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Outline

Sea Ducks and the Sea Duck Joint Venture

Sea Ducks and the Sea Duck Joint Venture What are Sea Ducks? Population Trends Harvest Threats The Sea Duck Joint Venture History Mission, Goals, Vision First Step Projects Partner Responsibilities Next Steps

What are Sea Ducks?

Sea Ducks General Biology Adapted to life at sea and on land; generally nest in freshwater wetlands and spend most of the year in marine environments Most nest at northern latitudes Most nest on ground; some in tree cavities or nest boxes Eat mostly invertebrate foods (shellfish, crustaceans, insects); little vegetation; mergansers primarily fish-eaters Highly philopatric to breeding, molting, and wintering areas

Comparison with Dabbling Ducks    Dabbling Ducks first breed at 1 year medium-large clutches moderate adult survival breed every year populations controlled more by annual changes in factors controlling production better exploiters of ephemeral wetlands relatively larger portions can be harvested annually

Sea Ducks Knowledge Gaps Life history information is incomplete, biology poorly understood Affiliations among breeding, molting, and wintering areas unknown for most populations Accurate information on numbers, trends, and distribution is lacking for most species Several populations show long term population declines; causes unknown

Spring Waterfowl Surveys  (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey “mid-continent” or “traditional” strata)  Surveys timed for dabbling duck nesting  Do not cover the core breeding distribution of about   half the sea duck species  Some bird groups not identified to species BUT, surveys have been conducted consistently for 40 years - trends warrant attention

Scoters – All North American strata (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey data) Long term population declines Not identified to species during surveys

Scoters - Geographic Differences  (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey data)

Scoters – Alaska  (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey data) Mostly black scoters Declines since late 1970s Greatest drop on Yukon Delta Mostly white-winged and surf scoters Declines less pronounced, but trends are confounded by survey imprecision

Eiders – Alaska  (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey data) Data reflects Yukon Delta population; mainly spectacled and some common eiders 90% decline long term

Spectacled Eider – Alaska Intensive USFWS surveys Apparently increasing

Steller’s Eider – Alaska No reliable quantitative data on population trend Listed as threatened based on: Substantial decrease in nesting range in Alaska Reduction in overall numbers nesting in Alaska Virtually absent from former nesting areas on Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta

Steller’s Eider – Spring Migration Counts Western Alaska

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Common Eiders – Maine coast

Long-tailed Duck (oldsquaw) All North American strata  (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey data) Significant long term decline Stable over last decade Some important breeding areas not surveyed

Long-tailed Duck - Geographic Differences  (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey data) Similar declines in western Alaska tundra and northern boreal forest over last 15 years

Long-tailed Duck – Alaska Intensive USFWS surveys Surveys suggest stable population in recent years

Goldeneye All North American strata  (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey data) Barrow’s and common goldeneye not distinguished during surveys Populations are stable or increasing in western North America; Barrow’s a species of “special concern” in eastern North America

Bufflehead All North American strata  (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey data) Long term increasing trend

Mergansers All North American strata  (Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey data) Long term increasing trend Red-breasted and common mergansers not distinguished during surveys; no hoodeds

Harlequin Duck No breeding population surveys, but they are numerous in winter along the north Pacific and believed to be secure in Alaska Modest increase in eastern North America wintering population; downlisted from endangered to “species of concern” in Canada

Summary Data quality is poor and geographic coverage incomplete for most sea duck species Trends indicate declines in most species 2 populations listed as threatened (spectacled and Steller’s eiders) No other populations are at imminent risk Trends vary by species and region Causes of population changes largely unknown Species of greatest concern include eiders, scoters, and long-tailed duck

Harvest of Sea Ducks Harvest is small relative to other waterfowl Subsistence harvest is important, but poorly quantified Harvest restrictions implemented as a result of concerns about population status  Harvest estimates are poor Hunter surveys inadequately sample sea duck hunters Parts collection survey provides meager sample Improvements with HIP (Harvest information Program) expected Subsistence surveys are being improved

Composition of Sport Harvest in North America

Sea Duck Harvest within North America

Relative Contributions of Sport and Subsistence Harvest for Sea Ducks within North America

Where are North American Sea Ducks Harvested? (includes both sport and subsistence harvest)

Factors that may be causing declines Coastal development; loss/degradation of wintering habitat Large scale environmental changes (global warming, regime shifts) Oil spills and effects of oil exploration and development Excessive harvest Heavy metals found at elevated levels, but effects unknown Disturbance or displacement from shipping Local problems (e.g., lead poisoning in Alaska; shellfish aquaculture)

Why have a Sea Duck Joint Venture? Sea ducks represent 1/3 of North American waterfowl species Most indices show depressed or declining populations 3 populations have been listed as threatened since 1986 Poor information on which to base management of these species International cooperation and coordinated management is required

North American Waterfowl Management Plan One of the most ambitious continental wildlife conservation initiatives ever attempted Goal is to restore waterfowl populations in Canada, U.S., and Mexico to levels recorded during the 1970s Partnership-based Joint Ventures have been key to its success

Habitat Joint Ventures

History Historically, sport harvest of sea ducks has been small, little attention paid to them Sea ducks were given no special attention by North American Waterfowl Mgt Plan in 1986 Increased awareness of sea duck declines and listing of 3 species prompted action 1999:  Plan committee approves SDJV 2001:  First official SDJV projects undertaken

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Mission Sea Duck Joint Venture partners promote the conservation of North American sea ducks by providing greater knowledge and understanding for effective management

Goals facilitate and support the development of knowledge increase awareness of sea duck issues foster and develop conservation partnerships advance sea duck conservation

Vision The Sea Duck Joint Venture strives to maintain sustainable populations of North American sea ducks throughout their ranges

Organizational Structure

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Science Initiatives Delineation of populations Identification of important coastal habitats Population estimation and monitoring Contaminants and disease Population dynamics and ecology Harvest assessment

SDJV-Funded First Step Projects, 2001

Some Sea Duck Capture Techniques

Satellite Telemetry Studies Common Eiders marked in arctic Canada

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Roles of Partners Partners contribute to SDJV mission by: Directing funds toward meeting SDJV information needs Collaborating with partners to stimulate advancement of sea duck science with available funds Providing technical advice and assistance to cooperators who wish to contribute to meeting SDJV science objectives with their own resources

Next Steps Expand partnership base Secure additional funding sources Continue and expand on science initiatives Outreach and education Sea Duck Conference, 6-10 Nov 2002, Victoria, BC

Visit seaduckjv.org

Sea Ducks and the Sea Duck Joint Venture Summary

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