Mid-Labrador
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MARINE BIRD IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS IN LABRADOR FROM THE GROSWATER BAY AREA SOUTH TO ST. LEWIS Conservation Concerns and Potential Strategies 2001 Prepared for the Canadian Nature Federation and the Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador Acknowledgements: The Important Bird Areas Program is part of the Natural Legacy 2000 program, a nation-wide initiative to conserve wildlife and habitats on private and public lands. We gratefully acknowledge the financial sup- port of the Government of Canada’s Millennium Partnership Program and Ducks Unlimited Canada. This report could not have been produced without the assistance of Laura Dominguez, Joanne Fifield, Dan Best, Rachel Bryant and The Alder Institute. We’d also like to thank Gail Davoren, Joel Heath and Mark Hipfner for their contributions to the species accounts. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Advisory Committee: Rita Anderson, Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador David Fifield, Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador Leah de Forest, Species at Risk Program Manager, Parks Canada Marc Johnson, Canadian Nature Federation Bill Montevecchi, Memorial University of Newfoundland Greg Robertson, Canadian Wildlife Service Douglas Ballam, Parks and Natural Areas Division, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, Prov- ince of Newfoundland and Labrador Brian McLaren, Wildlife Division, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation Mark Gloutney, Manager, Conservation Programs, Ducks Unlimited Gerry Yetman, Eastern Habitat Joint Venture Stewardship Program, Wildlife Division, Province of New- foundland and Labrador Suggested citation: Russell J. and D. Fifield 2001. Marine Bird Important Bird Areas in Labrador from the Groswater Bay area south to St. Lewis: Conservation Concerns and Potential Strategies. Can. Nature Fed., Bird Studies Can., Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, 156pp. Table of Contents Executive Summary..................................................................................................................... xiii 1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................1 1.1. The Formal Political Context in Newfoundland and Labrador ..........................................2 1.2. The Informal Political Context in Newfoundland and Labrador........................................6 2. The IBA Program.........................................................................................................................9 3. IBA Site Information .................................................................................................................11 Quaker Hat Island ....................................................................................................................16 Northeast Groswater Bay.........................................................................................................18 South Groswater Bay Coastline...............................................................................................20 Bird Islands ..............................................................................................................................22 Cape Porcupine ........................................................................................................................24 Tumbledown Dick Islands and Stag Island .............................................................................26 The Backway ...........................................................................................................................28 Gannet Islands..........................................................................................................................32 4. IBA Species Information ...........................................................................................................35 4.1. Excerpts from the 2001 CWS Report entitled Population status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada ...........................................................................................................................40 4.2. Harlequin Duck Satellite Tracking Project.......................................................................41 4.3. Voisey’s Bay.....................................................................................................................42 4.4. Harlequin Duck.................................................................................................................49 4.5. Common Eider..................................................................................................................51 4.6. Razorbill............................................................................................................................53 4.7. Atlantic Puffin...................................................................................................................56 4.8. Common Murre.................................................................................................................59 4.9. Black Scoter......................................................................................................................63 4.10. Surf Scoter ......................................................................................................................65 5. Other Elements of Interest .........................................................................................................67 5.1. Other Birds........................................................................................................................67 Quaker Hat Island ..............................................................................................................67 Northeast Groswater Bay...................................................................................................67 South Groswater Bay Coastline Area ................................................................................67 Tumbledown Dick and Stag Islands ..................................................................................68 The Backway .....................................................................................................................68 Cape Porcupine and the Adjacent Marine Area.................................................................68 Gannet Islands....................................................................................................................69 Bird Islands ........................................................................................................................69 Table Bay...........................................................................................................................70 5.2. Bird Aggregations and Local Nutrient Cycles..................................................................70 5.3. Geology.............................................................................................................................70 6. Land Ownership and Use...........................................................................................................73 7. Conservation Concerns ..............................................................................................................77 7.1. Vulnerability of Moulting Seaducks.................................................................................77 7.2. Vulnerability of Breeding Birds .......................................................................................78 Seaducks ............................................................................................................................78 i Cliff Nesting Seabirds........................................................................................................78 7.3. Harvesting.........................................................................................................................78 Management Regime .........................................................................................................78 The Turr Hunt ....................................................................................................................80 Hunting Behavior...............................................................................................................81 7.4. Fishery Interactions...........................................................................................................81 Incidental Catch of Seabirds by Fisheries..........................................................................81 Perception of Top Predators as Our Competitors for Prey Species...................................82 Indirect Effects of Fishing Through Habitat Destruction ..................................................82 7.5. Disturbance .......................................................................................................................84 Marine Vessel Traffic ........................................................................................................84 Tourism..............................................................................................................................84 The IBA Program...............................................................................................................85 7.6. Marine Oil Pollution .........................................................................................................85 Seabirds and Oil.................................................................................................................85