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The Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative (AMBI) Work Plan 2015 - 2019

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The Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative (AMBI) Work Plan 2015 - 2019 ACSAO-CA04 Whitehorse / Mar 2015 CAFF: AMBI Work Plan 2015-2019 The Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative (AMBI) Work Plan 2015 - 2019 Table of Contents Introduction and Context ................................................................................................................. 4 Links to other initiatives ............................................................................................................................ 5 Convention on Biological Diversity ................................................................................................................... 6 Convention on Migratory Species ..................................................................................................................... 7 Ramsar .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 World Heritage Convention .............................................................................................................................. 9 The AMBI Flyway workplans .................................................................................................................... 10 Implementation, monitoring and evaluation ............................................................................................ 10 Annex 1. Priority species for AMBI conservation efforts ......................................................................... 12 ARCTIC MIGRATORY BIRDS INITIATIVE (AMBI): WORKPLAN FOR THE ‘EAST ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN FLYWAY’ ......................................................................................................................................... 14 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Priority Species, Areas and Issues ............................................................................................................ 16 Objectives and Actions ............................................................................................................................ 16 Annex 1. Species of special conservation concern .................................................................................... 27 ARCTIC MIGRATORY BIRDS INITIATIVE (AMBI): WORKPLAN FOR THE ‘AMERICAS FLYWAY’ .............. 30 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 30 The AMBI Americas Flyway ...................................................................................................................... 30 Priority species and conservation issues ................................................................................................... 32 Species ............................................................................................................................................................ 32 Conservation issues......................................................................................................................................... 33 Geographic focus ............................................................................................................................................ 34 Other initiatives .............................................................................................................................................. 34 Objectives and Actions ............................................................................................................................ 35 Next steps ............................................................................................................................................... 41 Annex 1. Co-occurring arctic shorebird species that will be aided by the AMBI Americas plan*.................. 42 Annex 2. Multilateral agreements and initiatives in the Americas ............................................................. 43 Annex 3. Persons who have contributed to the development of this workplan by participating in the Montreal or Washington Workshop ......................................................................................................... 48 ARCTIC MIGRATORY BIRDS INITIATIVE (AMBI): WORKPLAN FOR THE AFRICAN EURASIAN FLYWAY . 49 Introduction and context ......................................................................................................................... 49 The AMBI African Eurasian Flyway ........................................................................................................... 49 Priority species and conservation issues ................................................................................................... 50 Species ............................................................................................................................................................ 50 Conservation issues......................................................................................................................................... 51 Geographic focus ............................................................................................................................................ 51 Other Initiatives .............................................................................................................................................. 52 2 Objectives and Actions ............................................................................................................................ 52 Annex 1. Personnel involved in various aspects of development and implementation of the AMBI African- Eurasian work plan .................................................................................................................................. 68 Annex 2. World Heritage Commission recommendations regarding nomination of the Bijagos Archipelago as a World Heritage Site .......................................................................................................................... 70 Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) .......................................................................................... 74 Circumpolar Flyway Work Plan ....................................................................................................... 74 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 74 The Circumpolar Flyway .......................................................................................................................... 75 Circumpolar Flyway Workplan Objective .................................................................................................. 75 Objectives and Actions ............................................................................................................................ 76 Action 1. Develop reporting guidelines as well as outreach and education plans to support sustainable harvest of seabirds.................................................................................................................. 84 Agencies Currently Involved in the AMBI circumpolar flyway work plan ................................................... 86 References .............................................................................................................................................. 86 Summary table of actions ............................................................................................................... 87 3 Introduction and Context The Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI), administered by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) working group, is a priority project of the Canadian Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. AMBI is designed to improve the conservation status and secure the long-term sustainability of declining Arctic breeding migratory bird populations. Through conservation of a shared natural and cultural resource, AMBI will have a positive impact on societies or whom migratory birds are a source of livelihood and spiritual inspiration. The AMBI also provides an early implementation of Recommendation #8 of the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (http://arcticbiodiversity.is/) to ‘reduce stressors on migratory species range-wide, including habitat degradation and overharvesting on wintering and staging areas and along flyways and other migration routes’. The AMBI has, through a series of workshops1, brought together experts in Arctic migratory bird species and conservation issues from across the globe. These experts identified three major conservation issues facing Arctic migratory birds– habitat loss and degradation, especially of intertidal areas; unsustainable harvest; and marine by-catch. The group also identified priority species (see Annex 1). A steering committee comprising CAFF members Canada, Russia, Norway, and the United States, along with expert advisors from BirdLife International, was formed to guide the development and implementation of the AMBI work plans. Work plans to identify priority actions to address these issues in each of the four main flyways of the world were developed: a) East Asian-Australasian flyway; b) African-Eurasian Flyway; c) ‘Americas’ flyway; d) A newly-defined ‘Circumpolar’ flyway, which addresses species that spend their entire life cycles in or near the arctic. 1 First AMBI expert workshop: Montreal Canada, February 2014; First Americas Flyway workshop:
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