The use of CCAMLR Statistical Subareas 88.1 and 88.2 and Division 58.4.1 by Macquarie Island giant petrels

We satellite tracked four adult southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus), four adult northern giant petrels (Macronectes halli), and two fledgling chicks of each species during the summer of 2005-06. Adults of both species spent time in areas under CCAMLR jurisdiction. Adult southern giant petrels spent 37% of their overall time at sea in statistical sub-area 58.4.1, and 14% in sub-area 88.1, extensively utilising these regions during long foraging trips to the ice-edge zone during incubation. Northern giant petrels were tracked during chick rearing. While 3 of four tracked birds did not enter CCAMLR waters, one bird undertook a longer trip into division 58.4.1, where it spent 6% of its overall time at sea. We consider it possible that this trip may have been indicative of trips undertaken earlier in the season (prior to hatching). Both southern and northern giant petrel fledglings crossed the Pacific Ocean, travelling east towards the South American Continental Shelf. Southern giant petrel chicks took a more southerly route, traversing statistical subareas 88.1 and 88.2 along this course, while the more northerly route taken by northern giant petrel chicks did not take them into CCAMLR waters.