In June 2020, the Australian Government changed the status of the bird under the "Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999" from "Vulnerable" to "Endangered", with the bird facing the main threats from climate change and fisheries (as bycatch victims, either caught in trawling nets, or on hooks in the longline fishing industry), as well as disease and competition with other seabirds. The change in status is not considered to be due to poor management. Listings under state and territory legislation were mostly still "vulnerable" at this time.