers were redefined and are now more appropriate for the trigger species (Phoenix Petrel, Polynesian Storm-petrel).
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 100 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Oil spills | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Garbage & solid waste | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Only in the future |