Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula

Home , Bird Islands (Nunavut), Great Northern Peninsula, Groais Island, Strait of Belle Isle

MARINE BIRD IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS NEAR THE STRAIT OF BELLE ISLE AND NORTHERN PENINSULA

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 support 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 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 near the Strait of Belle Isle and North- ern Peninsula: Conservation Concerns and Potential Strategies. Can. Nature Fed., Bird Studies Can., Natu- ral History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, 140pp. Table of Contents Executive Summary...... 3 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 St. Peter Bay ...... 16 Point Amour...... 19 Fischot Island...... 22 Northern Groais Islands ...... 25 Bell Island South Coast...... 28 4. IBA Species Information ...... 31 4.1. Excerpts from the 2001 CWS Report entitled Population status of Migratory Game Birds in Canada ...... 32 4.2. Harlequin Duck Satellite Tracking Project...... 33 4.3. Voisey’s Bay...... 34 4.4. Atlantic Puffin...... 41 4.5. Black Guillemot...... 44 4.6. Black-legged Kittiwake ...... 47 4.7. Common Eider...... 50 4.8. Common Murre...... 52 4.9. Harlequin Duck...... 56 4.10. Razorbill...... 58 5. Other Elements of Interest ...... 61 5.1. Other Birds...... 61 St. Peter Bay ...... 61 Point Amour...... 61 Northern Groais Island...... 61 Bell Island (Grey Islands): Shepherd Island ...... 61 Bell Island (Grey Islands): Isle aux Canes...... 62 5.2. Terrestrial Plants ...... 63 5.3. Bird Aggregations and Local Nutrient Cycles...... 63 5.4. Geology...... 63 6. Land Ownership and Use...... 65 7. Conservation Concerns ...... 67 7.1. Vulnerability of Moulting Seaducks...... 67 7.2. Vulnerability of Breeding Birds ...... 68 Seaducks ...... 68 Cliff Nesting Seabirds...... 68 7.3. Harvesting...... 68 Management Regime ...... 68 The Turr Hunt ...... 70 Hunting Behavior...... 71 7.4. Fishery Interactions...... 71

1 Incidental Catch of Seabirds by Fisheries...... 71 Perception of Top Predators as Our Competitors for Prey Species...... 72 Indirect Effects of Fishing Through Habitat Destruction ...... 72 Aquaculture...... 74 7.5. Disturbance ...... 75 Marine Vessel Traffic ...... 75 Tourism...... 75 The IBA Program...... 75 7.6. Marine Oil Pollution ...... 76 Seabirds and Oil...... 76 Ship-source Oil Pollution...... 76 Offshore Oil & Gas...... 76 Onshore Oil & Gas ...... 78 7.7. Hydro-electric Development in Harlequin Duck Breeding Territory...... 78 7.8. NATO Low Level Flight Training...... 80 Environmental and Assessment Review Process (EARP)...... 81 7.9. Forestry ...... 82 8. IBA Conservation Resources...... 83 8.1. Organizations Delivering the IBA Program ...... 83 BirdLife International (BL) ...... 83 The Canadian Nature Federation (CNF)...... 83 Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO) and Bird Studies Canada (BSC)...... 83 The Natural History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador (NHSNL)...... 84 8.2. Labrador Aboriginal Organizations ...... 84 The Labrador Inuit Association (LIA)...... 84 The Innu Nation ...... 84 Labrador Métis Nation...... 85 8.3. Government Departments and Programs of Relevance to Marine Birds in Newfoundland and Labrador ...... 85 8.3.1. Federal Government Departments ...... 85 Environment Canada...... 85 Atlantic Region Sensitivity Mapping Program...... 85 Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS)...... 86 Gazetteer of Marine Birds in Atlantic Canada: An Atlas of Seabird Vulnerability to Oil Pollution...... 86 PIROP (Programme Intégré de Recherches sur les Oiseaux Pélagiques) ...... 86 Other CWS Programs ...... 86 Department of National Defense, The Goose Bay Office, Ottawa...... 87 Parks Canada...... 87 Marine Conservation Areas Program ...... 87 Gros Morne National Park Migration Monitoring Station ...... 87 Transport Canada Atlantic Region ...... 87 Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC)...... 87 Coast Guard ...... 87 Lighthouses...... 87 Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Science, Oceans and Environment Branch...... 89

2 The Program for the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF)...... 89 CAFF Circumpolar Seabird Working Group (CSWG) CAFF Seabird Projects ...90 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)...... 91 8.3.4. Provincial Government Departments...... 92 Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation...... 92 Parks and Natural Areas Division...... 92 Wildlife Division ...... 92 Culture and Heritage Division, Newfoundland Museum ...... 93 The Cruiseship Authority of Newfoundland and Labrador (CANAL)...... 93 8.4. Non-Governmental Groups and Programs with Mandates Relevant to Marine Birds in Newfoundland and Labrador ...... 93 Institute for Environmental Monitoring and Research (IEMR)...... 93 The International Maritime Organization (IMO)...... 93 Atlantic Cooperative Wildlife Ecology Research Network (ACWERN), Department of Bi- ology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s...... 94 Biopsychology Programme, Departments of Biology and Psychology, Memorial Universi- ty of Newfoundland, St. John’s ...... 94 Grenfell College Environmental Science Programme, Memorial University of Newfound- land, Corner Brook ...... 94 Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW/CAW)...... 94 Fisheries Resource Conservation Council (FRCC) ...... 94 Atlantic Canadian Conservation Data Center...... 94 Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Network (NLEN) ...... 94 NLEN Youth Caucus ...... 95 Protected Areas Association ...... 95 Atlantic Coastal Zone Information Steering Committee (ACZISC) ...... 95 8.5. Key Groups and Organizations with Interests Relevant to Marine Birds Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula ...... 95 Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs Secretariat ...... 95 Ducks Unlimited (DU)...... 95 Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV)...... 96 The Seaduck Joint Venture (SJV)...... 96 Development Associations and Associated Projects ...... 96 Newfoundland and Labrador Association Of Community Business Development Cor- porations Inc...... 96 Northern Peninsula East, Newfoundland, Coastal Resource Inventory ...... 96 Quebec-Labrador Foundation (QLF)...... 97 Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences ...... 98 The Lighthouse Society of Newfoundland and Labrador...... 98 8.6. Other Bird and/or Marine Web Sites and Educational Resources of Interest...... 98 Newfoundland Bird Sightings on the Internet ...... 98 International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD)...... 98 BirdLife International Seabird Conservation Programme ...... 99 Opportunities for Birders Volunteer Directory...... 99 Open Air: Natural History Radio from Newfoundland and Labrador...... 100 John Maunder's Newfoundland and Labrador Natural Sciences Website...... 100

3 The Newfoundland Bird Paintings of Roger Tory Peterson...... 100 Climate Change Education Centre in Newfoundland...... 100 Protocol for Monitoring Seabirds ...... 101 Ecology Action Centre...... 101 Bird Study Merit Badge...... 101 Online Data Base of Canada’s International Commitments, Commissioner of the Environ- ment and Sustainable Development...... 101 Interactive Web-Based Ecology Course ...... 101 National Film Board of Canada (NFB)...... 101 8.7. The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Community ...... 102 The Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador...... 102 The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council ...... 102 Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Cooperative (NIFCO)...... 102 8.8. Communication Opportunities...... 103 The Northern Pen...... 103 The Labradorian...... 103 Them Days...... 103 The Osprey...... 103 IBA News Canada ...... 103 Nature Canada...... 103 Quebec Labrador Foundation Compass...... 103 8.9. Funding Sources ...... 103 Important Bird Areas – Community Action Fund ...... 103 Bird Studies Canada-The James L. Baillie Memorial Fund ...... 104 The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council ...... 104 Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador ...... 104 Environment Canada's Science Horizons Youth Internship Program ...... 104 Community Services Council Newfoundland and Labrador...... 105 Aboriginal Business Canada...... 105 Canadian Aboriginal Economic Development Strategy (CAEDS) ...... 105 Guaranteed Loan Program ...... 105 Community Business Development Corporation Programs...... 105 CBDC Financial Assistance...... 106 Self - Employment Benefit (SEB) Program ...... 106 Young Entrepreneurs ConneXion - Seed Capital and Counseling Program ...... 106 Conservation Corps Green Teams ...... 106 Funding Guide Available from Environment Canada ...... 106 Quebec Labrador Foundation, Partners in Learning...... 107 The North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (NACEC) ...... 107 Canadian Museums Association Youth Employment Strategy...... 107 8.10. Electoral District and Political Representation...... 108 8.11. Additional District Maps of Interest for Newfoundland and Labrador ...... 109 9. What’s Next: Recommendations ...... 111 9.1. Respect Land Claims ...... 111 9.2. Suggestions for Research...... 111 9.3. Suggestions Specific to Moulting Seaducks...... 111

4 9.4. Suggestions Specific to Breeding Birds...... 111 9.5. Suggestions for Education and Public Awareness...... 112 9.6. Suggestions Specific to Harvesting ...... 112 9.7. Suggestions Specific to the Fishery ...... 113 9.8. Suggestions Specific to the Tourism Industry ...... 114 9.9. Suggestions Specific to Marine Oil Pollution...... 114 9.10. Suggestions regarding various Mega-Projects...... 114 9.11. Suggestions for Formal Protection ...... 114 9.12. Sea Duck Joint Venture ...... 115 References...... 117 Appendix I Contacts ...... 121 Appendix II Sea Duck Joint Venture...... 127 Introduction...... 127 Current Funding and Program Status...... 128 Strategic Considerations ...... 128 FUNDING STRATEGIES ...... 129 APPENDIX B – INFORMATION NEEDS AND STRATEGIES FOR 20 POPULATIONS OF NORTH AMERICAN SEA DUCKS ...... 130 Common Eider, Northern Race ...... 130 Common Eider, Southern Race ...... 132 Harlequin Duck, Eastern Population ...... 133 Black Scoter...... 134 Surf Scoter ...... 136 APPENDIX C - SEA DUCK JOINT VENTURE GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL SUB- MISSION AND EVALUATION ...... 137

5 6 List of Figures

Figure 1-1: Map showing LIA land claims area in Labrador reproduced from LIA website. (http:/ /www.nunatsiavut.com/claim_area.html) Onshore land claims areas are indicated by green hatching and offshore land claims areas are colored blue...... 3 Figure 1-2: Maps showing the Innu Nation land Selection Proposal reproduced from the Innu Na- tion website. (http://www.innu.ca/landselect.html) ...... 4 Figure 1-3: Map showing Labrador Métis Nation (LMN) land claim area, adapted from LMN website. (http/www.labmetis.org.landright.htm) ...... 5 Figure 3-1: Important Bird Area (IBA) sites for marine birds in Newfoundland and Labrador; the five sites covered by this document are indicated ...... 11 Figure 3-2: Important Bird Area sites for marine birds in Newfoundland and Labrador covered by this document...... 12 Figure 3-3: Ecoregions of Newfoundland and Labrador adapted from Caring for Our Special Plac- es, a publication of the Parks and Natural Areas Division of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador ...... 14 Figure 3-4: Map reproduced from The Gazetteer of Marine Birds in Atlantic Canada (Lock et al, 1994) showing bathymetry of the Northwest Atlantic...... 15 Figure 3-5: Map reproduced from The Gazetteer of Marine Birds in Atlantic Canada (Lock et al, 1994) showing ocean currents of the Northwest Atlantic...... 15 Figure 3-6: Topographic map showing St. Peter Bay and area, adapted from 1:250,000 map sheet “13A & 3D” ...... 17 Figure 3-7: Topographic map showing St. Peter Bay and area, adapted from 1:50,000 map sheets 3D/4W and 3D/4E ...... 18 Figure 3-8: Topographic map showing Point Amour and area, adapted from 1:250,000 map sheet 12P ...... 20 Figure 3-9: Topographic map showing Point Amour and area, adapted from 1:50,000 map sheet 12P/7 ...... 21 Figure 3-10: Topographic map showing the Fischot Islands and area, adapted from 1:250,000 map sheet “2M & 3D Part” ...... 23 Figure 3-11: Topographic map showing the Fischot Islands and area, adapted from 1:50,000 map sheet 2M/4 ...... 24 Figure 3-12: Topographic map showing Northern Groais Island, Bell Island South Coast and area, adapted from 1:250,000 map sheet “12I & 2L” ...... 26 Figure 3-13: Topographic map showing Northern Groais Island, adapted from 1:50,000 map sheet “2L/13 & 2L/14” ...... 27 Figure 3-14: Topographic map showing Bell Island South Coast, adapted from 1:50,000 map sheet 2L/12 and 2L/11 ...... 29 Figure 4-1: Numbers of male Common Eiders counted on 1994 aerial survey of Labrador (from Gilliland, 2000) ...... 35 Figure 4-2: Numbers of male Common Eiders counted on surveys of the Labrador coast in 1980 and 1994. Counts are summarized by 1/2 degree latitude (from Gilliland, 2000) ...... 36 Figure 4-3: Estimated growth rates (percent per annum) for Common Eiders breeding along the La- brador coast from 1980 to 1994 (from Gilliland, 2000) ...... 36 Figure 4-4: Movements of a Harlequin Duck fitted with a satellite telemeter (http:// www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/sauvagine/html/hd_satellite.html)...... 37 Figure 4-5: Movements of a Harlequin Duck fitted with a satellite telemeter (http:// www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/sauvagine/html/hd_satellite.html)...... 37 Figure 4-6: Aerial seabird survey Coverage, Labrador, 1995-1996: reproduced from Figure 2.6 Jacques Whitford Environment Limited Project No. 1048, 1996 Voisey’s Bay Avifauna Technical Data Report, November 18, 1997 ...... 38 Figure 4-7: Harlequin Duck observations, Voisey’s Bay area, 02-05 June 1997: reproduced from Appendix D Harlequin Duck Survey Results 1997, Jacques Whitford Environment Limited Project No. 1048, 1996 Voisey’s Bay Avifauna Technical Data Report, November 18, 1997 ...... 39 Figure 4-8: Observations of Harlequin Duck broods Voisey’s Bay, Labrador, 1996 reproduced from Figure 2.3 Jacques Whitford Environment Limited Project No. 1048, 1996 Voisey’s Bay Avifauna Technical Data Report, November 18, 1997 ...... 40 Figure 6-1: Map reproduced from The Gazetteer of Marine Birds in Atlantic Canada (Lock et al., 1994) showing shipping routes of the Northwest Atlantic ...... 65 Figure 6-2: Land Use Atlas information for Point Amour from Crown Lands Division, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador ...... 65 Figure 7-1: Map showing Migratory Bird hunting zones adapted from Migratory Birds Hunting Regulations, 2001 (http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/pub/summ/nfld.pdf) ...... 69 Figure 7-2: Table showing Migratory Bird hunting seasons and bag limits, adapted from Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations, 2001 (http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/pub/summ/nfld.pdf) ...... 69 Figure 7-3: Turr Hunting districts adapted from Proposal to Amend the Canadian Migratory Birds Regulations: CWS December 2001 ...... 70 Figure 7-4: Map showing NAFO Fishing Area boundaries and other fishing information by species, adapted from DFO website (http://www.nfl.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm/maps/fishingareas.htm) .....73 Figure 7-5: Map showing Intersection of 15 km eider colony buffer zones with areas of low, moderate, and high suitability for mussel growing. (Simms, 1994) in Burnett et al. 1994 ...... 74 Figure 7-6: Composite map showing selected data on eider habitat and aquaculture in Hare Bay. (Simms, 1994) from Burnett et al. 1994...... 74 Figure 7-7: Exploration licenses held on the west coast of Newfoundland, adapted from CNOPB website (http://www.cnopb.nfnet.com/) ...... 77 Figure 7-8: Map showing the outer boundaries of the NATO low level flight training area (see text) 80 Figure 7-9: Example of a Flight Track Compliance Monitoring Map from DND website (see text) 80 Figure 8-1: Map showing location of Coast Gaurd light stations in Labrador adapted from Coast Guard website (http://www.nfl.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/CCG/ATN/HL/labrador/map.htm) ...... 88 Figure 8-2: Map showing location of Coast Gaurd light stations in Western Newfoundland adapted from Coast Guard website (http://www.nfl.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/CCG/ATN/HL/labrador/map.htm ....89 Figure 8-2: Map showing CAFF area boundaries adapted from CAFF website (http://www.grida.no/caff/images/basemap.jpg) ...... 91 Figure 8-3: Map of Wilderness and Ecological Reserves in Newfoundland and Labrador (http:// www.gov.nf.ca/parks&reserves/map.htm) ...... 92 Figure 8-3: Map Showing Federal Political Representation in Newfoundland and Labrador ...108 Figure 8-4: Map Showing Provincial Political Representation in Newfoundland and Labrador ..... 108 Figure 8-5: Provincial School Districts ...... 109

2 Figure 8-6: Strategic Social Plan Regions ...... 109 Figure 8-7: Economic Planning Zones ...... 109 Figure 8-8: Health and Community Service Board Districts ...... 110

3 4 List of Tables

Table 2-1: Initial set of conservation strategy documents created under the auspices of the IBA Pro- gram in Newfoundland and Labrador...... 10 Table 3-1: Marine bird IBA sites near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula ...... 13 Table 4-1: IBA species at St. Peter Bay (CWS Coastal Blocks 878 & 879; aerial survey) ...... 31 Table 4-2: IBA Species at Point Amour, adapted from Mactavish 1999 ...... 31 Table 4-3: IBA species at Fischot Islands, adapted from Mactavish 1999...... 31 Table 4-4: IBA species at Northern Groais Island, adapted from Mactavish 1999...... 32 Table 5-1: Other seabirds in St. Peter Bay (St. Peter Islands) ...... 61 Table 5-2: Other seabirds at Point Amour, adapted from Mactavish 1999 ...... 61 Table 5-3: Other seabirds at Northern Groais Island, adapted from Mactavish 1999 ...... 61 Table 5-4: Other seabirds at Bell Island (Grey Islands), Shepherd Island...... 61 Table 5-5: Other seabirds at Bell Island (Grey Islands), Isle aux Canes ...... 62 Table 5-6: Estimated population (pairs) of Razorbills breeding at specific islands in the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula areas ...... 62

1 2 Executive Summary

Executive Summary The IBA program relies on grassroots involvement to develop and implement effective conservation The IBA program is an international initiative plans. This document is one of a set of documents coordinated by BirdLife International, a partner- covering over thirty marine bird IBA sites in New- ship of member-based organizations in over 100 foundland and Labrador. It is intended as a first countries seeking to identify and conserve sites step by which to generate interest, provide basic important to all bird species worldwide. The Cana- information and spark ideas for potential conserva- dian BirdLife co-partners are the Canadian Nature tion strategies, projects, project partners and Federation (CNF) and Bird Studies Canada (BSC). sources of funding. The funding and time resources for this early phase of the IBA Program In Newfoundland and Labrador the Important Bird in Newfoundland and Labrador were insufficient to Areas program partner is the Natural History Soci- allow for much travel and community consultation. ety of Newfoundland and Labrador. The IBA pro- The geographical territory involved is vast and the gram in this province began with the identification array of human communities and interests that and designation of IBA sites. Marine birds were potentially overlap with the interests of marine selected as the focus of the first phase of the IBA birds at the identified sites is extremely diverse and program because Newfoundland and Labrador evolving politically. Therefore, this first step was includes so many sites of global importance to this taken without community consultation. There will group of birds. be many gaps in this document that will reflect this deficiency. The authors take full responsibility for The identification of important bird habitat is a this. We hope that this documents will be treated, necessary first step in establishing habitat-based not as a vessel half empty but as one worth filling priorities in bird conservation. The designation of a through the involvement of interested communities network of sites can help decision-makers focus and individuals. their efforts and protect the most critical bird habitat. We hope that the distribution of this set of initial documents will inform the growing public aware- In the area of Newfoundland and Labrador covered ness about the sites and the birds that use them. by this document, St. Peter Bay and Point Amour These documents are intended to evolve with use. in Labrador, and Fischot Island, Northern Groais They aim to begin by facilitating the building of Island and Bell Island off the Northern Peninsula partnerships at all levels: international, national, have been designated as Important Bird Areas provincial, and local to conserve these IBA sites (IBAs) for marine birds. The species responsible for both the birds and the people that benefit from for triggering these IBA site designations are their continued existence. moulting Common Eiders and premoulting Harle- quin Ducks in St. Peter Bay and Eider Ducks and The list of marine bird IBA sites in Newfoundland Alcids migrating past Point Amour in Labrador and Labrador and the information available about and Common Eiders wintering off Fischot Island; the sites through documents such as this one will wintering Common Eiders and breeding Black- evolve as additional information becomes avail- legged Kittiwakes at Northern Groais Island and able. The public is encouraged to notify the Cana- both wintering and breeding Common Eiders on dian IBA program if they have any information to the south coast of Bell Island off the Northern Pen- offer in this regard. For further information on the insula. IBA program please visit the Canadian IBA web site http://www.ibacanada.com

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 3 Executive Summary

4 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 1: Introduction

1. Introduction bird life. Some still maintain a rich knowledge of their natural environment but for many, the con- Many species of seaducks and seabirds breed, temporary North American lifestyle has displaced moult or winter in the waters surrounding the the need for local ecological knowledge. The pen- island of Newfoundland and the coast of Labrador. dulum, however, is swinging back. Appreciation Some, like the Black Guillemot or “Pigeon”, are for the value of an ecological perspective is experi- resident year round while others migrate elsewhere encing a renaissance. for part of the year. Harlequin ducks breeding in Northern Labrador winter in Greenland. Eiders Worldwide, pressures on dwindling resources have breeding around Newfoundland may winter off the lead to a false separation of ecology from econ- United States. Dovekies here in winter will leave omy, as if without ecology there would still be an for the summer to breed in Greenland. Shearwa- economy. In the global context of environmental ters “wintering” on the Grand Banks migrate all the degradation Newfoundland and Labrador are still way to the South Atlantic to breed (Brown & Net- blessed with environmental riches, especially off tleship 1984). our coasts. Unfortunately, we are also world famous for having decimated marine life through The Grand Banks have been dubbed the Seabird over harvesting. Examples abound. Funk Island Cross Roads of the Atlantic. In the same spirit, the was perhaps the largest colony of Great Auks in the entire stretch of Labrador and Newfoundland world (Montevecchi & Tuck 1987). Today they coastline swept by the Labrador Current can be lik- are extinct. Northern Cod were so prolific in our ened to a busy marine bird highway. This eastern waters they made history half way around the edge of Canada is dotted with sites known for their world (Innis 1940). In 1998 Northern Cod were importance to sea ducks and seabirds. Newfound- listed by the Committee on the Status of Endan- landers and Labradorians, therefore, have a special gered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as a Species opportunity to contribute to marine bird conserva- of Special Concern. While cod was a prized com- tion. Having defined ourselves largely with refer- mercial catch, the Barndoor Skate, was mainly ence to the sea, marine birds hold a special killed as by-catch. Despite its size and low com- significance for Newfoundland and Labrador cul- mercial value, this skate has approached extinction tures. Conserving areas important for the survival largely unnoticed (Casey & Myers 1998). With of seaducks and seabirds is a fitting challenge for our history of destroying marine ecology in the the people of this province. name of the economy, there is no shortage of local conservation lessons from which marine bird con- Evidence of human occupation on the Labrador servation could benefit. side of the Strait of Belle goes back 8000 years (LIA 1977). On the Newfoundland side, archaeo- Habitat required by marine birds within New- logical evidence beginning 5500 years ago and foundland and Labrador increasingly falls under spanning several cultures has shown that all peo- human influence. Our activities are the main ples that inhabited the region ate marine birds source of stress for the marine environment, both (Tuck 1976). Contemporary Newfoundlanders and directly through such things as oil pollution and Labradorians continue this utilitarian relationship indirectly through our influence on climate change to marine life, although fewer species are harvested and primary productivity. Although most marine today than in the past. life is out of sight and eludes our empathy, marine birds are an obvious liaison between us and the Most contemporary residents of the province, other ocean. than fishermen, remain familiar only with those marine birds still hunted for the table, mainly eider Visible and aesthetically pleasing, birds have cap- ducks and turrs (murre sp.). However, prior to tured our imagination and garnered more support confederation and the Migratory Bird Act, people than most marine life forms. Birds require a func- were familiar with a greater diversity of marine tioning marine ecosystem to survive. Through knowing birds better we will come to know much

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 1 Chapter 1: Introduction else, less obvious and beautiful, but no less impor- edge of marine birds is assumed. This audience tant. includes local residents living adjacent to or sea- sonally occupying an IBA area, but also includes In 1990, the 20th World Conference of the Interna- decision-makers far removed from the local con- tional Council for Bird Preservation held a Special- text. While this plan deals with sites near the Strait ist Group Workshop and published the of Belle Isle and the Great Northern Peninsula, the Proceedings. The last sentence of the Proceedings birds using these sites are migratory, traveling in underlines the true importance of seabird conserva- some cases throughout the province if not further tion. “If we cannot conserve seabirds, the most afield. Therefore, the perspective taken here is obvious and easiest to monitor of all organisms of broader than the geographic location of the specific two-thirds of our planet's surface, then how do we IBA sites in this part of Newfoundland and Labra- plan to conserve the rest of Earth?” (Duffy, 1994). dor. To set the context for everyone, we begin with the general political context of the province. In response to that challenge, the purposes of this report are to: 1.1. The Formal Political Context in Newfound- 1. outline the challenges facing the conservation land and Labrador of marine birds which use areas of Newfound- land and Labrador designated as Important In 2000, the province of Newfoundland and Labra- Bird Areas (IBAs) dor had a combined population of 538,823 (Statis- 2. suggest strategies and some of the resources tics Canada, Demography Division). 28,763 people available to address these challenges live in Labrador and the remainder on the island. Much of the population is concentrated on the The guiding principle for this work is that set by island's Avalon Peninsula where 252,365 people Duffy's challenge; IBAs must be viewed from an live. ecological perspective that connects bird conservation with the necessities of life on earth. There is In addition to the federal and provincial govern- no choice about whether to conserve birds rather ments there are aboriginal nations within the prov- than people. If we fail to maintain conditions in ince and France also holds territory off the south which marine birds can flourish, neither will we. coast of Newfoundland. There are sites of relevance to marine birds within all these jurisdictions. Our recent failure to protect Northern Cod popula- Some of the IBA species for which the IBA sites in tions from managed over-fishing is a rich source of this part of Labrador and Newfoundland have been conservation lessons. Among them is a growing identified are known to occupy other parts of the realization that we can not “manage” wildlife pop- province at other times of year. ulations. Rather, the most we can aspire to is to manage our own behavior as it relates to other spe- Labrador Inuit Association (LIA) The LIA is a cies. This document will attempt to outline some non-profit organization formed in 1973 and incor- of the interactions between human behavior and porated under Newfoundland law in 1975. The wild marine birds around which we have some LIA is affiliated with the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada hope of creating conservation strategies for the (ITC) and represents roughly 4,000 Inuit living future of the birds and ourselves. The objective is mainly in the five coastal Labrador communities of to provide a base tool from which to build grass Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet. roots involvement in conservation plans, help gen- In 1977 the LIA filed a statement of land claims erate public awareness about birds and help build with Canada. In June, 2001 the LIA, the Canadian partnerships between various interest levels: inter- and the Newfoundland governments signed the national, national, provincial and local. Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement-in-Princi- ple (AIP). The audience for this document includes anyone with an interest in, or a mandate that effects the The AIP provides for the Inuit to establish pro- conservation of marine birds. No previous knowl- tected areas on lands where it has jurisdiction.

2 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 1: Introduction

Within the settlement area off Inuit lands the Inuit sented politically by the Innu Nation, which first and government will establish protected areas filed land claims with the Canadian Government in (including marine protected areas) in the context of 1977. In 1990 the provincial and federal govern- the co-management regimes established through ments accepted the Innu Statement of Claim and in the agreement. 1999 the three parties reached an agreement in principle on the next steps in the process. None of the IBA sites covered here fall within the Labrador Inuit land claims area. None of the IBA sites covered here fall within the Innu Nation land claims area. The Innu Nation. The roughly 1,700 Innu of Labrador live in the communities of Sheshatshiu Métis. Residents of Labrador descended from and Utshimassit (Davis Inlet). They are repre- both Europeans and Inuit and living from Lake

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 3 Chapter 1: Introduction

Figure 1-2: Maps showing the Innu Nation land Selection Proposal reproduced from the Innu Nation website. (http://www.innu.ca/landselect.html)

4 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 1: Introduction

Melville south to the Strait of Belle Isle are known mended that the Department of Indian Affairs and as Métis. In 1982 the Canadian Constitution Act Northern Development (DIAND) reject the Métis included Inuit, Indians (First Nations) and Métis as claim. On February 24, 2001, an Ontario Court of aboriginal peoples. The Labrador Métis Associa- Appeal recognized the Métis as a distinct people tion was formed in 1985 to represent roughly 5000 with constitutional rights comparable to other members and in 1998 took the name Labrador aboriginal groups. The Labrador Métis Nation Métis Nation. In 1991 the Labrador Métis Nation land claim area includes all of the IBA sites within submitted a land claim to the Government of Can- Labrador identified here. ada. In 1998 the Department of Justice recom-

Figure 1-3: Map showing Labrador Métis Nation (LMN) land claim area, adapted from LMN website. (http/ www.labmetis.org.landright.htm)

nition through the Indian Act or a self-government Mi'kmaq. A population of roughly 3600 Mi'kmaq process for its members in ten bands on the island. live on the island of Newfoundland. The largest There are Band Councils in Corner Brook, Benoit's community is Miawpukek (Conne River) which Cove, Bartlett's Harbour, Flat Bay, St. George's, was recognized as a status Indian Reserve by the Port au Port East, Stephenville/Crossing, Exploits, Government of Canada in 1987. In 1972 the Fed- Glenwood, and Gander Bay. eration of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) was established to promote the social, cultural, economic Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Saint Pierre and and educational well-being and seek official recog- Miquelon is a self-governing territory of France. It

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 5 Chapter 1: Introduction is an archipelago 25km off Newfoundland's south area in the Bonavista-Notre Dame Bay region was coast, populated by 6500 people living year round shelved in 1999 due to public opposition. While in St. Pierre and 700 in Miquelon. The territorial many people supported the initiative in principle, waters of France extend 12 nautical miles around they did not trust the government to protect tradi- the archipelago with the addition of a marine corri- tional rights of access. Communities need the tools dor extending 200 nautical miles (see Figure 7-4). and confidence to initiate conservation measures themselves. 1.2. The Informal Political Context in New- foundland and Labrador A further consequence of the lack of a widespread network of organized community conservation The harvesting of wildlife is important to many groups is that grass roots projects requiring capital people throughout Newfoundland and Labrador often have difficulty raising the matching funds and the French Islands of Saint Pierre and Mique- necessary to access national funding opportunities. lon. The coastal communities have a tradition of subsistence harvesting of marine life. These tradi- Northern Cod tragedy. Public perception of tions are maintained to varying degrees throughout government conservation initiatives in Newfound- the province and retain tremendous significance in land are tainted by the recent managed collapse of the lives of many people. In addition to subsis- Northern Cod by the Department of Fisheries and tence harvesting traditions there is a highly devel- Oceans (Finlayson 1994). DFO failed to conserve oped commercial harvesting sector focused on the Northern Cod from over-harvesting. The Gov- marine resources. ernment administered a managed collapse during which it was legal to over-harvest and warnings Nonetheless, conservation can be a dirty word in from fixed gear fishermen were ignored (Steele et Newfoundland. Anti-sealhunt protests in the 1970s al 1992). Political pressure to maintain harvest made the word “Greenpeace” into a generic term. rates at unsustainable levels contributed to the When used in the pejorative Greenpeace can be demise of the fishery. loosely interpreted as “interfering conservation groups making money off foreign urbanites at the The public has associated the managed over-har- expense of Newfoundlanders”. The legacy of nega- vesting of northern cod with a failure of science tive feelings towards anything associated with and a widespread skepticism about science and sci- Greenpeace continues to permeate the political cul- ence-based wildlife management has resulted. ture. This creates reactionary attitudes from some Government sponsored science failed the people of quarters toward organized conservation efforts and Newfoundland and Labrador when it came to the especially towards efforts from outside the prov- fishery, providing many a lesson for the conserva- ince. For some, conservation is confused with not tion of other marine life. being allowed to kill anything. In a province where harvesting wildlife for the table is still a Outdoor rights movement. There is little private strong part of the culture this misunderstanding is a land in Newfoundland and Labrador. The enor- challenge for conservation. mity of the landscape compared with the population and the non-arable nature of much of the land Lack of organized community conservation has enabled a history of public land use quite dif- groups. The absence of a widespread network of ferent from most of North America. In Newfound- organized groups with a mandated interest in natu- land and Labrador, one can venture into the ral history and conservation means that conserva- landscape pretty much wherever one chooses to go. tion measures have often come from the top-down, There are no privately owned rivers and lakes and mainly from government. While in hindsight peo- 95% of the total area of the province is public land ple may appreciate restrictions placed on our open to everyone. Access to a 10 m strip along all behavior for conservation reasons, government ini- shorelines is reserved for the public unless a spe- tiatives are generally viewed with suspicion. A cial grant expressly removes that access (The Parks Canada bid to create a marine conservation Lands Act Chapter 36, S.N. 1991 7.(1)). This free-

6 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 1: Introduction dom of access to the land is one that until recently principal but lacked the confidence to support the was taken for granted. government proposals.

Proposals to change the status quo on some rivers The people of Newfoundland and Labrador do not lead recently to a public outcry for the protection of take the loss of their rights of access to the land- outdoor rights. The government responded with a scape lightly. Conservation efforts associated with public consultation on outdoor resources resulting plans to restrict public access must create a full and in the 1999 release of a two volume report of the informed public dialogue on the costs and benefits Committee of Ministers and MHAs on the Use of such changes would bring. Outdoor Resources entitled “Protecting the Leg- acy” (http://www.gov.nf.ca/protecting_the_leg- Industrial resource extraction backdrop. Euro- acy.htm). As part of it's Declaration of Rights of pean settlement of Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to the Use of was based on the commercial extraction for foreign the Outdoors the government declared the follow- export of codfish, then seal pelts and seal and ing: whale oil (Innis 1940, Ryan 1994). Later came mining, industrial forestry, the Churchill Falls The Government of Newfoundland and Labra- mega and smaller scale hydropower projects and dor hereby declares and affirms the traditional offshore oil and gas. privileges and freedoms of hunting, angling The economy of Newfoundland and Labrador con- and the gathering of wild foods by the citizens tinues to be based on the extraction and export of of this province. Government further recog- raw materials. Since the collapse of Northern Cod, nizes that citizens have enjoyed and will con- the province's fishery has flourished by moving tinue to enjoy the privileges and freedoms of down the food chain and increasing the harvests of equal and common access to wildlife, fish crab and shrimp. Ironically, and deceptively, the game, wildfoods and other outdoor resources, dollar value of landed catch is greater now than subject to proper resource management. before the collapse of northern cod although the fishery now generates fewer jobs onshore. The Government of Newfoundland and Labra- dor hereby declares and affirms access to pub- In Labrador, proposals to extract the mineral lic lands and water bodies for recreational use wealth of Voisey's Bay and dreams by the provin- including hunting, angling and the gathering of cial government to harness the power of the Lower Churchill with another mega hydro electric project wild foods and that for these purposes the prov- typify the resource extraction/liquidation approach ince's citizens will have clear and open access the provincial economy has long relied on. This to a buffer zone around lakes, ponds and rivers. perspective threatens basic conservation of wildlife both directly through destruction of habitat and During the establishment of Seabird Ecological over harvesting and indirectly through failing to Reserves at Baccalieu and Cape St. Mary's, resi- appreciate the indirect and long-term contribution a dents of adjacent areas expressed concern about healthy culture and environment could make to our loss of access to the provincial Department of future. Tourism and there were heated public meetings. In 1999, a proposal by Parks Canada to create a Depressed coastal community economics. The marine conservation area off the Northeast coast of extraction for export of Newfoundland and Labra- Newfoundland was shelved due to public opposi- dor natural resources, in some cases to depletion, tion. Contributing factors in all cases were mis- has not translated into financial security for the trust of government and fears that traditional rights province's residents. to inshore fishing grounds would be lost. Some people supported the idea of protected areas in Newfoundland has the highest unemployment rate of any province of Canada. In February 2001 the

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 7 Chapter 1: Introduction unemployment rate reported for Newfoundland ments that significantly affect the very nature of was 16.4% compared with a low in Manitoba of the lands being claimed. But despite great riches in 4.5% and the next highest rates in Prince Edward natural resources and the eagerness with which the Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia respec- government exploits these resources, the people on tively of 11.7, 11.6 and 8.8% (Statistics Canada, the Labrador coast have benefited very little from Labour Force Survey, Mar. 2001). the destruction of their resource base.

Coastal communities, in particular, have suffered Contemporary rural Newfoundland and Labrador from the collapse of the ground fishery. While the is concerned with jobs. The desperation with landed value of the fishing industry measured in which communities seek jobs creates a vulnerabil- dollars is at an all time high, the number of local ity to unsustainable and/or poorly thought out job jobs associated with those earnings has declined. creation schemes. It also fosters a tendency on the Recent years have seen an increase in out-migra- part of planners to support conservation only to the tion from coastal communities. Some schools have extent that it creates obvious jobs. This can lead to closed and there are fears for the future health of a shortsighted commodification of wildlife and rural towns. wild spaces that may be no more sustainable than explicit liquidation. The conservation of areas In Labrador, matters are complicated by the histor- important for marine birds will in some cases ical abuse of native people's rights. The militariza- require that we leave them their quotient of peace. tion of the Goose Bay area economy has polarized Many people living in depressed economic circum- residents with different value systems against one stances in coastal areas may see this strategy as an another. The huge interior landscape of Labrador unaffordable luxury. Addressing this reality is a has been altered in ways we will never know by the significant challenge. Conservation of marine damming of Churchill Falls and by extensive mili- birds and their habitat faces the difficult problem of tary low-level flight training. In the absence of re-connecting ecology and economy for mutual settled land claims the provincial government's benefit. approach has been to forge ahead with develop-

8 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 2: The IBA Program

2. The IBA Program 3. Sites regularly holding an assemblage of species largely restricted to a biome. The IBA program is an international initiative coordinated by BirdLife International, a partner- 4. Sites where birds concentrate in significant ship of member-based organizations in over 100 numbers when breeding, in winter, or during countries seeking to identify and conserve sites migration important to all bird species worldwide. Through the protection of birds and habitats, they also pro- The identification of important bird habitat is a mote the conservation of the world’s biodiversity. necessary first step in establishing habitat-based There are currently IBA programs in Europe, priorities in bird conservation. The designation of a Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. network of sites can help decision-makers focus their efforts and protect the most critical bird habi- The Canadian BirdLife co-partners are the Cana- tat. The IBA program is inclusive and identifies dian Nature Federation (CNF) and Bird Studies important sites for all groups of birds. It integrates Canada (BSC). The Canadian IBA program is part aquatic and terrestrial habitat conservation by pro- of the Americas IBA program, which includes the tecting seabird, shorebird, landbird, and waterfowl United States, Mexico, and 17 countries in Central habitat. Most importantly, the program is commu- and South America. nity-driven, and cooperative. It relies on grassroots involvement to develop and implement effective The goals of the Canadian IBA program are to: conservation plans. The program will also help generate widespread public awareness about birds • identify a network of sites that conserve and will help build partnerships at all levels: international, national, provincial, and local. the natural diversity of Canadian bird species and are critical to the long-term viabil- IBA program in Newfoundland and Labrador. ity of naturally occurring bird populations; In Newfoundland and Labrador the Important Bird Areas program partner is the Natural History Soci- • determine the type of protection or stew- ety of Newfoundland and Labrador. The IBA pro- ardship required for each site, and ensure gram in this province began with the identification the conservation of sites through partner- and designation of IBA sites. Marine birds were ships of local stakeholders who develop selected as the focus of the first phase of the IBA and implement appropriate on-the-ground program because Newfoundland and Labrador conservation plans; includes so many sites of global importance to this group of birds. In 2000, a Conservation Planner • establish ongoing local involvement in site was contracted to write initial conservation strat- protection and monitoring. egy documents (including this one) for over thirty marine bird IBAs. Rather than write individual plans for each site, sites were placed into groups IBAs are identified under one or more of the fol- based on a consideration of the threats shared by lowing internationally agreed-upon categories: birds at several locations. 1. Sites regularly holding significant numbers of Marine birds are vulnerable to oil pollution and in an endangered, threatened, or vulnerable spe- today’s oceans this threat is everywhere. Variation cies. in the threat to marine birds from oil pollution was the main factor considered in the grouping of sites 2. Sites regularly holding an endemic species, or for this phase of the IBA program in Newfound- species with restricted ranges. land and Labrador. Separate conservation strategy documents have been prepared for each of the groupings (Table 2-1).

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 9 Chapter 2: The IBA Program

Table 2-1: Initial set of conservation strategy documents created under the auspices of the IBA Program in Newfoundland and Labrador

Document Title Marine Bird IBA Sites Covered

Marine Bird Important Bird Areas in Northern Galvano Islands, Seven Islands Bay and an area of Labrador: Conservation Concerns and Poten- offshore islands and coastline near Nain tial Strategies Marine Bird Important Bird Areas in Labrador Quaker Hat Island, Northeast Groswater Bay, South from the Groswater Bay area south to St. Groswater Bay Coastline, Bird islands, Cape Porcu- Lewis: Conservation Concerns and Potential pine and Adjacent Marine Area, Tumbledown Dick Strategies and Stag Islands, The Backway, Table Bay and the Gannet Islands Marine Bird Important Bird Areas near the St. Peter Bay and Point Amour in Labrador, Fischot Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula: Island, Northern Groais Island and Bell Island off the Conservation Concerns and Potential Strate- Northern Peninsula gies Marine Bird Important Bird Areas on the Funk Island, the Wadham Islands and the adjacent Northeast Coast of Newfoundland: Conserva- Marine Area, the Cape Freels coastline, Grates tion Concerns and Potential Strategies Point, Baccalieu Island and Cape St. Francis Marine Bird Important Bird Areas in Southeast Witless Bay Islands, Cape St. Mary’s, Corbin Island, Newfoundland: Conservation Concerns and Middle Lawn Island and Green Island in Newfound- Potential Strategies land and Grand Columbier Island and the northeast coast of Miquelon Island in France

Information on the numbers of birds using different IBA designations will be a priority of the IBA pro- areas is incomplete. The Canadian Wildlife Ser- gram in Newfoundland and Labrador for the near vice monitors populations of migratory birds, but future. The list of marine bird IBA sites in New- has not maintained regular and consistent long- foundland and Labrador will evolve as additional term surveys of marine birds within our waters. As information becomes available. The public is a consequence, there are undoubtedly areas in the encouraged to notify the Canadian IBA program if region important to marine birds that have not been they have any information to offer in this regard. designated as such by the current round of IBA site For further information on the IBA program please designations. visit the Canadian IBA web site http://www.ibacanada.com Gathering the information required to establish what sites have been missed in this first round of

10 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

3. IBA Site Information

Figure 3-1: Important Bird Area (IBA) sites for marine birds in Newfoundland and Labrador; the five sites covered by this document are indicated

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 11 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Figure 3-2: Important Bird Area sites for marine birds in Newfoundland and Labrador covered by this document.

12 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Table 3-1: Marine bird IBA sites near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula Legal IBA IBA Site Species Triggering Site Name Protective Site # Status 1 Status IBA Status LB023 St. Peter Bay Global Former COEI, HADU MBS LB022 Point Amour, Strait of Global None COEI, ALSP, Belle Isle BLGU NF008 Fischot Islands Global None COEI NF009 North Shore Groais Island Continental None BLKI, COEI NF010 South Coast Bell Island Continental MBS COEI, HADU 1. ALSP = Alcid species, BLGU = Black Guillemot, BLKI - Black-legged Kittiwake, COEI = Com- mon Eider, HADU = Harlequin Duck, MBS = Migratory Bird Sanctuary

There are currently a total of 30 sites in Newfound- Protected Status. Designation as an official IBA land and Labrador which have been designated as site does not bring with it any legal protective sta- IBAs and for which conservation strategy docu- tus. IBA designation simply signifies that the ments are available (Figure 3-1). This document information available on the birds using the site focuses on five of those sites (Figure 3-2, Table 3-1 meets the criteria used by the IBA Program to iden- ). Two of the sites grouped together for the pur- tify and designate areas of importance for the con- pose of writing this document are located along the servation of birds. Strait of Belle Isle while three are located off the northeast coast of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Off the coast of Bell Island are two federal Migra- Peninsula. Figure 3-3 illustrates the various ecore- tory Bird Sanctuaries, Shepherd Island and Isle aux gions of the surrounding areas. Canes. St. Peter’s Bay was established as a Migra- tory Bird Sanctuary in 1969, but status was Oceanography revoked in 1980 due to lack of field staff and public appreciation (Finney 1990). There is interest in The Straits area is strongly influenced by the creating renewed protective status for St. Peter’s Labrador Current, which brings arctic pack ice and Bay. icebergs particularly during spring and into summer. The cool moist maritime climate has influ- Both of the Grey Islands have been identified as enced the vegetation. Barrens, coastal bogs and areas that may deserve designation as Provincial stunted forests known as tuckamore dominate the Ecological Reserves. area. While one ocean current sweeps south and west through the Strait of Belle Isle, the western Brief single page descriptions of each site follow coast of insular Newfoundland is washed by a cur- and can also be found on the IBA website (http:// rent flowing in the opposite direction, from south www.ibacanada.com) to north. Figure 3-4 and Figure 3-5 are reproduced from the Gazetteer of Marine Birds in Atlan- tic Canada: An Atlas of seabird vulnerability to oil pollution (Lock et al. 1994)

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 13 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information sion of the Government of andLabrador sion theGovernment Newfoundland of Figure Ecoregions3-3: an of Newfoundland d Labradoradapted from for Speci Our Caring al Places, apublication of the Parks and Natural Areas Divi-

14 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Figure 3-4: Map reproduced from The Gazetteer of Marine Birds in Atlantic Canada (Lock et al, 1994) showing bathymetry of the Northwest Atlantic.

Figure 3-5: Map reproduced from The Gazetteer of Marine Birds in Atlantic Canada (Lock et al, 1994) showing ocean currents of the Northwest Atlantic.

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 15 IBA Site Information

St. Peter Bay CALB023G 52°04' N, 53°45' W Near Mary's Harbour, Labra- Sea level, ± 25 km2 dor Habitats: Open sea, inlets and coastal fea- Land-use: Secondary - hunting Threats: Potential - oil pollution tures, coastal cliffs and rocky shores Protection status: None

Site description morphological characteristics of both dresseri and borealis. St. Peter Bay is located 30 km south of Mary's Harbour on the southeast coast of Labrador. The mouth of the Although it has been known that Common Eiders breed bay is approximately 5 km wide and several small in St. Peter Bay for quite some time, a thorough survey islands are located in its middle. The vegetation on the has yet to be completed. It is likely that the Canadian islands is limited to sedges, grasses, stunted trees, and Wildlife Service will complete a detailed survey in the crowberry barrens. summer of 1999.

Birds Season Number

Harlequin Ducks (designated as nationally endangered) Common Eider S 5,077 have been observed in relatively large numbers around Harlequin Duck S 50 the inlets and islands of St. Peter Bay. In June of 1994, 50 were observed in what was thought to be a premoulting concentration. This observation represented about 3.3% of the estimated eastern North American Harle- Conservation issues quin Duck population. No Harlequin Ducks were observed during a July 1998 survey, but it is possible St. Peter Bay is at the northern entrance to the Strait of that they could have been missed. Additional surveys Belle Isle, which is a fairly heavily used shipping route are required to fully understand the status of Harlequins between Europe and the St. Lawrence / Great Lakes sys- at this site during the summer. tem. During the shipping season (June to December), 4 – 8 ships pass through the area daily. There is potential St. Peter Bay is also a major moulting area for Common for oil spills along this shipping route, which could be Eiders. In 1998, over 5,000 Common Eiders (approxi- disastrous for the moulting waterfowl. mately 6.4% of the Atlantic population) were recorded in the bay. This is the largest concentration of moulting The most recent estimates indicate that only 1,500 Har- eiders on the coast of Labrador. Although it is thought lequin Ducks remain in eastern North America. Since that the majority of the eiders in these moulting congre- they feed close to shore and are relatively tame, they are gations are of the Atlantic subspecies (dresseri), it is susceptible to shooting. likely that some of the eiders are from the northern sub- St. Peter Bay species (borealis). A zone of overlap, where both subspecies nest, is located in Table Bay, which is about 130 km north of St. Peter Bay. Many of these birds cannot be identified as either subspecies as they have

16 N.B. Provided by Bird Studies Canada May 2001; for updates see http://www.ibacanada.com/site.htm. Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Figure 3-6: Topographic map showing St. Peter Bay and area, adapted from 1:250,000 map sheet “13A & 3D”

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 17 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Figure 3-7: Topographic map showing St. Peter Bay and area, adapted from 1:50,000 map sheets 3D/4W and 3D/4E

18 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 IBA Site Information

Point Amour, Strait of Belle CALB022G Isle 51°27' N, 56°51' W

Point Amour, Labrador Sea level to 25m, ± 0.05 km2

Habitats: Open sea, coastal cliffs, rocky Land-use: Primary – fisheries, Threats: Potential – oil pollution shores and inlets recreation / tourism; Secondary – hunting Protection status: None

Site description total of 43,758 was recorded. Most of the birds that were close enough to identify were Razorbills. Point Amour is located on the Labrador side of the Strait of Belle Isle. This strait separates the island of New- Other species of seaducks were recorded in relatively foundland from the rest of the Canadian mainland. low numbers: only 398 scoters were seen. Most of these Point Amour is located at the narrowest point, and the birds were observed on last few days of the monitoring channel is only 17 km wide. Forteau Point, located to period. It is likely that larger numbers migrate through the southwest of Point Amour, also extends into the the strait late in May or in early June. Perhaps surpris- strait. These points of land (rounded headlands) con- ingly, just seven Harlequin Ducks were observed during centrate migrating seabirds and waterfowl as they move the monitoring period. along the coast. As a result, very large numbers of birds move through a relatively small area, although few stop Fall migration at this site is likely equally impressive. for an extended period of time. The marine area off of However, no surveys have been completed at this time these points has strong currents, and the tidal rips occa- of the year. sionally attract seabirds and whales during the summer and fall. Large numbers of Harp seals are also present during migration. Season Number

Birds Common Eider FM 62,275 (1996)

Alcid ssp. FM 43,578 (1996) In 1996, the Canadian Wildlife Service and others monitored spring migration at this site. Although they mon- Black Guillemot FM 5,465 (1996) itored movements for only a portion of the migration, they recorded tremendous numbers of birds. A total of 62,275 migration Common Eiders was recorded Conservation issues between April 19th and May 24th. Most of these birds were likely from the northern (ssp. borealis) population The Point Amour site is although there were undoubtedly a number from the The important habitat at this site is primarily the off- dresseri population as well (large concentrations of shore area of the Strait of Belle Isle, which is a major dresseri nest in St. Johns Bay and Table Bay to the shipping area that links North America to Europe. The north). The peak movement occurred between May 8 threat of oil pollution, from both illegal discharges and and May 14: a total of 38,414 eiders was recorded. large-scale oil spills, is a constant concern. Several spills in the vicintiy have proven disastrous to seabirds. During the same period, 5,465 Black Guillemots, approximately 2% of the world’s estimated population, Point Amour was also recorded. Although it was not possible for the observers to identify the larger black and white alcids (Thick-billed Murre, Common Murre, or Razorbills) a

N.B. Provided by Bird Studies Canada May 2001; for updates see http://www.ibacanada.com/site.htm. 19 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Figure 3-8: Topographic map showing Point Amour and area, adapted from 1:250,000 map sheet 12P

20 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information r and area, adapted from 1:50,000sheet 12P/7 map from adapted r and area, Figure 3-9: Topographic map showing Point Amou map Topographic 3-9: Figure

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation.July, 2002 21 IBA Site Information

Fischot Islands CANF008G 51°11' N, 55°41' W

Croque, Newfoundland Sea level to 20 m, ±25 km2 Habitats: Open sea, inlets and coastal Land-use: Secondary – Threats: Potential – oil pollution, features, coastal cliffs and rocky shores fisheries over-harvesting Protection status: None

Site description and it is not known whether any of the eiders in this IBA are from these re-introduction efforts. The Fischot Islands are a series of small islands, isolated rocks, and shoals at the southeast head of Hare Bay, on the northeast side of Newfoundland's Great Northern Season Number Peninsula. They are 15 km north of Croque and 25 km east of Main Brook. These low, treeless, rocky islands Common Eider W 10,000 and islets are fully exposed to the full force of the Atlan- tic Ocean from the east. However, they are large enough that eiders can find shelter during severe storms. Conservation issues

Ice cover plays an important role in eider activity at this The Common Eider is the largest duck in the Northern site during winter. The ocean in this area can be mostly Hemisphere. Because of their large size and the accessi- ice-covered from late December to early May with the bility of their nests, these ducks were heavily exploited southward flowing Labrador Current carrying much as a food source, and their populations were subse- northern-formed ice to the Fischot Islands area. How- quently reduced. By the early 1900s, many North ever, westerly winds usually keep leads of open water America Common Eider colonies were wiped- out. on the lee side of the Great Northern Peninsula (around After the implementation of the Migratory Birds Con- the Fischot Islands) and this is where large numbers of vention Act (1916), eider numbers have rebounded, but wintering eiders congregate. it is thought that the extent of their recovery is no where near the historical size of the North American population. Birds The large wintering congregation of Common Eiders in The Fischot Islands have long had a reputation among the Fischot Islands area likely attracts hunters from the local hunters for supporting large numbers of Common nearby communities. However, there is no evidence Eiders during the winter. The only formal survey of suggesting that the current harvest negatively effects the eiders in the Fischot Islands area was conducted by the population. Canadian Wildlife Survey in 1995. They estimated the winter congregation to include Like many other sites along the coast in Newfoundland about 10,000 Common Eiders, representing as much as and Labrador, the Fischot Islands are close to a busy 3.5% of the northern (spp. borealis) population (it is shipping route that links Europe to North America. An likely that a small number of the wintering birds are of oil spill could kill large numbers of eiders. the Atlantic dresseri ssp. as well. Fischot Island From the early to the mid 1990s, there was a Common Eider re-introduction program, nearby in Hare Bay. The success of this program has not been fully evaluated yet

22 N.B. Provided by Bird Studies Canada May 2001; for updates see http://www.ibacanada.com/site.htm. Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Figure 3-10: Topographic map showing the Fischot Islands and area, adapted from 1:250,000 map sheet “2M & 3D Part”

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 23 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Figure 3-11: Topographic map showing the Fischot Islands and area, adapted from 1:50,000 map sheet 2M/4

24 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 IBA Site Information

Northern Groais Island CANF009C 50°58' N, 55°35' W Near Conche, Newfoundland Sea level to 200 m, 22.5 km2 Habitats: Coastal cliffs and rocky shores, Land-use: Primary – fisheries; Threats: Potential – oil pollution / open sea Secondary – hunting exploration, over-harvesting Protection status: None

Site description site. During the 1995 survey, large numbers of eiders were recorded around the Fischot Islands (about 20 km Groais Island is the northern most of two islands that to the north). Due to the frequently changing conditions together, are often referred to as the Grey Islands. as a result of ice coverage, it is suspected that eiders These islands are located off the eastern side of New- move back and forth between key feeding areas such as foundland's Great Northern Peninsula. The northern the north shore of Groais Island, around the Fischot coastline of Groais Island has high cliffs that rise over Islands, and along the south coast of Bell Island. More 100 metres from the ocean. Offshore, a few small rocks winter survey work is required to obtain a better under- and shoals are present, with the Sisters Rocks being standing of the numbers and movements of Common located off the northeast tip of the island. Although the Eiders in this area. ocean is mostly ice-covered in this region from January to April, the prevailing westerly winds often create open leads of water around the island. The direction and Season Number speed with which these small, ice-free areas move is dependent on a combination of the Labrador Current, Common Eiders W Thousands and the wind’s speed and direction. (borealis ssp.) Black-legged B 2,400 pairs Kittiwake Birds

The northern coastline of Groais Island is important for Conservation issues birds during both the breeding and wintering season. In May, June, and July, a colony Black-legged Kittiwakes The northern coastline of Groais Island has long been nest on the exposed cliffs of northern Groais Island and recognized as a wintering area for eiders, and there is The Sisters Rocks. Data from the early 1970s suggest long tradition of hunting in this area when weather con- that as many as 2400 pairs have been present, which ditions are favourable. The magnitude of this harvest is would represent about 1% of the estimated western unknown. There is relatively little shipping traffic in Atlantic population. More recent estimates of the size this region so the threat of oil spills is not great as in of this colony are not available. some of the other coastal areas around Newfoundland.

During the winter, larger numbers of Common Eiders Northern Groais Islands (mostly from the northern – borealis population) frequent the northern shoreline of Groais Island. Although it is generally estimated that two or three thousand birds are present (discussions with hunters, etc.) an aerial survey completed by the Canadian Wild- life Service in 1995 failed to locate any eiders at this

N.B. Provided by Bird Studies Canada May 2001; for updates see http://www.ibacanada.com/site.htm. 25 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Figure 3-12: Topographic map showing Northern Groais Island, Bell Island South Coast and area, adapted from 1:250,000 map sheet “12I & 2L” 26 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

Figure 3-13: Topographic map showing Northern Groais Island, adapted from 1:50,000 map sheet “2L/13 & 2L/14”

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 27 IBA Site Information

Bell Island South Coast CANF010C 50°42 N, 55°37' W Grey Islands near Conche, Sea level to 50 m, 1.25 km2 Newfoundland plus adjacent marine area Habitats: Coastal cliffs and rocky shores, Land-use: Primary – fisheries; Threats: Potential – oil pollution / open sea Secondary - hunting exploration, over-harvesting Protection status: None

Site description substantiated, suggest that 20 or more Harlequin Ducks have been observed at the southern end of Bell Island Bell Island is the southern-most of two islands that are during the summer. If confirmed, these sighting would generally referred to as the Grey Islands. They are be significant, as the eastern population of Harlequin located off the eastern side of the Great Northern Penin- Ducks is thought to contain only 1,500 individuals and sula. The northern coast of Groais Island, about 30 km is designated as nationally endangered. to the north, has been identified as a separate IBA. Bell Island is a large forested island with rocky shores and coastal cliffs. To the south and west lie two offshore islands: Shepard and Île aux Canes. These islands, and Season Number the marine areas that surround them, are important for both nesting and wintering eiders. The ocean in this Common Eider(ssp. B 1,000 pairs area is generally ice-covered from mid-January to April, dresseri) with the Labrador Current carrying northern-formed sea Common Eider (ssp. W thousands ice to the region. However, the prevailing westerly borealis) winds create open leads of water along the eastern side of Bell Island. Harlequin Duck S ?

Birds Conservation issues The islands off the south coast of Bell Island support the largest colony of nesting Common Eiders on insular The area off the south coast of Bell Island has been Newfoundland. It is estimated that at least 1,000 pairs included in the Southern Grey Island Migratory Bird of the dresseri subspecies nest there. This would repre- Sanctuary. This site, which provides year-round protec- sent over 1% of the estimated population for this sub- tion from hunting, is the only federal bird sanctuary on species. During winter, large numbers of eiders from insular Newfoundland. Since there is relatively little the northern (borealis ssp.) population congregate in the ship traffic in this region, the threat of marine disaster same area, with several thousand being recorded in the resulting from an oil spill is not as high as in other open water leads around the islands. However, during coastal areas of Newfoundland. aerial surveys completed in the winter of 1995, no birds were recorded in this area, although large numbers were Bell Island South Coast observed about 50 km to the north around the Fischot Islands. It is likely that the wintering eiders move around, with the local ice conditions dictating their location.In addition to eiders, some reports, although not

28 N.B. Provided by Bird Studies Canada May 2001; for updates see http://www.ibacanada.com/site.htm. Chapter 3: IBA Site Information map sheet 2L/12 and 2L/11 map oast, adapted from 1:50,000oast, adapted from Figure 3-14: Topographic mapC showing Bell Island South 3-14: Topographic Figure

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation.July, 2002 29 Chapter 3: IBA Site Information

30 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

4. IBA Species Information Table 4-2: IBA Species at Point Amour, adapted from Mactavish 1999

The marine bird IBA sites near the Strait of Belle No. of Isle and Northern Peninsula were designated IBAs Species Season1 References birds2 for several species of marine birds and ducks including Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, Black Alcid sp. SM 43,578 Selno et al. Guillemot, Black-legged Kittiwake and Alcid spe- (Razorbill 1996 cies (see Figure 3-1). or murre)

The following tables summarize some of the avail- 1. B - Breeding, W - Wintering, SM - Spring able survey information relevant to IBA sites near Migration, FM - Fall Migration, O - Other 2. Indicates the average number of individuals the Strait of Belle Isle. using the site during the listed season

St. Peter Bay The observations on which this site nomination was based were collected on behalf of the Cana- Table 4-1: IBA species at St. Peter Bay (CWS dian Wildlife Service during one spring migration Coastal Blocks 878 & 879; aerial survey) observation period April 19 – May 24 1996 Selno et al. The observation period ended before spring No. of migration was over and most of the scoters Species Season References birds1 observed were recorded during the last few days of observations (Mactavish 1999). Harlequin June 50 Gilliland & Duck 1994 Lewis 1999 Fischot Islands Harlequin July 0 Gilliland & Duck 1998 Lewis 1999 Table 4-3: IBA species at Fischot Islands, adapted Common June 5,565 Gilliland & from Mactavish 1999 Eider 1980 Lewis 1999 No. of Species Season1 References Common June 1303 Gilliland & birds2 Eider 1994 Lewis 1999 Common W8,000 – Gilliland, 1995 1. Indicate the average number of individuals Eider 10,000 using the site during the listed season 1. B - Breeding, W - Wintering, SM - Spring Migration, FM - Fall Migration, O - Other Point Amour 2. Indicates the average number of individuals using the site during the listed season

Table 4-2: IBA Species at Point Amour, adapted from Mactavish 1999 St. Julien Island, 25 km south of the Fischot Islands held some of the eiders observed by the 1995 CWS No. of survey. 1995 saw a heavy ice year inshore and this Species Season1 References birds2 may have concentrated eiders in the area more so than in years of less ice. Common SM 62,275 Selno et al. Eider 1996

Black SM 5,465 Selno et al. Guillemot 1996

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 31 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Northern Groais Island Approximately 80,000 Northern Eiders winter in the gulf of St. Lawrence (Bordage et al. 1998). Numbers wintering in Newfoundland seem to have Table 4-4: IBA species at Northern Groais Island, decreased in recent years but quantitative surveys adapted from Mactavish 1999 are lacking (S. Gilliland, CWS Atlantic). Species 1 No. of References Season American Common Eider birds2

Common W‘few’ thou-Gilliland, ...Based on surveys conducted in the last two Eider sand CWS pers. decades, breeding populations were estimated at comm. approximately 18,000 pairs in Labrador, 3000 in Newfoundland, 26,000 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence Black- B 2,400 Lock et al. legged 1994 and St. Lawrence estuary, and 18,000 to 22,000 in Kittiwake Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

1. B - Breeding, W - Wintering, SM - Spring Harlequin Duck, Eastern Population Migration, FM - Fall Migration, O - Other 2. Indicates the average number of individuals There is great concern about the status of the east- using the site during the listed season ern North American population of the Harlequin Duck, which was listed as endangered in Canada Brief natural history biographies of the IBA spe- in 1990. As a consequence, hunting of this species cies follow (see Sections 4.4. on page 41. to 4.10. was closed throughout the Atlantic Flyway. In the on page 58). late 1980’s the population wintering in eastern North America was estimated at less than 1,000 4.1. Excerpts from the 2001 CWS Report enti- individuals (Goudie 1991). Overhunting, distur- tled Population status of Migratory Game Birds bance, and habitat loss are believed to have played in Canada a role in the decline of the eastern population of Harlequin Ducks (Robertson and Goudie 1999). Northern Common Eider As a result of new information in 2001, the status of the eastern population was downgraded to a ...the majority of Northern Common Eiders winter population of special concern. in southwest Greenland rather than in Canada as was previously thought. These recent findings ...The population of Harlequin Ducks wintering in have important international management implica- eastern North America has been increasing in tions because they confirm that the majority of recent years and is now estimated at about 1,800 eiders harvested in Greenland during winter breed birds, with most (~1,000) wintering in Maine at a in Canada. Population and harvest data of the single location (Robertson and Goudie 1999). northern common eider were integrated in a simu- Some birds also winter in Atlantic Canada. Counts lation model (Gilliland et al. 2001), and results of Harlequin Ducks wintering in Newfoundland suggested that the Greenland harvest of northern showed small increases in 1996 and again in 1997. eiders was not sustainable. This was encouraging given the dramatic decline that occurred there through the 1980s and early 1990s.

32 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Scoters The exact distribution of the two Harlequin Duck populations during the breeding season is still Based on traditional mid-winter and spring water- unknown. There may be a breeding ground overlap fowl breeding surveys, scoters as a group seem to somewhere in Labrador and/or along the Québec have declined in North America over the long term North Shore, but this is still to be determined. As a (Savard et al. 1998). The three scoter species are result, eight (8) male Harlequin Ducks were fitted not differentiated during these surveys as it is diffi- with satellite transmitters in Maine, USA (Isle au cult to discriminate among them from fixed-winged Haut area) in early April, 2001, and an additional aircraft. Mid-winter survey data suggested a five (5) transmitters were deployed on male harle- decline in scoter numbers between 1954 and 1994; quins already on their breeding rivers in central however, the trend was not significant (Kehose, Labrador in mid-May, 2001. In this manner, biolo- 1996). In eastern North America, breeding popu- gists hope to document the northern limit of the lation estimates declined significantly at an breeding range of the Eastern North American approximate average annual rate of 1% between wintering population. 1955 and 1992 (USFW 1993). While contributing to a more complete understand- ...Also, between 50,000 and 62,000 moulting sco- ing of movement patterns throughout the Harle- ters (mostly male Surf Scoters) were located along quin Duck annual cycle, the Department of the Labrador coast in 1998 and 1999 (S. Gilliland, National Defence also wishes to determine intra- pers.comm.). seasonal movement, as well as home range size of Harlequin Ducks during the summer months. This 4.2. Harlequin Duck Satellite Tracking Project research will assist ongoing mitigation efforts concerning Harlequin Ducks within the low-level fly- The following is reproduced and/or adapted from ing zone in south-central Labrador and the website of the Canadian Wildlife Service in northeastern Québec. Quebec (http://www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/sauvagine/ html/hd_satellite.html). The thirteen (13) birds fitted with transmitters were all males. Two examples of the maps generated by In 1996, 1997, and 1998, biologists tracked move- such studies which illustrate the movements of ments of 25 Harlequin Duck drakes using satellite individual birds are reproduced from the Quebec telemetry. This technique consists of fitting birds CWS website and presented here (see Figures 4-4 with radios that transmit signals to satellites, and 4-5 on page 37). which in turn relay information to biologists. In other words, the Harlequin Ducks are captured, For more information (Maine Project): fitted with a transmitter, released, and then tracked • Michel Robert, Species at Risk Biologist, Canadian on a daily basis from the biologist's office. Wildlife Service, Québec Region. • Glen Mittlehauser, Biologist, Coastal Maine Bio- This study lead to the discovery of new facts on logical Research Station. Harlequin Duck movements and distribution, in • Guy Fitzgerald, Veterinarian, Union Québécoise particular the existence of two distinct populations pour la Réhabilitation des Oiseaux de Proie of Harlequin Duck in eastern North America. Sat- For more information (Labrador Project): ellite telemetry work conducted in 1996-98 deter- • Tony Chubbs, Department of National Defence, mined that Harlequin Ducks breeding in northern Goose Bay, Labrador Québec and northern Labrador actually moult and • Perry Trimper, Biologist, Jacques-Whitford Envi- winter along the south-west coast of Greenland. ronment Conversely, Harlequin Ducks wintering in Atlantic • Peter Thomas, Species at Risk Biologist, Canadian Canada and/or along the eastern seaboard of the Wildlife Service, Atlantic Region United States breed and/or moult in southern • Todd Shury, Shury Veterinary Services. Québec, Labrador, and insular Newfoundland.

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 33 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Partners (Maine Project): by this document must not be thought of as suffi- • SCF-Québec (Michel Robert); cient tools for conserving the bird populations that • Hydro-Québec (Pierre Lamothe); use them. • Union québécoise pour la réhabilitation des oiseaux de proie (Dr. Guy Fitzgerald); Also, shipping associated directly with the Voi- • Coastal Marine Biological Research Station (Glen sey’s Bay Project has the potential to affect the Mittlehauser); IBA sites covered by this document as they would • Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife be enroute and passed by any increase in industrial (Brad Allen et al.). shipping between the Nain area and Goose Bay Partners (Labrador Project): and/or the Nain area and the Strait of Belle Isle. • Department of National Defence (Tony Chubbs, The Environmental Impact Assessment for Voi- Gary Humphries, Goose Bay Office); sey’s Bay did not include these areas in the pro- • Jacques-Whitford Environment Limited (Perry posed shipping lane so the potential effects have Trimper, Kathy Knox); not been formally assessed and are undetermined. • Canadian Wildlife Service-Atlantic Region (Peter Thomas); The data on seabirds collected during the breeding • Shury Veterinary Services (Dr. Todd Shury); season and reported in the Avifauna study for the • Universal Helicopters Newfoundland and Labrador proposed Voisey’s Bay Mine and Mill referred to (Lorne Pike). above was collected by helicopter during three days in July of 1996. The data reported does not 4.3. Voisey’s Bay distinguish between breeding and nonbreeding birds and there is almost no information on the dis- Under contract to Voisey’s Bay Nickel Company tribution within the study area of the birds Limited, Jacques Whitford Environment Limited observed. The area surveyed is the area through collected wildlife data for the purpose of the Voi- which shipping to and from the Voisey’s Bay site sey’s Bay Mine/Mill Environmental Impact State- would occur should the project proceed. ment. The study area used for seabird observations overlaps more or less directly with the area of In addition to coastal marine bird observations, coastline and islands near Nain designated as the Jacques Whitford Environment Limited also con- Nain Coastline IBA Site (see Table 2-1 on ducted inland surveys for breeding Harlequin page 10). This study area is illustrated in Figure 4- Ducks and other waterfowl. Figures 4-7 and 4-8 6. Although Voisey’s Bay is outside the area cov- show maps from the Voisey’s Bay 1996 Environ- ered by this document, Harlequin Ducks breeding mental Baseline Technical Data Report on Avi- there may stage, winter or moult at some of the fauna illustrating a sample of the type of data sites covered in this document. It is important that collected on Harlequin Ducks breeding within the IBAs not be treated in isolation of one another. Voisey’s Bay study area (Jacques Whitford, 1997). The marine birds using the IBA sites covered here See also Chapter 7. “Voisey’s Bay” on page 86. are migratory and demand a broad perspective on the part of those engaged in marine bird conservation. The IBA sites designated for the area covered

34 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Figure 4-1: Numbers of male Common Eiders counted on 1994 aerial survey of Labrador (from Gilliland, 2000)

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 35 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Figure 4-2: Numbers of male Common Eiders counted on surveys of the Labrador coast in 1980 and 1994. Counts are summarized by 1/2 degree latitude (from Gilliland, 2000)

Figure 4-3: Estimated growth rates (percent per annum) for Common Eiders breeding along the Labrador coast from 1980 to 1994 (from Gilliland, 2000)

36 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Figure 4-4: Movements of a Harlequin Duck fitted with a satellite telemeter (http://www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/ sauvagine/html/hd_satellite.html).

Figure 4-5: Movements of a Harlequin Duck fitted with a satellite telemeter (http://www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/ sauvagine/html/hd_satellite.html).

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 37 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information 1048, Voisey’s1048, 1996 Avifauna Bay Technical DataReport, November 18, 1997 Labrador,Coverage, seabird survey Figure Aerial 4-6: 1995-19 96: reproduced from Figure 2. 6 Jacques Whitford Environment Limi 6 JacquesWhitford ted Project No.

38 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information Results 1997, Harlequin Duck Survey oduced from Appendix D oduced from isey’s Bay Avifauna Technical Data Report, November 18, 1997 Technical Avifauna Bay isey’s servations, Voisey’s Bay area, 02-05 June 1997: repr 02-05 June 1997: Bay area, Voisey’s servations, Figure 4-7: Harlequin Duck ob Figure 1048,No.Vo 1996 Limited Project Jacques Whitford Environment

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 39 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information Project 1996 Voisey’sNo. 1048, Bay Avifauna Technical 18,1997 Report, November Data Figure Observations 4-8: of Harlequin Duckbroodsof Harlequin Voisey’s Bay, Labrador, 19 96 reproduced96 fromFigure 2.3 Whitford Env Jacques ironment Limited Limited ironment

40 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

4.4. Atlantic Puffin chicks are covered with down but still get brooded by the parents for the first week. After the first Latin name: Fratercula arctica week the parents are able to leave the chick alone Local names: Parrot, Sea Parrot, Hatchet Face, in the burrow while they forage. At this stage the Baccalieu Bird. burrow provides adequate protection for the chick, Inuktitut: Siggolutuk; kingutuk an advantage over cliff nesting birds whose chicks Innu-aimun: Muneikutan are exposed when unaccompanied by a parent. Depending on feeding conditions, after five to ten Distribution weeks the chick will leave the burrow and fly out to sea alone. The chick usually leaves the colony Atlantic Puffins are a North Atlantic species. In under cover of darkness. By September both fact, although one of four species of puffins the chicks and adults have mostly abandoned the col- Atlantic Puffin is the only one that lives in the ony until the following spring. North Atlantic. They are one of the most common seabirds in the northern hemisphere.

Atlantic Puffins mostly nest on islands around Ice- land, Norway, the Faeroe Islands, British Isles, and eastern Canada. They breed in North America from northern Maine in the United States to the Canadian Arctic. In winter they move offshore where their distribution is poorly known.

Breeding Biology

Puffins spend the winter at sea. Once they have reached breeding maturity at 4 or 5 years of age puffins return to the same breeding colony each Feeding Ecology spring to lay a single egg. The timing of their spring arrival at the breeding colony depends on Puffin parents deliver whole prey to their chicks in ice and weather conditions. Younger birds will their bill. The number of feeds per day varies, visit the breeding colony as well but show up later depending on the kind of prey being fed to the than the breeders. Once present at the colony, puf- chick. If spawning capelin are available fewer fins engage in a distinct cycle of colony atten- meals are delivered than if the chick is being fed an dance. The numbers of puffins at the colony varies assortment of small juvenile fish. up and down both within a given day and over a period of several days. People have often visited Habitat Requirements large puffin colonies and been surprised to find few birds there. At the same spot a few days later or at Puffins nest almost exclusively on islands where a different time of day one might witness large they are relatively protected from predation by ter- numbers of puffins standing around next to their restrial predators. They raise their chicks under- burrows, or flying en masse in figure-eights above ground either by digging a burrow in turf or finding the colony. tunneling within rock piles. Puffins nest in high densities and most colonies have a surplus of suit- Puffins incubate their single egg for about six able habitat into which colonies can expand. They weeks. If an egg is lost, a replacement egg is prefer to nest near the perimeter of islands. Sloped sometimes laid within 2 to 3 weeks, although Puf- areas can support higher nesting densities than flat fins are not as good replacement egg layers as ground where tunnels run directly under the sur- murres and razorbill are. When hatched, puffin face.

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 41 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Bradley, L. W. (1971). Some aspects of the blood Once mated, puffins will usually return to meet the of alcids in Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, same mate and occupy the same burrow from year Memorial University of Newfoundland. to year. Fidelity to a breeding colony is high and development of new colony locations is uncom- Burness, G. P. (1989). Variation in the bone sizes mon. The breeding site fidelity of puffins under- of great auks Pinguinis impennis (Linnaeus) scores the need to maintain attractive breeding 1758 from different North Atlantic sites. Dept. conditions at existing colonies. of Biology, Memorial University of New- foundland. The most common cause of breeding failure is desertion by the adults. Birds disturbed while Chatman, E. (1989). The influence of nesting den- incubating are particularly sensitive and likely to sity on the reproductive success of the Atlantic desert their egg. Most colonies manage to produce Puffin Fratercula arctica (L.) and the Black- chicks from three quarters or more of the breeding legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla (L.) on Gull pairs, but instances of catastrophic breeding fail- Island, Witless Bay, Newfoundland in 1988. ures have occurred. The causes for such breeding failures have included food shortages as occurred Creelman, E. (1987). Sex differences in reproduc- in northern Norway in the 1970s and disturbance tion effort and the potential for a mixed repro- from tourism. duction strategy in the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica). Dept. of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Eveleigh, E. S. (1974). A study of the ectoparasites of alcids in Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Hearne, E. P. (1999). Effect of tour boat activity within an ecological reserve on the behaviour of three Atlantic alcids: common murres (Uria aalge), razorbills (Alca torda), and Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica). Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

LeGrow, K. H. (1995). Distribution patterns of sea- Suggested Reading birds in Placentia Bay: changes after twenty years. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University Nettleship, D. N., and Birkhead, T. R., eds., (1985) of Newfoundland. The Atlantic Alcidae: Orlando, Academic Press, p. 574. LeGrow, K. H. (1999). Distribution of marine birds in relation to water masses and fronts in the Theses in the Collection of Memorial University Strait of Belle Isle, northwestern Atlantic of Newfoundland Relevant to Atlantic Puffins in Ocean. Environmental Science Programme, Newfoundland and Labrador Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Bartlett, S. E. (1985). Cytogenetic studies in three MacCharles, A. (1986). Oil-related and natural species of larids and three species of alcids . mortality of seabirds found on beaches in Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of southeastern Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, Newfoundland. Memorial University of Newfoundland.

42 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Muzaffar, S. B. (2000). Ectoparasites of auks Biology, Memorial University of Newfound- (alcidae) at the Gannet Islands, Labrador: land. diversity, ecology and host-parasite interactions. Faculty of Science, Memorial University Russell, J. (1999). Chick diet and nestling condi- of Newfoundland. tion among Atlantic puffins at three northwest Atlantic colonies. Biopsychology Programme, Nettleship, D. N. (1970). Breeding success of the Memorial University of Newfoundland. common puffin (Fratercula Arctica L.) on different habitats, Great Island, Newfoundland Sklepkovych, B. O. (1986). The predatory behav- [microform]. iour and impact of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) on the seabird colonies of Baccalieu Island, New- Piatt, J. F. (1987). Behavioural ecology of common foundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial Uni- murre and Atlantic puffin predation on capelin: versity of Newfoundland. implications for population biology. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfound- Veitch, B. (1998). Ornament expression as an indi- land. cator of physical condition in Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) at the Gannet Islands Eco- Rodway, M. S. (1994). Intra-colony variation in logical Reserve, Labrador. Dept. of Biology, breeding success of Atlantic puffins: an appli- Memorial University of Newfoundland. cation of habitat selection theory. Dept. of

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 43 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

4.5. Black Guillemot By Mark Hipfner

Latin name: Cepphus grylle Local names: pigeon Inuktitut: Pitsiuiak Innu-aimun: Kakatshishipat; kashasteshist

Black Guillemots are medium-sized members of the auk family Alcidae. Their breeding distribution spans the boreal, low, and high-Arctic oceano- graphic zones, centred in the Atlantic but reaching the Pacific. Guillemots are the only alcids that at perhaps 15,000-20,000 breeding pairs, but this is over-winter within the high-Arctic zone. The genus only a ballpark figure. Black Guillemots are more Cepphus, to which Guillemots belong, are unusual generally sedentary than the other Atlantic alcids, among the Alcid family in feeding on largely soli- usually spending winter in near shore waters close tary benthic prey, captured in near shore waters. to breeding colonies. However, some birds from They are the only alcids that raise two chicks to full colonies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence may over- adult size at the nest site in a single breeding sea- winter in Newfoundland waters. In addition, high- son. Arctic populations are more migratory, although Black Guillemots are the only alcids to over-winter Black Guillemots are the least numerous, least within the high-Arctic zone, inhabiting polynyas colonial, and least migratory of the five Atlantic and leads in the ice. Birds in their first winter dis- alcids, the other four being Puffins, Razorbills and perse longer distances from breeding colonies than the two murre species. Black Guillemots are also do older birds. among the least well known, for the simple reason that they do not typically congregate to breed in Breeding Biology large, accessible colonies, as do the other species. Because they nest in small, loose aggregations over The breeding biology of the Cepphus guillemots is very wide expanses of coastline, it is very difficult unusual among the alcids in many respects. The to determine population sizes and trends. In fact, differences reflect adaptations to their near shore there is virtually no information on populations of feeding habits. Young Black Guillemots first visit Black Guillemots in any key part of their global breeding colonies at 1 or 2 years old and recruit breeding range, including most of eastern Canada. into the breeding population at 2 or 3 years of age. The North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence is They nest in a dispersed fashion, from singly to in perhaps the only notable exception. the low hundreds of pairs, only at very few sites into the thousands of pairs (mostly in the High Arc- Distribution tic). Guillemots use enclosed nest sites that offer protection from mammalian and avian predators, Black Guillemots breed throughout the boreal, low principally arctic and red foxes, as well as large and high-Arctic waters of the Atlantic Ocean, gulls and Ravens. Most nest sites are situated in the across northern Canada and Russia and into the spaces between boulders, but fissures and cracks in Pacific. They are widely distributed in eastern Can- rock faces are also used. Nests may be located any- ada, breeding wherever there is suitable habitat and where from just above the high tide line to great open water in summer, including most of coastal heights on sheer cliffs. Guillemots will also use Newfoundland and Labrador. There is very little suitable man-made structures for nesting. Within information on population sizes and population their enclosed nest sites, they build nests of small trends of Black Guillemots in Newfoundland and stones and other matter on which to lay and incu- Labrador. Published estimates put the population bate their eggs.

44 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

variety of invertebrates, including polychaetes, The timing of egg laying is influenced by oceano- molluscs, and especially crustaceans, as well as graphic conditions, generally beginning earlier in fish including Arctic cod, sculpins, and blennies, the southern (mid-May) than in the northern (early all of which are generally caught near shore in to mid-June) parts of their range. Black Guillemots waters less than 30 m deep. Black Guillemots dive lay a two-egg clutch although most young inexpe- as deep as 50 m in pursuit of prey, and can remain rienced females lay only a single egg. As in the submerged for more than 2 minutes. Chick diets other alcids, timing of laying advances and egg are dominated by fish, especially benthic species size increases, with female age and experience. like blennies and sandlance caught in near shore Incubation duties are shared by both parents and waters within a few km of breeding colonies. In begins with the laying of the second egg. Shift some regions, particularly the High Arctic, chick changes between parents occur much more fre- diets are supplemented by crustaceans. quently than in most other alcids. The two eggs hatch at about the same time, some 28-31 days after laying.

Because Black Guillemots forage in near shore waters very close to their breeding colonies, they are able to maintain very high rates of provisioning to offspring (up to 20 feedings per day). Meals usually consist of a single, large fish. The chicks grow quickly, undergo an abrupt loss of mass in the last few days at the nest, and depart to sea when about 40 days old. At nest departure, the chicks are fully feathered, and close to their adult mass; they are independent of their parents from the time they leave. The number of young raised to fledging varies considerably among colonies, but 0.7-1.0 Habitat Requirements young per nest is probably typical at colonies in eastern Canada. Of those young birds that survive Black Guillemots breed mainly on rocky islands to nest departure, about 20-30% will survive to join situated in coastal and continental-shelf waters, the breeding population 2 or 3 years later. rarely in brackish waters. They generally winter in near shore waters close to breeding colonies, where Compared to many other alcids, young Black their prey is predictably concentrated. Because Guillemots show a stronger tendency to recruit to they are distributed so widely and sparsely non-natal colonies, which is perhaps not surprising throughout the year, Black Guillemot populations given their nesting habits. As in most other alcids, are less vulnerable (at least on a global scale) to Black Guillemots generally return year after year anthropogenic threats than are species that aggre- to breed at the same nest site and with the same gate like murres and Razorbills. Nonetheless, partner. Adult survival is typically 80-85% per human activities pose serious threats to Black year, which is quite low for an alcid of their size. Guillemots and their habitats locally. Localized sources of mortality include drowning in gill-nets Feeding Ecology and oil pollution. In addition, introductions to nesting islands of small predators that can access nest- Like all members of the family Alcidae, Black ing crevices, such as rats and mink, have Guillemots are wing-propelled divers that catch historically caused considerable damage. their prey by underwater pursuit. They feed on a

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 45 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Suggested Reading: LeGrow, K. H. (1995). Distribution patterns of sea- Gaston, A.J., and I.L. Jones. 1998. The Auks. birds in Placentia Bay: changes after twenty Oxford University Press, New York. years. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Nettleship, D.N., and T.R. Birkhead (eds.) 1985. The Atlantic Alcidae. Academic Press, Lon- LeGrow, K. H. (1999). Distribution of marine birds don. in relation to water masses and fronts in the Strait of Belle Isle, northwestern Atlantic Selected Theses Relevant to Black Guillemot in Ocean. Environmental Science Programme, Newfoundland and Labrador Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Bradley, L. W. (1971). Some aspects of the blood MacCharles, A. (1986). Oil-related and natural of alcids in Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, mortality of seabirds found on beaches in Memorial University of Newfoundland. southeastern Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Eveleigh, E. S. (1974). A study of the ectoparasites of alcids in Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

46 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

4.6. Black-legged Kittiwake by Dave Fifield

Latin name Rissa tridactyla Local names: tickleace, tickle-ass, lady

The Black-legged Kittiwake is a small (dimen- sions), ocean-going gull of the Northern Hemi- sphere. It breeds in cliff-based colonies in numbers in the tens or even hundreds of thousands. They are loud and raucous at the colony, where their distinctive “kitt-i-wake” call (from which they get their name) can be heard almost constantly. material is gathered in flocks, often on rainy days. Distribution Eggs (1-3) are laid late May to late June and are incubated by both sexes for 3-4 weeks. Eggs lost Kittiwakes breed in the arctic and sub-arctic world- early in the season may be replaced although this is wide, and south into Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, uncommon. When the downy chicks hatch, they New Brunswick and the Gulf of St. Lawrence in are brooded by both parents alternately for a num- North America. During the winter they disperse ber of days. As they mature, they will be left unat- widely and in eastern North America are found off- tended for longer periods while their parents search shore from the ice edge south to Florida. The for food, particularly on warm days. At around six exposed cliffs of Northern Groais Island and The weeks of age, the young birds will take their first Sisters Rocks are ideal nesting habitat for this bird. flight, but they are not ready to leave home just yet. The most recent estimate of the numbers nesting They will return to their nest to roost for several there is from x in the 1970s who estimated as many more weeks (where they may continue to be fed by as 2400 pairs were present at that time. their parents) until they leave for good.

Breeding Biology On average only 65% of constructed nests will have eggs laid in them and only 60% of these will In Newfoundland kittiwakes return to the breeding likely hatch. These facts along with subsequent colony anywhere from early February to April, chick mortality combine to give an expected breed- depending upon ice conditions and spring tempera- ing success of approximately one check per nest in tures. They are generally monogamous, keeping a good year. In poor years, breeding success can be the same mate and returning to the same nest site almost nil. for many years. Older more experienced birds arrive earliest and generally secure the best nest Feeding Ecology sites. Young birds first breed at 3-5 years of age, showing a preference for returning to the colony at Unlike many species of gulls, kittiwakes do not which they were born. When nesting space is at a frequent garbage dumps or fast food restaurants, premium these new breeders may choose to start a preferring instead to forage by daylight for small new colony or join a small rapidly growing one. fish and invertebrates near the ocean surface. They Recent expansion to Cape Breton is believed to be often feed in association with other seabirds and in due to overflow of young birds from Newfound- Newfoundland their preferred foods are capelin land colonies. and sandlance. They capture their prey while swimming at the ocean surface or through shallow Nests, constructed by both sexes, are made from plunge dives that may reach depths of up to 1 m. mud and vegetation (grasses, mosses, ferns, etc.) Like many other gull species, kittiwakes are not and are placed on narrow cliff ledges. Nesting above stealing food from other birds.

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 47 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Suggested Reading During chick rearing, parents store food in their crop. Upon the parents return to the nest, chicks are Baird, P. H. 1994. Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa fed this regurgitated, semi-digested meal taken tridactyla). In The Birds of North America, directly from their parent’s throat. No. 92. (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Habitat Requirements Maunder, J. E. and W. Threlfall. 1972. The breed- Kittiwakes nest on narrow ledges on offshore ing biology of the Black-legged Kittiwake in islands, sea stacks or inaccessible mainland cliffs Newfoundland. Auk 89:789-816. where they are protected from terrestrial predators. In the absence of these habitats they will also use Theses in the Collection of Memorial University man-made structures such as shipwrecks and aban- of Newfoundland Relevant to Black-legged Kit- doned buildings. Their breeding colonies must be tiwakes in Newfoundland and Labrador in relative close proximity to their food supply. They typically forage within a few kilometers of Bartlett, S. E. (1985). Cytogenetic studies in three the colony and limit their foraging to ≤ 50 km from species of larids and three species of alcids . the colony during chick rearing. Within this range, Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of they feed over the Continental Shelf at upwellings Newfoundland or oceanic fronts where prey is abundant. Casey, J. M. (1994). Reproductive success of During years of poor prey availability, total breed- black-legged kittiwakes, Rissa tridactyla, on ing failure due to chick starvation can result. This Funk Island, Baccalieu Island and at Cape St. occurred in some Newfoundland colonies in the Mary's, Newfoundland, 1991-1993 Dept. of early 1990s. In addition, the larger gull species Biology, Memorial University of Newfound- such as Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls feed land: 39, xv leaves. on many of the same prey items as kittiwakes. When these species become food-stressed, they Chatman, E. (1989). The influence of nesting den- will turn to kittiwake eggs, young or even adults as sity on the reproductive success of the Atlantic an alternate food source. This predation in combi- puffin Fratercula arctica (L.) and the black- nation with the effect of their other main predator, legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla (L.) on Gull the Common Raven, can have a significant effect Island, Witless Bay, Newfoundland in 1988. on breeding success. These facts make kittiwakes particularly sensitive to being disturbed from their Fitzpatrick, C. (1975). The ectoparasites of three nests since gulls and ravens will take immediate species of seabirds from Gull Island, Witless advantage of absent parents to consume eggs and Bay, Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology., young. This sensitivity to disturbance may be espe- Memorial University of Newfoundland: 25 ill. cially acute early in the breeding season when kittiwakes are less effective at mobbing and dissuading Jamieson, S. E. (2000). The influence of the potential predators. inshore arrival time of capelin (Mallotus villosus) on the productivity of Black-legged Kitti- During migration kittiwakes congregate along the wakes (Rissa tridactyla): a new look at the edges of sea ice whereas during the winter months, match/mismatch hypothesis. Dept. of Biology, they disperse over the open ocean and are seldom Memorial University of Newfoundland. seen from land. LeGrow, K. H. (1995). Distribution patterns of seabirds in Placentia Bay: changes after twenty years. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

48 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Gull Island, Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, LeGrow, K. H. (1999). Distribution of marine birds Memorial University of Newfoundland. in relation to water masses and fronts in the Strait of Belle Isle, northwestern Atlantic Neuman, J. A. (1993). Aspects of the behaviour Ocean. Environmental Science Programme, and ecology of black-legged kittiwakes, Rissa Memorial University of Newfoundland. tridactyla, breeding at two sites in Newfound- land, 1990-1991. Biopsychology Programme, Maccarone, A. D. (1981). Some aspects of feeding Memorial University of Newfoundland. and foraging behaviour of three corvids in Newfoundland. Dept. of Psychology, Memo- Regehr, H. (1994). Breeding performance of black- rial University of Newfoundland: 113 leaves legged kittiwakes on Great Island, Newfound- ill., maps. land, during periods of reduced food availability. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of MacCharles, A. (1986). Oil-related and natural Newfoundland. mortality of seabirds found on beaches in southeastern Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, Sklepkovych, B. O. (1986). The predatory behav- Memorial University of Newfoundland. iour and impact of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) on the seabird colonies of Baccalieu Island, Massaro, M. (2000). Investigation of causes and Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial effects of predation by herring (Larus argenta- University of Newfoundland: 190 leaves ill. tus) and great black-backed gulls (L. marinus) on black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) Snow, D. A. (1981). Aggressive interactions on Gull Island, Newfoundland. Faculty of Sci- between the black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tri- ence, Memorial University of Newfoundland. dactyla) and the common Murre (Uria aalge), on Gull Island, Newfoundland. Dept. of Biol- Maunder, J. E. (1971). The breeding biology of the ogy, Memorial University of Newfoundland: black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla L.) on 59 leaves.

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 49 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

4.7. Common Eider this time the more northerly breeders often sup- plant southerly birds, the more northerly breeders Latin name: Somateria mollissima wintering in the breeding areas of the southerly Local names: Ducks, Eider, Eider Duck, Sealbird birds. Many of the birds wintering in Newfound- (first winter drakes), Black Duck (females), Sea land and Labrador are arctic breeders. Duck; Shore Duck; Canvasback (male) Inuktitut: Mitik Innu-aimun: Missap

The largest, most marine and relatively well studied of seaducks, the Common Eider is the duck of ducks for Newfoundland and Labrador, as codfish was the fish of fish. Eiders also share with the ill- fated northern cod a vulnerability to over-optimis- tic harvesting strategies. Over-hunted in the past and still hunted throughout it’s range by subsistence and sport hunters, harvests of Common Eider have been increasing and may exceed sustainable In heavy ice or late spring years very large collec- levels. tions of eiders can form in open water such as the outer coast or southern bays of Newfoundland and Distribution Labrador. These events can be associated with heavy adult mortality from starvation. Common Eiders have a circumpolar distribution. In eastern North America these birds breed from Breeding Biology Nunavut down through Labrador, Newfoundland and the Maritimes as far south as Massachusetts. Eiders in Newfoundland typically lay about 4 eggs The southern race Somateria mollissima dresseri and incubate them for about 26 days. Roughly breeds from Maine to Hamilton Inlet on the Labra- 85% hatch successfully and the ducklings reach dor coast while the northern race or subspecies, flying age between 55 and 70 days. Eiders don’t Somateria mollissima borealis breeds from north- breed until they are at least two years of age and ern Labrador to Baffin Island. Although some most wait to reach three or four years old. This eiders spend the winter in Labrador around Hamil- pattern of maturity which is typical of sea ducks is ton Inlet and the Strait of Belle Isle most winter delayed compared with many other duck species around Newfoundland, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence which breed in their first year. and further south. While eider hens may fatten up when they first Spring migration, when birds return from winter- arrive on the breeding grounds in spring and after ing areas to breeding grounds, runs from March nesting, while sitting on the nest they more or less and April for the earlier nesters and into June for fast. Only the female incubates the eggs. This Arctic birds. Some populations and immature birds makes nesting an energetically stressful time for do not migrate. The migrating birds mostly follow eider hens and they need to conserve their energy the coast with some land crossings such as across during this time. Disturbing nesting Eiders causes the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland. Migrating them to expend energy when they can ill afford it flocks can number in the thousands. In June and and can potentially affect breeding success. July shortly after the females have started incubating the eggs, the adult males, immature birds and In marine systems the most important thing may be non-breeders migrate to moulting sites. Breeding finding suitable nest sites. To avoid mammalian females follow later. In October and November predators the ground nesting eiders usually use those birds that migrate for the winter do so. At islands and in many areas these are in limited sup-

50 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information ply. Eiders often nest in close association with marine birds what eiders need is an ocean free of gulls although they do like nest sites with some pollution and a healthy prey base. cover where gulls don’t like to go. The gulls usually nest in the perimeter of the colony and the hens Suggested Reading and ducklings have to pass through them when fledging. Most mortality due to predation occurs Goudie, R.I., G.J. Robertson, and A. Reed. 2000. in the first 10 days of life. Common Eiders often Common Eider (Somateria mollissima). In The combine their broods to form congregations of Birds of North America, No. 546. (A. Poole ducklings accompanied by “aunts”, or non-breed- and F.Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, ing females. Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

Theses in the Collection of Memorial University of Newfoundland Relevant to Common Eiders in Newfoundland and Labrador

Bishop, C. A. (1971). Helminth parasites of the common eider duck (Somateria mollissima L.) in Newfoundland and Labrador. Dept. of Biol- ogy, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Goudie, R. I. (1984). Comparative ecology of common eiders, black scoters, oldsquaws and har- Feeding Ecology lequin ducks wintering in southeastern Newfoundland. Eiders usually dive to the bottom in shoal water to collect prey items (invertebrates, mollusks, crusta- LeGrow, K. H. (1999). Distribution of marine birds ceans and echinoderms) much of which they then in relation to water masses and fronts in the bring to the surface to eat. Feeding in the inter- Strait of Belle Isle, northwestern Atlantic tidal zone and a love of mussels brings eiders into Ocean. Environmental Science Programme, conflict with shellfish aquaculture. Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Habitat Requirements MacCharles, A. (1986). Oil-related and natural mortality of seabirds found on beaches in Eiders are famous for nesting in large congrega- southeastern Newfoundland . Dept. of Biology, tions. Perhaps the largest contemporary North Memorial University of Newfoundland. American colony (Ile Bicquette, St. Lawrence estuary) supports more than 10,000 breeding pairs. Ryan, P. C. (1985). Abundance and distribution of Eiders breed mainly on coastal islands although benthic invertebrates and their occurrence in some birds nest on freshwater islands. Although the diet of Common Eiders (Somateria mollis- nesting hens can drink salt water they prefer access sima) at Brierly Head, Cape St. Mary's, New- to fresh water. Shallow bays with an abundance of foundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial seaweed within which to find prey make good University of Newfoundland. brood rearing habitat. In addition to breeding in aggregations, wintering flocks of eiders can also be Thornton, P. A. (1979). Dynamic equilibrium: set- quite large. The main requirement while breeding tlement, population and ecology in the Strait of is relief from disturbance. Otherwise, as with all Belle Isle, Newfoundland, 1840-1940.

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 51 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

4.8. Common Murre by Gail Davoren

Latin name: Uria aalge Local names: Turr, Baccalieu bird Inuktitut: Appak

The Common Murre is a long-lived (> 20 years) diving marine bird that breeds in colonies at higher densities than any other bird species. Murres typically nest in large colonies. For instance, 80% of the northwest Atlantic population breeds on Funk Island, which is also one of the largest colonies in the World. Juvenile murres have a low survival rate (12 – 47%) during their first winter at sea, compared to the high annual survival rate of breeding adults (∼ 90%).

Distribution

The Common Murre has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in the northern hemisphere within the boreal to low arctic zone. In the northwest Atlantic, murres breed commonly from the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of St. Lawrence to central Labrador, with the highest breeding numbers in eastern Newfoundland. Birds typically winter off- pair is established, they return to the same nest site shore with most found in boreal waters. In the in subsequent years. Murres to not build nests, but Pacific, murres winter in southern California and rather lay eggs on exposed rock. Murres vigorously southern Japan and in the Atlantic murres winter compete to occupy and maintain these small 20 cm south to Georges Bank. In Newfoundland, murres by 20 cm sites and the care of both parents is essen- typically move north to the Labrador banks in tial for successfully rearing a chick. August and September (during post-nuptial moult). By December, most of these individuals have In Newfoundland, murres return to breeding colo- moved south, where they are commonly found off nies in April. Adults begin attending and defending Nova Scotia and the New England states (uncom- nest sites during this time. In May, pairs begin to mon south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts). On a copulate and a single egg is laid in early June. If a large spatial scale (100 km), murre distribution pair loses an egg early in incubation, it may be coincides with capelin distribution. replaced approximately 2 weeks later. Both parents incubate eggs alternately for equal amounts of time Breeding Biology (∼ 12 hour shifts) for 1 month. Eggs typically hatch in early July. Chicks are brooded continuously at Murres typically reach sexual maturity around 3 the colony for approximately 3 weeks by both par- years of age and begin breeding between 3-6 years ents, where one parent remains at the colony with of age. The extent to which birds return to their the chick while the other departs the colony on a natal colony to breed is unclear, but breeding at the foraging trip (∼ 4 hours). After each foraging trip, a natal colony and dispersal to other colonies has parent delivers a single fish to the chick. Parents been documented. Murres are monogamous in that deliver 3 – 5 fish to the chick per day, varying they nest with the same pair year after year. Once a between 30 – 60 g of food. Chicks leave the colony

52 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information at up to 25% of adult body mass (250 g). Upon col- of capelin in chick diets. This dietary shift in the ony departure, chicks are unable to fly or feed 1990s was not accompanied with changes in breed- themselves and, thus, are accompanied by the male ing success. During the winter, murre diets incor- parent at sea for 2 - 3 months (August – October). porate both fish and crustaceans. The female parent typically attends the nest site for another two weeks after the chick has fledged. The Murres often feed in large aggregations and there is above chronology is representative of southern growing evidence that they use memory to locate breeding colonies in Newfoundland (e.g. Cape St. capelin at sea. In Newfoundland, murres tend to Mary’s, Witless Bay). Breeding is delayed farther congregate at sea in high densities (200-300 birds/ north (Funk Island and Gannet Islands: lay eggs km) where capelin aggregations are highly dense mid - late June). and predictably found (e.g. Mobile Bay, Cape Freels North, Wadham Islands). These same areas appear to be important among years and are also often good fishing grounds. The concentration of murre and human fishing effort in these areas poses a conflict, whereby murres are often entangled in fishing gear, especially gill nets.

Habitat Requirements

Murres generally require offshore islands that are free from mammalian predators and human disturbance. This species breeds both on cliff-ledges and flat-ground. The flat-ground colonies hold the highest densities of nests (> 10 birds/m2) and are Feeding Ecology the highest quality habitats because they offer maximum protection from nest-predators. Nest preda- Murres dive underwater to collect small schooling tors include Great Black-backed and Herring fish, using their wings to propel them through the Gulls, which eat eggs and chicks at the colony. water. They can dive up to 200 m but typically Human disturbance causes parents to fly off their search and capture prey in the top 20 - 50 m of the nest sites, during which chicks and eggs can be ocean. They have a smaller wing area than most knocked off ledges or into nest sites of neighbours. other bird species, due to the compromise in wing design between underwater and aerial flight. Con- Murres typically forage within 100 km of their sequently, flight requires a lot of energy. breeding colony. The close proximity of good foraging areas to the colony is important because the In Newfoundland, adults primarily eat capelin travel time between the colony and foraging areas (Mallotus villosus) and deliver capelin to their limits the amount chicks can be provisioned. If for- chicks during the breeding season. Capelin is aging sites are farther from the colony or prey believed to be one of the most important fish spe- abundance is low in one year, parents may not cies in the northwest Atlantic due to its biomass work harder to maintain provisioning rates, thereby dominance as a forage fish species. Therefore, sea- lowering chick growth. This behaviour compro- birds align their chick-rearing periods with the mises the survival of the chick, but ensures that inshore spawning activities of capelin. One excep- adults survive to breed in future years and may tion to this is murres breeding at the Gannet increase the number of young produced over the Islands, where they currently deliver a higher pro- lifetime of a pair. This, however, also results in portion of benthic fish, such as blennies and years of poor recruitment to the breeding popula- daubed shannies, to their chicks. Capelin was more tion. abundant around the Gannet Islands prior to the 1990s and this was reflected in a higher proportion

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Murres spend the majority of their year at sea, lomvia) and common murres (U. aalge)). Dept. except for 3 months when they return to land to of Psychology., Memorial University of New- breed during the summer. While at sea, murres foundland. spend the majority of their time sitting on the water, due to the high energy required to fly. Bradley, L. W. (1971). Some aspects of the blood Owing to the considerable time that murres spend of alcids in Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, sitting of the water, this species is highly vulnera- Memorial University of Newfoundland. ble to oil pollution at sea. In addition, adults lose and regrow their flight feathers after they depart Bryant, R. L. (1998). Food resource use and the breeding colony, leaving them flightless at sea responses to changes in prey availability of for 45 – 50 days in August - October. During this common and thick-billed murres (Uria aalgae period, adult males are also accompanied by their and U. lomvia) breeding at the Gannet Islands, flightless chick. Consequently, food supplies must Labrador . Biopsychology Programme, Memo- be abundant and reliable during this flightless rial University of Newfoundland. period, in order to simultaneously moult and feed their young at sea successfully. Cooper, K. G. (1974). An empirical biogeographi- cal study of murre recoveries in the western North Atlantic. Dept. of Biology., Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Davoren, G.K. 2001. Predator-prey interactions in the Northwest Atlantic: influences of capelin distribution and behaviour on foraging behaviour of common murres.Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NF.

Eveleigh, E. S. (1974). A study of the ectoparasites of alcids in Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Suggested Reading Hearne, E. P. (1999). Effect of tour boat activity Tuck, L.M. 1961. The Murres: Their distribution, within an ecological reserve on the behaviour populations and biology – a study of the genus of three Atlantic alcids: common murres (Uria Uria. Canadian Wildlife Service Monograph aalge), razorbills (Alca torda), and Atlantic Series No. 1. puffins (Fratercula arctica). Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Gaston, A.J., & Jones, I.L. 1998. The Auks. New York: Oxford University Press. LeGrow, K. H. (1995). Distribution patterns of seabirds in Placentia Bay: changes after twenty Theses in the Collection of Memorial University years . Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland Relevant to Common Murres of Newfoundland. in Newfoundland and Labrador LeGrow, K. H. (1999). Distribution of marine birds Bartlett, S. E. (1985). Cytogenetic studies in three in relation to water masses and fronts in the species of larids and three species of alcids . Strait of Belle Isle, northwestern Atlantic Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Ocean. Environmental Science Programme, Newfoundland. Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Birt-Friesen, V. L. (1992). Population differentia- MacCharles, A. (1986). Oil-related and natural tion and evolution among thick-billed (Uria mortality of seabirds found on beaches in

54 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

southeastern Newfoundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Piatt, J. F. (1987). Behavioural ecology of common murre and Atlantic puffin predation on capelin: Mahoney, S. P. (1979). Breeding biology and implications for population biology . Dept. of behaviour of the common murre (Uria aalge Biology, Memorial University of Newfound- aalge (Pont.)) on Gull Island, Newfoundland . land. Dept. of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Sklepkovych, B. O. (1986). The predatory behaviour and impact of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) on McLagan, R. L. (1981). Aspects of the social the seabird colonies of Baccalieu Island, New- behaviour of juvenile common murres (uria foundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial Uni- aalge aalge (pont.)) on Gull Island, New- versity of Newfoundland. foundland. Dept. of Biology, Memorial Uni- versity of Newfoundland. Snow, D. A. (1981). Aggressive interactions between the black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tri- Muzaffar, S. B. (2000). Ectoparasites of auks dactyla) and the common Murre (Uria aalge), (alcidae) at the Gannet Islands, Labrador: on Gull Island, Newfoundland. Dept. of Biol- diversity, ecology and host-parasite interac- ogy, Memorial University of Newfoundland. tions. Faculty of Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 55 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

4.9. Harlequin Duck by Joel Heath

Latin name: Histrionicus histrionicus Local names: Lords and ladies, white-eyed diver, lady bird, sea mice, squeakers, rock duck Inuktitut: Inggiganimiut; mitik/kutsiutik Innu-aimun: Nutshipaushtukueshish

Harlequin Ducks are a small sea duck of the North- ern Hemisphere. These small, robust ducks breed on fast-flowing mountain streams and moult and winter along coastal sites in rocky intertidal zones. Their ability to forage in strong river currents and Labrador include the northern tip of Labrador, St. in raging ocean surge is unrivalled while the strik- Peter’s Bay, the Gannet Islands and in Groswater ing alternate plumage of the males has captured the Bay: Tumbledown Dick Island, Stag Island, and hearts of naturalists and scientists alike and led to Herring Island. Locations in Newfoundland several dignified local names for this species, such include Stearin Island (Gros Morne National Park), as Lords and Ladies. Grey Island, and a few individuals may moult at Cape St. Mary’s. The majority of breeding activity Populations in eastern North America have until occurs throughout Labrador and north eastern Que- recently been classified as endangered. They are bec with significant numbers also breeding on the currently listed as a species of special concern by Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wild- life in Canada (COSEWIC). Habitat loss due to Life History degradation of aquatic ecosystems and to hydro- electric developments threatens breeders, while Harlequin Ducks form pair bonds during the winter oiling, illegal hunting and disturbance jeopardize months at coastal sites. Migration to breeding riv- wintering populations. ers begins in April. Unpaired and immature birds usually continue on to molting grounds while pairs Distribution move up-river, where the female will select a nest site. Timing of laying depends on spring melt con- Harlequin Ducks may be found breeding and win- ditions, but usually occurs between mid-May and tering from Iceland and southern Greenland to early July. Males depart the breeding grounds with eastern North America (from the south eastern the onset of incubation by the female, and migrate states to northern Labrador and Quebec), Southern to molting sites. Hatching occurs between late June North America (from the South western states to and July. A maximum of one brood is produced per Alaska and the Aleutian Islands) and north eastern year, consisting on average of five or six chicks. Asia. Winter distributions are restricted to marine The proportion of the population that successfully coastal regions, while breeding birds occupy both breeds each year may be highly variable. Young inland and coastal rivers. leave the nest within 1-2 days of hatching and are led by the female to foraging areas. The female In eastern North America, the majority of the win- remains with the brood throughout August after tering population is found off the coast of Maine, which she either abandons the ducklings or leads with significant populations occurring in New them downstream before beginning to molt. Birds Brunswick and Nova Scotia and at Cape St. then reunite at wintering sites between October and Mary’s, Newfoundland. Moulting locations in November.

56 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

Feeding Ecology benthic invertebrates are usually found in used areas. Narrow rivers of low acidity may also be In winter, Harlequin Ducks forage by diving in important. Ongoing analysis of long term survey rocky intertidal regions, capturing a variety of data in northern Labrador indicates that predation small invertebrate species including amphipods by raptors may be a significant factor that deter- and snails. Foraging usually occurs extremely mines distribution and local population dynamics close to shore, a niche which may serve to avoid of Harlequin Ducks in this region. competition with a variety of other sea duck species that often co-habit wintering areas. Fish roe may also be an important food source when available. In summer, on inland rivers Harlequin Ducks feed in fast flowing, turbulent river stretches with high densities of aquatic invertebrates. Black fly larvae are a primary food source, but a variety of benthic and emerging insects are likely important.

Habitat Requirements

Harlequin Ducks show high return rates to specific wintering, molting and breeding sites between years. Winter and molting sites share similar characteristics. Coastal rocky shorelines and headlands are preferred and often foraging occurs in shallow Suggested Reading water (<10 m deep) over the kelp communities of rocky outcrops and sunkers. Birds are often seen Robertson, G. J. and R. I. Goudie. 1999. Harlequin hauling out of the water onto boulders or areas of Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus).The Birds of rocky shoreline. Ongoing research in Newfound- North America, No. 466 (A. Poole and F. Gill, land suggests that the availability of haul out sites Eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Phila- may be a critical component of winter habitat. delphia, PA. Topographic features of a bay that provide a variety of foraging and haul out sites, which allow pro- Theses in the Collection of Memorial University tection from the most prevalent wind and sea state of Newfoundland Relevant to Harlequin Ducks conditions, may be particularly important. in Newfoundland and Labrador

Fast flowing sections of coastal and inland rivers Goudie, R. I. 1984. Comparative ecology of Com- are important areas for breeding Harlequin Ducks. mon Eiders, Black Scoters, Oldsquaws, and Recent and ongoing research in Labrador indicates Harlequin Ducks wintering in southeastern that stream sections used by Harlequin Ducks are Newfoundland. The University of Western of higher gradient and velocity, have larger sub- Ontario. strates and greater numbers of instream boulders and islands than unused areas. Instream islands Adams, P.A. 1999. Time-activity budgets of Harle- may provide important nesting areas, and both quin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) moult- islands and exposed boulders may be important to ing at the Gannet Islands, Labrador. Bachelor’s resting birds. Riparian zones include greater pro- thesis, Memorial University of Newfound- portions of alders and overhanging vegetation land, St. John’s which may provide important cover for the young during early brood rearing. Higher abundances of

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 57 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information

4.10. Razorbill by Mark Hipfner

Latin name: Alca torda Local name: Tinker Inuktitut: Saviatsojak

The Razorbill is a stocky, robust seabird widely distributed through boreal and low-Arctic Atlantic waters. Closely related to the murres, but far less numerous, Razorbills share with these two species a suite of ecological and demographic traits, but they differ markedly in others, especially their nesting habits. The Razorbill is also the closest living relative of the Great Auk (the original “pen- guin”), and like it’s much larger, flightless cousin, was historically persecuted very heavily by humans for eggs, meat, and feathers. Greatly reduced in numbers by early in the 20th century, even locally extirpated, Razorbills were spared the Labrador, where about 12,000 pairs breed. In New- fate of the Great Auk, which had been driven to foundland, largest numbers breed on islands of the extinction by the middle of the 19th century. Over Witless Bay Seabird Sanctuary, at Funk Island, and the last 20-25 years, Razorbill populations have at Cape St. Mary’s. There is little recent informa- increased quite dramatically within their limited tion on population sizes and trends at important North American range. While this is an encourag- colonies in Newfoundland, although populations ing sign, the long-term welfare of the species is far appear to have increased in recent years at those from secure because of grave, anthropogenic where such information is available (Gull Island, threats to northwest Atlantic ecosystems. Cape St. Mary’s). In winter, Razorbills mainly move south of their breeding range into ice-free, Distribution coastal waters. In North America, largest numbers are found in shoal areas of the Gulf of Maine and The bulk of the world Razorbill population breeds outer Bay of Fundy, although they are occasionally in Iceland. From there, colonies stretch to the east recorded as far south as South Carolina and Flor- through Jan Mayen, the Faeroe Islands, the British ida. Relatively few Razorbills remain in New- Isles, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Swe- foundland waters in winter, but they become more den, and Finland, and as far as extreme northwest- common in the spring (April and May) as they ern Russia. In the northwest Atlantic, Razorbills return to breed. breed in small to medium-sized colonies scattered through w. Greenland, Hudson Strait, Labrador, Breeding Biology Newfoundland, the islands of St.-Pierre and Miquelon, the estuary and Gulf of the St. Lawrence Razorbills employ a life-history strategy that is River, and south through Nova Scotia and New typical of marine birds. Young Razorbills first visit Brunswick to Maine. The centre of the northwest breeding colonies when 2 or 3 years of age, and Atlantic breeding distribution is in southern Labra- first breed when 4 or 5 years old. They use a wide dor and the lower North Shore of the Gulf of the St. variety of habitats for nesting, including crevices Lawrence. The North American population is esti- between boulders, fissures and cracks in rock mated at about 40,000 breeding pairs, or about 7% faces, and even burrows dug out of soft soil by of the total world population. The largest colony in Atlantic Puffins. Most use enclosed nest sites, North America is located at the Gannet Islands, which offer protection from avian predators includ-

58 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information ing Great Black-backed Gulls, Herring Gulls, and Ravens. However, a few nest on narrow, open- topped cliff ledges, sometimes among murres. Unlike murres, most Razorbills build nests of small stones and other matter, and they never breed in physical contact with their neighbours. They typically breed in loose aggregations that number from a few pairs to a few thousand pairs. Only in Iceland do they breed in immense colonies that rival murre colonies in size.

The timing of egg-laying is influenced by oceano- graphic conditions, beginning 4-6 weeks earlier at southerly colonies in boreal waters (mid-May in ment their diets with a variety of crustaceans, as the Gulf of Maine) than at northerly colonies in well as polychaete worms. While most dives low-Arctic waters (mid-to-late June in Labrador). undertaken in pursuit of prey are less than 20 Razorbills lay a single egg that is about 30% metres deep, Razorbills are capable of descending heavier than predicted for the size of the adult bird. to 100 metres or more. They forage mainly where Both parents share equally in incubating the egg, prey is likely to be predictable and concentrated, which hatches in about 35 days. Both parents also often at fronts and upwellings, and usually in rela- share equally in delivering to nestlings about 3 or 4 tively shallow waters within 20 or 30 km of breed- meals a day, each consisting of 1-8 fish, which are ing colonies. In winter, they forage mainly in carried back to the nest site held crosswise in the shallow-water shoal areas, often over a sandy sea- bill. The chick leaves the nest site after about 20 bed. days, accompanied by its male parent and weigh- ing only about 30% of adult mass, to complete its development at sea. This unusual chick-rearing Habitat Requirements strategy is employed only by Razorbills and murres. Normally, about 75% of Razorbill pairs Razorbills breed mainly on rocky islands situated successfully raise a chick to nest departure; older, in coastal and continental-shelf waters, although more experienced pairs are much more likely to they are more likely than the other large alcids to succeed than are younger, less experienced pairs. breed in brackish waters such as the St. Lawrence Of those young birds that survive to nest departure, estuary. Most breeding colonies are free of mam- about 30 or 40% will then survive to join the breed- malian predators, but arctic and red foxes and even ing population 4 or 5 years later. The vast majority polar bears occasionally reach colonies and cause of these young birds return to breed at the colony considerable damage. In migration, Razorbills where they themselves were raised, and once they mainly use coastal and continental-shelf waters, begin breeding, they generally return year after and they depend on predictable aggregations of year to breed at the same site and with the same prey in important wintering areas. Human activi- partner. ties pose serious threats to Razorbills and their habitats. Large, but unknown numbers are drowned when they become entangled in fishing gear, and Feeding Ecology some are killed incidentally during the annual turr hunt around Newfoundland. However, the most Like all members of the family Alcidae, Razorbills serious threat comes from oil pollution; Razorbills are wing-propelled divers that catch their prey, are considered to be among the most vulnerable of mainly schooling fish, by underwater pursuit. In all seabirds to oil pollution. North American North American waters, important prey species Razorbill populations appear extremely vulnerable, include sandlance, herring, and capelin, varying because they congregate in large numbers in criti- with location and season. Adult Razorbills supple- cal habitats situated on major shipping lanes (such

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 59 Chapter 4: IBA Species Information as the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Gulf of Maine). Theses in the Collection of Memorial University Razorbills are also extremely sensitive to human of Newfoundland Relevant to Razorbills in disturbance. As a result, there is concern about the Newfoundland and Labrador integrity of many Razorbill breeding colonies as activities such as recreational use, aquaculture, and Hearne, E. P. (1999). Effect of tour boat activity timber harvesting increase. within an ecological reserve on the behaviour of three Atlantic alcids: common murres (Uria Suggested reading aalge), razorbills (Alca torda), and Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica). Dept. of Biology. Hipfner, J.M., and G. Chapdelaine. 2001. Razorbill Memorial University of Newfoundland Alca torda. In: A. Poole, and F. Gill (Eds.)The Birds of North America. The Birds of North Hipfner, J. M. (2000). Egg production in the thick- America Inc, Philadelphia billed murre (Uria lomvia) and razorbill (Alca torda): a life-history perspective. Faculty of Gaston, A.J., and I.L. Jones. 1998. The Auks. Science. Memorial University of Newfound- Oxford University Press, New York. land

Nettleship, D.N., and T.R. Birkhead (eds.) 1985. Rowe, S. (1998). Variation in breeding-site charac- The Atlantic Alcidae. Academic Press, Lon- teristics in relation to adult quality in the don. Razorbill, Alca Torda. Dept. of Biology. Memorial University of Newfoundland

60 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 5: Other Elements of Interest

5. Other Elements of Interest The observations on which this site nomination 5.1. Other Birds was based were collected on behalf of the Cana- dian Wildlife Service during one spring migration The following tables summarize some of the avail- observation period April 19 – May 24 (1996 Selno able information on the other (non-IBA) seabirds et al). The observation period ended before spring present at the IBAs near the Strait of Belle Isle. migration was over and most of the scoters observed were recorded during the last few days of St. Peter Bay observations (Mactavish 1999). Northern Groais Island Table 5-1: Other seabirds in St. Peter Bay (St. Peter Islands) Table 5-3: Other seabirds at Northern Groais Island, No. of adapted from Mactavish 1999 Species Season1 References3 birds2 Species Season1 No. of References3 2 Herring Gull B 250 1978 survey; birds CWS SCD Herring B 290 on main- 1973 sur- Great Black- B 200 1978 survey; Gull land; 259 on vey; CWS backed Gull CWS SCD the Sisters SCD

Leach’s B 130 1978 survey; Black- B 2,400 Lock et al. Storm-petrel active CWS SCD legged 1994 nests Kittiwake

1. B - Breeding, W - Wintering, SM - Spring 1. B - Breeding, W - Wintering, SM - Spring Migration, FM - Fall Migration, O - Other Migration, FM - Fall Migration, O - Other 2. Indicates the average number of individuals 2. Indicates the average number of individuals using the site during the listed season using the site during the listed season 3. CWS SCD = Canadian Wildlife Service 3. CWS SCD = Canadian Wildlife Service Seabird Colony Database Seabird Colony Database

Point Amour Bell Island (Grey Islands): Shepherd Island

Table 5-2: Other seabirds at Point Amour, adapted Table 5-4: Other seabirds at Bell Island (Grey from Mactavish 1999 Islands), Shepherd Island Species 1 No. of 3 Species 1 No. of References Season References Season 2 birds2 birds Great Black- B37 1973 survey; Scoters SM 398 Selno et al. 1996 backed Gull pairs CWS SCD Common SM 195 Selno et al. 1996 Loon Great Black- B40 1996; survey; backed Gull nests CWS SCD 1. B - Breeding, W - Wintering, SM - Spring Herring Gull B 25 1996; survey; Migration, FM - Fall Migration, O - Other nests CWS SCD 2. Indicates the average number of individuals using the site during the listed season

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 61 Chapter 5: Other Elements of Interest

Table 5-4: Other seabirds at Bell Island (Grey Table 5-5: Other seabirds at Bell Island (Grey Islands), Shepherd Island Islands), Isle aux Canes

Species Season1 No. of References3 Species Season1 No. of References3 birds2 birds2

Canada B 1 nest 1996 survey; Herring Gull B 10 1984 survey; Goose CWS SCD pairs CWS SCD

1. B - Breeding, W - Wintering, SM - Spring Herring Gull B 400 1986 survey; Migration, FM - Fall Migration, O - Other pairs CWS SCD 2. Indicates the average number of individuals using the site during the listed season Herring Gull B 90 1996; CWS 3. CWS SCD = Canadian Wildlife Service nests SCD Seabird Colony Database Leach’s B300 1986 survey; Storm- pairs CWS SCD Bell Island (Grey Islands): Isle aux Canes petrels

Red breasted B 12 1993 survey; Table 5-5: Other seabirds at Bell Island (Grey Merganser nests CWS SCD Islands), Isle aux Canes Red breasted B 1 1996; CWS Species Season1 No. of References3 Merganser SCD 2 birds Canada B 1 nest 1996; CWS Great Black- B 5 1973 survey; Goose SCD backed Gull CWS SCD Ring-billed B 1 nest 1996; CWS Great Black- B 200 1986 survey; Gull SCD backed Gull pairs CWS SCD 1. B - Breeding, W - Wintering, SM - Spring Great Black- B38 1996 survey; Migration, FM - Fall Migration, O - Other backed Gull nests CWS SCD 2. Indicates the average number of individuals using the site during the listed season Herring Gull B 25 1973 survey; 3. CWS SCD = Canadian Wildlife Service CWS SCD Seabird Colony Database

Table 5-6: Estimated population (pairs) of Razorbills breeding at specific islands in the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula areas1

Estimated Site Location Method3 Year Pairs2

Groais Island 50°59’N 55°38’W + e 1943 The Sisters Rock 50°59’N 55°32’W 25 b 1943

1. Data in this table are reported from Status and population trends of the Razorbill in eastern North America, by Gilles Chapdelaine, Anthony W. Diamond, Richard D. Elliot and Gregory J. Robertson, Occasional paper Number 105, Canadian Wildlife Service, 2001 2. + = birds present in low number but no estimate 3. b = counts of birds corrected by a k-factor; e = unknown

62 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 5: Other Elements of Interest

5.2. Terrestrial Plants twice the rate of those at comparable sites without birds. In addition to more kelp, there were an order Many wildflowers which grow in the Labrador of magnitude more primary grazers like amphipods Straits area are northern or alpine variants. and snails than at comparable sites without birds. In association with the increased kelp and grazing The province's unique combination of geographic life were juvenile and adult fish feeding on the position, climate and geology provide an opportu- amphipods and snails and increased densities of nity for typically sub-arctic species to overlap with sea urchins. Run-off from the large seabird colo- typically southern Appalachian species. About 440 nies that Hooper visited creates oases of underwa- of the province's plant species are considered by ter life around the colony. expert botanists to be rare. Marine birds cycle and redistribute nutrients. In 1999 the provincial Department of Forest Their influence on marine nutrient and energy Resources and Agrifoods launched The Newfound- cycles is poorly understood. However, conserving land Rare Plant Project, a three year project to sites where birds aggregate may effect other inventory rare plants. The project began on the marine life indirectly and benefit fish populations west coast of the island where 90 per cent of New- and fisheries by contributing to fish survival and foundland's rare vascular plant species are found. recruitment. The Northern Peninsula has been an area of special focus, where limestone barrens are considered crit- 5.4. Geology ical to the survival of over 100 rare species. The biological importance of the area is defined in 5.3. Bird Aggregations and Local Nutrient part by its geology. The Geological Highway Map Cycles of Newfoundland and Labrador illustrates this:

Islands where marine birds nest in large numbers 85. Reef fossils, L'Anse-Amour concentrate the birds’ bodily wastes. Guano is rich The Point Amour lighthouse offers a scenic view in nutrients. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the from fossil-bearing cliffs. You can also see the breeding seasons for marine birds overlap with rain remains of the British light cruiser, HMS Raleigh, and fog which washes the guano into the sea. wrecked on this point in 1922 with the loss of Large bird colonies are perennial suppliers of nutri- eleven lives. ents to the local marine environment. Take the turnoff to L'Anse-Amour between Forteau and L'Anse-au-Loup, drive about 4 km, and park Bob Hooper of Memorial University has dove near the lighthouse. Walk down and along the beneath the waters around several large seabird shore to see fossils in the rocks on the beach and in colonies in Newfoundland. In the mid 1980s he the cliffs behind it. compared the abundance of underwater life around the perimeters of a large seabird colony with com- Rock types include pink and red sandstone, red to parable zones without nesting birds. He asked purple mudstone, and medium- to thin-bedded grey whether the nitrogen and phosphorus from seabird and orange-weathering limestone. The purple guano was fertilizing the near shore underwater mudstone contains rings and irregular blobs or environment. fragments of white calcite. These are the remains of now-extinct, primitive organisms called archeo- What Hooper found under the water next to seabird cyathids, which once formed reefs similar to mod- colonies was a jungle (Hooper pers. comm.). Bio- ern coral reefs. logical activity by kelp in this zone was elevated, taking up all the nutrients washing off the island so Near the lighthouse, in the orange-weathering that only a short distance away from the island high limestone, there is a large mound that formed as a levels of nutrients were no longer apparent. Sea- reef in the Cambrian sea. Within the reef are layers weeds around the breeding island were growing at and irregular masses of archeocyathids, which

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 63 Chapter 5: Other Elements of Interest include pieces shaped like sticks, cups and plates. ing in submarine “meadows" and they surrounded There are also other fossils and thin layers of sedi- the archeocyathid reefs in the shallow sea. The ment. The bedded grey limestone below and fine-grained, grey limestone consists of millions of around the reef consists mostly of crinoid frag- broken pieces from the stems and heads of dead ments. Crinoids are extinct; they looked like sea crinoids. urchins but were anchored to the sea floor by long (http://www.geosurv.gov.nf.ca/gacmap/ stems. Masses of crinoids resembled flowers grow- W_3.html#85)

64 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 6: Land Ownership and Use

6. Land Ownership and Use The only site in this grouping that is on the mainland and adjacent to a community is Point Amour. The Strait of Belle Isle is a shipping corridor A land use map for Point Amour is shown in Fig- between the Northwest Atlantic and the Gulf of St. ure 6-2. Lawrence. Large container ships on the Great Cir- cle Route from Europe to ports west of the Strait of Belle Isle use this passage much of the year. Traf- fic is heaviest in summer. In winter ice conditions displace the shipping route further south, to the southeast corner of Newfoundland.

In addition to large container traffic there is a seasonal daily ferry service from Saint Barbe to Blanc Sablon.

Plans to increase logging activity in Labrador and to develop a mine at Voisey’s Bay could also increase shipping along the coast of Labrador and Figure 6-1: Map reproduced from The Gazetteer of through the Strait of Belle Isle. Marine Birds in Atlantic Canada (Lock et al., 1994) showing shipping routes of the Northwest Atlantic

Figure 6-2: Land Use Atlas information for Point Amour from Crown Lands Division, Government of New- foundland and Labrador

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 65 Chapter 6: Land Ownership and Use

66 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns

7. Conservation Concerns vival may be compromised. Males sport competi- tively gorgeous breeding plumages and their 7.1. Vulnerability of Moulting Seaducks breeding performance can be undermined by an inferior feather building investment. Birds are defined by their ability to fly. One reason the Great Auk was so vulnerable to over-harvesting Moulting seaducks are “sitting ducks”. Because and ultimately to extinction was precisely because they can not fly they are extremely vulnerable to Great Auks were flightless birds. Flightless birds illegal hunting, oil pollution and to the loss of pre- are vulnerable birds. The only flightless birds cious energy that responding to disturbance con- remaining in our waters are only temporarily inca- sumes. Moulting sites must provide seaducks with pable of flight. These include the thousands of protection from predation and thermal stress. moulting sea ducks that depend on places like St. Open waters adjacent to offshore islands are ideal Peter’s Bay and the Grey Islands to renew their for this purpose. These habitats are not found feathers in peace. everywhere and so the chosen moulting sites may host thousands of birds at once. Not only are the While duck plumage is beautiful, warm and func- individuals vulnerable, but by aggregating, signifi- tional, feathers do wear out. Most ducks wear two cant portions of the population may be vulnerable plumages in the course of a year and twice a year together. they shed all their feathers and grow in new ones. Plumage renewal is called moulting. Depending It is critical for seaduck conservation that moulting on the size of the moulting bird it cannot fly for a seaducks be protected from hunting, oil pollution period of two to four weeks. and disturbance. Hunting season dates for seaducks are set to eliminate the possibility of Moulting consumes energy. Extra energy is needed hunting moulting ducks but noncompliance with to build the new feathers, but also to compensate hunting regulations can be a problem. Even if only for the loss of optimum insulation while feathers a few ducks in a moulting patch are shot, the cost is are in flux. To reduce insulation demands the birds far greater because of the energetic cost of having may not dive through the cold water to feed as disturbed thousands of other birds at a time when much while moulting. Eating less only compli- they can least afford it. cates the energetic balancing act that moulting represents. The Migratory Bird Act makes it illegal to harass any migratory bird. Deliberately disturbing moult- The moulting period follows breeding. Male ing birds is already against the law. Most people seaducks are the first to leave the breeding area to however, do not intend to harass birds. Distur- begin their moult. The females moult later, waiting bance usually happens by accident, through igno- until after their ducklings are independent. The rance of the consequences for the birds. With whole process is usually over for everyone by Sep- increasing recreational marine traffic from far- tember or October. flung areas to the waters off Newfoundland and Labrador and/or by residents with inadequate Seaducks select special sites for moulting and knowledge of, or respect for marine bird ecology, return to them year after year. It is thought that the potential for both intentional and unintentional birds first learn where to go by following adults. disturbance increases. Continuity is therefore potentially crucial in main- taining knowledge of where suitable sites for One way to protect moulting areas associated with moulting are located. These sites are specially IBA sites is through time area closures, much like selected for their ability to help birds conserve their those used in fishery management. Time area clo- energy during a demanding physiological period. sures would place areas off limits to marine traffic If seaducks are not able to put the proper reserves of all kinds during the moulting period. In this way into the building of new plumage their later sur- noncompliance is also more easily detected and deterred.

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 67 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns

7.2. Vulnerability of Breeding Birds and seabird breeding colonies are an important site for social interactions in the birds year. Disturbing Seaducks these social behaviors can affect pair formation, parental attendance and have a variety of indirect Common Eiders are the only seaducks nesting at effects on breeding success that may not be imme- any of the IBA sites covered here. When Eider diately obvious or easily measured (Hearne 1999). hens are nesting they also fast. Leaving the nest only rarely for a drink of fresh water, eider hens sit 7.3. Harvesting and hope they have enough energy stored to get through the nesting period after which they will Management Regime feed again. If a hen is disturbed off the nest she consumes energy that she can ill afford at that time. The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) of Environ- The hen’s strategy is not to consume unnecessary ment Canada has responsibility for the manage- energy. Disturbing nesting eiders can therefore ment of migratory birds. Harvesting mortality of have significant effects on the ability of the hen to marine birds is regulated with reference to the sustain her nesting effort. Migratory Bird Act.

Eiders also often nest in association with gulls that The CWS equivalent of the Canadian Department prey on their eggs and ducklings. Predation oppor- of Fisheries and Oceans’ (DFO’s) Stock Status tunities are enhanced if the hen leaves the nest. Reports is the CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Much of the predation of eggs by gulls observed by Report published in the fall. This annual Report people is likely a direct result of the observer’s contains population and other biological informa- presence having created an ideal predation oppor- tion which is used as the scientific basis for man- tunity for the gull. Not only can disturbing eiders agement decisions. This report is followed in off their nests waste their precious energy reserves, December by another annual report, “Proposals to but vulnerability of the nest contents to predation is Amend the Canadian Migratory Birds Regula- also increased. tions” and both Reports are publicly distributed to provide opportunity for public input into changes Cliff Nesting Seabirds in hunting regulations. In the July that follows publication of these two earlier reports, a third Many marine birds congregate to breed in large report called “Migratory Game Bird Hunting Reg- numbers on coastal islands or cliff faces. Colonial ulations in Canada” is issued. Hunting regulations nesters are vulnerable as a consequence of their for the upcoming season are contained in the social breeding habits. Many bodies in one place annual July report (CWS 2001a). at a given time means an increased vulnerability to localized events such as oil spills. On the island of Newfoundland the open season for hunting sea ducks (Oldsquaw, or Long-tailed Cliff nesting birds are also vulnerable to distur- Duck, eiders and scoters) in all coastal zones is bance. When birds are flushed from their nests from the fourth Saturday of November to the last they may knock eggs into the water or predators day of February with a daily bag limit of six birds. like gulls and ravens may swoop in and take advan- After the first Monday in February not more than tage of the unguarded nest to consume the exposed three of the six birds may be eiders It is not legal to contents. have more than 12 seaducks in possession at one time and after the first Monday in February not In addition it must be remembered that true sea- more than six may be eiders. It is illegal to hunt birds only come to land during the breeding season Harlequin Ducks at any time.

68 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns

Eiders and turrs (Common and Thick-billed Murres) are the most commonly hunted marine birds. These birds have life history strategies that make them vulnerable to relatively small increases in the amount of adults dying each year. The population depends on adults living a long time in order to reproduce themselves, as the birds do not mate until they’re several years old and then either have very few young each year or successfully rear very few young each year. Low productivity and inher- ent variability in annual reproductive success is countered by the fact that birds that survive to adulthood, live long lives. If the population loses Figure 7-1: Map showing Migratory Bird hunting too many of it’s older experienced breeders, the zones adapted from Migratory Birds Hunting Regu- reproductive potential of the remaining breeders is lations, 2001 (http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/pub/ less than their numbers would indicate as older summ/nfld.pdf) birds are more successful in raising chicks.

In Labrador, the open season schedule varies by These life history traits of marine birds make adult area (see Figure 7-2.). mortality rates the most important influence on population health, much more so than the survival Migratory game bird harvest levels are estimated of eggs or chicks. Waterfowl management is shift- through national harvest surveys and only in cer- ing towards a new realization that seaducks can not tain cases, species-specific surveys (CWS 2001b). tolerate the same levels of harvesting as other Adult birds are worth more in terms of reproduc- waterfowl and several seaduck populations are in tive potential and proven ability to survive than decline, possibly due to managed over-harvesting young birds so it is of interest to know what age (Goudie et al. 1994, Gilchrist et al 2001). class of birds are harvested by hunting.

Figure 7-2: Table showing Migratory Bird hunting seasons and bag limits, adapted from Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations, 2001 (http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/pub/summ/nfld.pdf)

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 69 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns

The Turr Hunt United States of America in 1916. The purpose in concluding the Convention was to prohibit in the The following is reproduced verbatim from the two countries the indiscriminate taking of birds, Migratory Game Bird Hunting Regulations in Can- their nests and eggs. Particular problems that were ada (Canadian Wildlife Service Waterfowl Com- curbed by this agreement were large scale committee, 2001a): mercial and sport hunts, as well as the taking of birds for the millinery trade. The Migratory Birds Convention was signed by Great Britain (on behalf of Canada) and the

Figure 7-3: Turr Hunting districts adapted from Proposal to Amend the Canadian Migratory Birds Regula- tions: CWS December 2001

The Convention protected most bird species, con- birds have been taken for subsistence purposes for trolled the harvest of others, and prohibited the hundreds of years. However, because murres are commercial sale of all species. The Convention considered non-game species under the Migratory created three categories of migratory birds: game Birds Convention, the murre hunt became incon- birds (such as ducks, geese, cranes), insectivorous sistent with the Convention when Newfoundland birds (perching birds such as robins, sparrows, joined Confederation in 1949. Beginning in 1993, wrens, and woodpeckers), and non-game birds murre hunt seasons and bag limits were estab- (such as loons and seabirds, including murres). lished for conservation purposes through a special The Convention also established a closed season, Administrative Order under the Migratory Bird with limited exceptions, on the hunting of migra- Convention Act. tory game birds from March 10 to September 1 throughout Canada and the United States. In order to address the gap in the Convention with respect to the murre hunt, as well as to resolve The hunting of murres is a long established tradi- other issues, Canada negotiated amendments to tion in Newfoundland and Labrador, where the the Migratory Birds Convention, known as the

70 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns

Parksville Protocol, in 1995. Under the terms of Hunting Behavior the Protocol, the harvest of murres by residents of Newfoundland and Labrador is authorized and will Hunting itself, while fatal to individual birds, if be controlled at sustainable levels in much the done respectfully on the proper scale is not a threat same manner as waterfowl harvesting is currently to bird populations. On the contrary, subsistence regulated. However, there are some differences. hunting has the potential to create and maintain an ecological perspective and provide people with Under the new regulations, which came into effect rewarding relationships with the rest of nature. for the 2000-2001 hunting season, murres may be Excessive or incompetent harvesting however can hunted from a boat under power. At the current pose a serious threat to bird populations and is time, there is no plan to require the use of non- often the cause of population declines. toxic shot for murre hunting. If there are demonstrated valid concerns about public health or the Embedded shot studies and band recoveries of effects of secondary ingestion, the mandatory non- American Common Eiders in Newfoundland and toxic shot requirement would be considered in Labrador support the contention that these popula- future. tions are heavily hunted. Fifty-four percent and 39% of breeding females examined at colonies in Finally, CWS reviewed the need to require all Labrador and Newfoundland, respectively, had murre hunters to purchase a Migratory Game Bird embedded shot (P. Hicklin and W.A. Barrow 1997, Hunting Permit. Without the Permit there is no unpub.) direct way of knowing how many people hunt (Excerpt from CWS 2001b) murres or how many birds are taken, elements that are important to any game management program 7.4. Fishery Interactions to provide assurance against over-harvest and to ensure the continuation of the hunt into the future. Incidental Catch of Seabirds by Fisheries Recognizing the importance of harvest data gathered from permit holders, CWS introduced a Few fisheries catch only what they want. Many requirement for murre hunters to purchase a non-targeted species are captured accidentally. Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit beginning in While seabirds are common victims of bycatch in either the 2001 hunting season. The total cost of some fisheries (e.g. Piatt and Nettleship 1987), the Permit is $17.00, which includes the mandatory there has been almost no study in Newfoundland Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp and Labrador of the extent and preventability of ($8.50). As this is the same Permit that is presently this source of marine bird mortality. required to hunt ducks, geese and snipe, a large percentage of murre hunters would not be affected. An estimated 30,000 seabirds were drowned in Wildlife Habitat Canada has agreed that addi- inshore gillnets on the southeast coast of insular tional funds derived from the sale of the Stamp to Newfoundland over a four year period in the early murre hunters will be earmarked for management 1980s. 89% were Common Murres, 6% Atlantic and applied research activities related to murre Puffins and 3% Greater Shearwaters (Piatt et al. conservation. 1984, Piatt and Nettleship 1987). 97% of the birds were caught in either cod or salmon gillnets with If you have any comments, please contact the very few in cod traps or flounder gillnets. Most of Canadian Wildlife Service, 6 Bruce St., Mount the diving auks (murres and puffins) were caught Pearl, NF A1N 4T3 (709-772-5585 or 709-535- within 40km of seabird breeding colonies. 0601; E-mail: [email protected]). Anecdotal information suggests that Common Eiders are caught in the inshore Lumpfish fishery and Razorbills have been killed in the inshore salmon fishery off the coast of Labrador near the Gannet Islands (Chardine 1998). During the 1980s,

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 71 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns the annual mortality due to fishery bycatch alone not eaten by the seals we kill will be caught by the was estimated by Piatt and Nettleship (1987) as fishery. 9.3% for Funk Island Northern Gannets, 12.4% for Newfoundland Razorbills, 5.7% for Witless Bay This model assumes that there are no other fates for Common Murres, and 16.3% for Cape St. Mary’s those fish saved from seal predation than to be Common Murres. For seabird populations which caught by people and that there are no relevant count on very low levels of adult mortality these indirect effects from reducing seal predation on the levels are extremely high and if maintained would rest of the food web. In a complex food web such lead in some cases to population declines. as that of the Northwest Atlantic, there is no way to reliably predict the outcome on cod numbers of Since the collapse of Northern Cod and various reducing the number of seals and the opposite of levels of moratoria on cod and salmon fishing, the desired effect is quite possible (Yodzis, 2001). much of the traditional gillnet fishing around seabird breeding colonies has been on hold. Before The false logic and purely competitive perspective the 1992 cod moratorium, DFO and CWS began to behind proposals to cull seals to save fish could be launch a co-operative program with fishermen to extended to marine birds. If one categorizes fish reduce seabird bycatch in cod gillnets through gear eaten by predators as “fish loss” one sees that, for experimentation (Chardine 1998 and http:// example, in the North Sea, birds account for www.grida.no/caff/tr1_itr1.htm#canada). While greater “losses” than mammals. Other fish, how- the moratorium on cod fishing put this program on ever, account for far more “fish loss” than either hold, the lull in seabird bycatch near breeding colo- birds or mammals (Yodzis, 2001). The level of pre- nies is an excellent time to develop communica- dation exerted by other fish should signal the tions between the relevant parties. naiveté of proposals to save fish by culling seals. There are no such proposals to cull fish to save The incidental death of seabirds in fishing gear is a fish. This linear misinterpretation of marine trophic world wide problem. While this issue has not been dynamics has captured the publics’ imagination talked about either very much or very openly in and given the right circumstances, the argument this province, it has been a high profile issue else- could be extended to seabirds. In some places it where. Much can be learned from the experience already has (e.g. cormorants). of other jurisdictions. The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) convened a task- Marine conservation is mainly a question of man- force resulting in the launch in June 2000 of a aging our own behavior. We are unlikely to suc- Commonwealth Policy on Fisheries Bycatch and cessfully engineer the marine ecosystem for our recently added relevant material on seabirds to benefit by controlling population levels of other their web site (http://www.afma.gov.au). species. Fostering ecological wisdom on such politically hot topics as culling seals to save cod is Perception of Top Predators as Our Competi- an ecological literacy challenge. How we deal tors for Prey Species with this challenge has implications for seabirds and marine ecology in general. Human fisheries overlap with other top predators in our interest in marine prey. This has lead to a Indirect Effects of Fishing Through Habitat widely held public perception that fish not eaten by Destruction other predators would increase the potential catch by humans. In Newfoundland and Labrador this Some fishing practices alter physical habitat. Bot- perception has generated formal proposals and a tom trawling and scallop dredging for example, heated public lobby for a cull of harp seals. The disturb the benthic environment, flatten the struc- assumption is that reducing the population of seals tural complexity of habitat such as deep-sea corals would increase the rate of recovery of northern cod and can destroy kelp beds. The fishing methods of and mean more fish for human fisheries. The fish sixty-five footers dragging for scallops includes the use of rakes modified by rows of steel teeth and

72 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns

Figure 7-4: Map showing NAFO Fishing Area boundaries and other fishing information by species, adapted from DFO website (http://www.nfl.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm/maps/fishingareas.htm) Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 73 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns weights designed to push the teeth into the benthos. Habitat allocated for aquaculture is habitat lost by This method is summed up by one marine scientist seaducks. Mussel aquaculture and seaducks have with the phrase “If I wanted to destroy the ecology similar habitat needs and so overlap in their choice of the Grand Banks I couldn’t think of a better of preferred sites. The potential threats to seaducks way.” (Hooper pers. comm.). from aquaculture include direct mortality and competition for preferred habitat (Burnett et al. 1994). Seabirds are only the most obvious (to us) group of organisms in a complex marine food web. As top predators in the system they are an indirect measure of the health of the marine community. With- out an adequate supply of good quality habitat for juvenile fish to develop in, there are less of every- thing else that depends on eating fish and the productivity of the whole system, is undermined. In this way, seabird conservation is very directly con- nected to the conservation of benthic habitat.

Fishing methods have not been subjected to environmental assessment and there are rancorous debates among gear sectors and others over the ecological effects of one gear type or practice compared with another. These debates are entering the court system. In 2001, the Ecology Action Centre (EAC) based in Halifax, Nova Scotia began taking the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to court. They argue that the reopening of George’s Bank to Figure 7-5: Map showing Intersection of 15 km eider the use of dragging gear violates the Fisheries Act colony buffer zones with areas of low, moderate, and by dramatically altering the seabed and harming high suitability for mussel growing. (Simms, 1994) in the myriad life forms that depend on it for their sur- Burnett et al. 1994 vival and should be subjected to environmental assessment.

Aquaculture

The culture of fish and shellfish in the wild is increasing due to the active promotion of this industry by the government. Seaducks eat mussels and are perceived by mussel farmers as a threat to their investment. The Aquaculture Association of Newfoundland has been publicly antagonistic towards seaducks and efforts to rebuild decimated populations to historic levels.

There are anecdotal reports of some mussel farmers shooting indiscriminately at seaducks seen near their mussel farms. In Newfoundland, where the Figure 7-6: Composite map showing selected data on unobserved killing of seaducks by some mussel eider habitat and aquaculture in Hare Bay. (Simms, farmers is feasible, this behavior is an unquantified 1994) from Burnett et al. 1994. source of mortality on adult and other birds.

74 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns

7.5. Disturbance marine birds, particularly as the road construction towards Goose Bay proceeds on to Cartwright. Marine Vessel Traffic Tourism is ancient and there is something inher- Marine vessel traffic brings with it two problems ently attractive about the notion of peoples travel- for marine birds and IBAs. Depending on their ing to visit others, sharing their experiences of the route and operational behavior, boats can bring dis- world and collecting new perspectives from travel. turbance to moulting and/or breeding birds as well However, the recent escalating commercialization as potential oil pollution. of travel and the scale and manner in which it has developed is cause for concern. The main shipping route through the Strait of Belle Isle does not pose a disturbance threat to any of the A recent study on Gull Island, Witless Bay found IBAs identified here. Recreational boating and that among the Auks, Razorbills were especially other localized traffic around the IBAs, with the sensitive to disturbance from the passage of tour exception of Point Amour, is more likely than the boats and that other recreational vessels such as Great Circle Shipping Route to disturb the birds. kayaks caused even greater disturbance. (Hearne 1999). This study was done from an island which Tourism has been subjected to extensive tour boat activity for a number of years and it is possible that many The Northern Peninsula and Straits area attract of the birds have habituated to the tour boats. It is increasing numbers of tourists. There are several not known how applicable the results of this study internationally significant tourist attractions in this are be to colonies with less history of intense tour region. The area is just north of Gros Morne boat visitation. National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A National Historic Site at Port au Choix celebrates The IBA Program the prehistory of the province, the Maritime Archaic people and the Dorset Eskimos. L'Anse Increased awareness of the beauty or importance of aux Meadows is another UNESCO World Heritage a place sometimes has the undesired effect of Site where Parks Canada has reconstructed a increasing visitation. Increased awareness of the Viking village. vitality and importance of areas important to marine birds is one of the objectives of the IBA On the Labrador side of the Straits area there are Program. However, in the context of socioeco- more tourist attractions. The lighthouse at Point nomic conditions which favour the proliferation of Amour is a Provincial Historic site, renovated and tourism ventures in the absence of a plan to safe- partially restored to the 1850s period. It houses guard wintering, moulting and breeding seabirds exhibits portraying the maritime history of the from disturbance, in some cases, the IBA Program Labrador Straits. A paved highway leads to Red may have the potential to do more harm than good. Bay, a National Historic Site touted as Canada's first industrial complex. From Red Bay 16th Cen- The IBA Program must be aware of it’s potential to tury Basque whalers from France and Spain hunted increase the vulnerability of sites requiring mini- Right and Bowhead whales in the Strait of Belle mal disturbance by raising their public profile. The Isle and reduced their blubber into oil for sale. use of Cape St. Mary’s and the Witless Bay Eco- logical Reserves as advertising centerfolds and The Strait of Belle Isle has had an incredibly rich tourist attractions has set an example of seabird history of cosmopolitan human occupation and tourism that is not sustainable at most other sites. may well attract a great deal of visitation, increased The tourism market applies pressure to get ever seasonal and other occupation in the future. This closer to wildlife and with increasing frequency. potential needs to be anticipated by plans to mini- For sites that have no legal protective status, this mize the disturbance of nesting and moulting may create problems for the birds. The summer tourism season overlaps with the period when

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 75 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns breeding seabirds are on land to raise their young comparable regions such as British Columbia. The and are at their most vulnerable. While this makes difference is thought to lie in operator attitude and it incredibly easy for tourists to target them, the enforcement levels (Canadian Coast Guard 1998). temptation to exploit this attraction can cause birds The first phase of the Prevention of Oiled Wildlife undue disturbance and undermine their potential Project estimated that 60,000 to 100,000 seabirds breeding success. are killed each year off Newfoundland shores due to ship-source oil discharges. That estimate has 7.6. Marine Oil Pollution since been increased and is restricted to the South- east coast of Newfoundland where beached bird Seabirds and Oil surveys are done on a regular basis (F. Wiese pers comm.). There are no such surveys in place on the Seabirds and oil do not mix. Oil ruins feather struc- west and north coasts of Newfoundland or the ture and impairs their insulation value. The bird’s Labrador coast. buoyancy may be affected, and by preening the oiled feathers, the bird may ingest oil, causing fur- Oily bilge water. Motorized vessels burn fossil ther internal problems. The internal and indirect fuels and generate waste products in the course of effect of oil pollution such as suppressed immune their operation. For example, a 12,000 gross ton response are not treated by removal of the external container vessel might generate an average of fouling. Rehabilitation of oiled marine birds is 2,800 litres of oily waste a day (Kiash and largely ineffective (Briggs et al., 1997; Anderson et McCarter 1997 in Canadian Coast Guard 1998). al., 1996; Eppley & Rubega, 1996). It is not feasi- Under the Shipping Act it is legal for the vessel to ble to save oiled birds except through prevention; discharge this waste oil into the ocean only after and preventive efforts must be applied at the scale diluting it to 15 ppm or less. This concentration of at which marine birds move through the landscape. oil does not leave a visible sheen on the water surface. Therefore, if a sheen is visible on the water The migratory nature of seaducks and the migra- surface then the concentration of oil present tory and pelagic habits of some seabird species exceeds the legal 15 ppm limit. If onboard facilities limit the effectiveness of simply protecting the are unable to treat the waste it can be stored and small IBA sites delineated for their breeding and off-loaded in port for treatment on shore. Unfortu- moulting needs. Marine birds by definition do not nately, in Newfoundland ports, onshore facilities spend much time on land. Their fate is firmly tied for treating vessel waste oil are inadequate or to our success in reducing marine oil pollution on a expensive. Oily bilge water is frequently dumped large scale. The territory of some of the birds undiluted into the sea. using the IBA sites in the straits includes areas to the south subject to heavy marine vessel traffic and Oily ballast water. The other source of marine oil offshore oil activity. For example, seaducks pollution comes from the discharge of contami- moulting in this area may winter in Placentia Bay, nated ballast water. Vessels with multiple storage and auks breeding here may winter on the Grand compartments for fuel or oil cargo may manage Banks near Hibernia and other offshore oil activity. rough sea conditions by filling empty compart- By forcing us to recognize the large scale at which ments with seawater as extra ballast. This water is marine birds live, these birds have the potential to then contaminated with oil and when no longer unite communities of people from a variety of geo- needed as ballast is often discharged without treat- graphical locations to prevent marine oil pollution. ment into the sea.

Ship-source Oil Pollution Offshore Oil & Gas

There are two main sources for chronic ship source Offshore oil and gas activity in Newfoundland and oil pollution, namely oily bilge water and oily bal- Labrador is over-seen by the Canada-Newfound- last water. Both are dumped in Newfoundland land Offshore Petroleum Board (CNOPB). The waters illegally to a greater extent than in some CNOPB has a mandate to facilitate offshore oil and

76 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns gas exploration and development as well as regu- late the industry for the protection of the public interest. The CNOPB therefore may find itself, by design, in a conflict of interest over which objective should take priority. The public interest is affected by the costs and benefits associated with industry activity. The predicted costs of relevance to seabird conservation include contamination of the food web, sub-lethal and lethal effects of chronic operational marine pollution, incineration of birds attracted to offshore platform gas flares and risk of accidental spills of oil and other pollut- ants.

While the Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose Environmental Impact Assessments and Public Review Panels singled out marine birds as the ecosystem component most vulnerable to offshore oil and gas activity, a huge information gap persists regarding estimates of the numbers of marine birds that breed in the province and/or moult or winter in waters off our shores. The area of the Grand Banks Figure 7-7: Exploration licenses held on the west where offshore oil and gas activity is concentrated coast of Newfoundland, adapted from CNOPB web- overlaps with areas of seabird feeding concentra- site (http://www.cnopb.nfnet.com/) tions. In addition, much of the oil from the Grand Banks is shipped in tankers to the transshipment facility at Whiffen Head, Placentia Bay. In winter While there is no imminent development activity these shipments pass through Placentia Bay IBA expected for the west coast offshore sites the pro- sites of importance to wintering seaducks, perhaps cess by which the oil industry gains rights to an some of the same sea ducks that use the Strait of area is currently designed to minimize the influ- Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula as moulting or ence of environmental considerations until devel- breeding sites. opment applications are applied for. By that time sufficient capital has been invested in moving a The Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula project forward that the question on the table is not area is a quiet spot in the offshore oil and gas activ- “should oil and gas activity occur in this area?” but ity currently ongoing in the province. There is no rather “how should oil and gas activity occur in this local activity directly adjacent to any of the IBA area?” sites so far confirmed for this area. However there is some history of exploration activity to the south, The environmental review of development applica- off the west coast of Newfoundland (Figure 7-7). tions in Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore (i.e. Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose) has The most northerly of these exploration licenses focused on questions of project design rather than (EL 1038) takes in St. John's Bay, a Common the question of whether an area should be subjected Eider breeding area which was nominated as an to such activity in the first place. This is a conse- IBA but has not yet met the official designation cri- quence of the current design of the Rights Issuance teria. Regime by which industry acquires rights to offshore property.

The first potential at the moment for public input into what areas are subjected to oil and gas activity

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 77 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns is when parcels of land are put up and bids invited demic point regarding potential seabird mortality from industry with an interest in acquiring explora- in the cold water environment of the Northwest tion rights to the properties. The highest bidder Atlantic. Regardless of any differences in toxicity, wins. A condition of the lease is that exploration SBMs are potentially as lethal for seabirds fre- wells be drilled and a minimum amount of money quenting oil installations as OBMs (D. Burley, be spent conducting exploration for commercially pers. comm.). exploitable oil and gas deposits. This drilling activity and capital investment precedes any public 7.7. Hydro-electric Development in Harlequin environmental assessment process Duck Breeding Territory

Onshore Oil & Gas In 1972 the Churchill Falls hydroelectric complex dramatically changed the face of Labrador when it Onshore drilling is regulated by the provincial diverted several major watersheds and flooded an Department of Mines and Energy. Environmental area the size of 6,527km2. On a map of Labrador affects assessment of such activity is the responsi- the Smallwood Reservoir looks like an inland sea. bility of the Department of Environment and The environmental affects of this massive alter- Labour. The west coast of Newfoundland is the ation of the landscape are unknown. site of some hybrid oil and gas activity where offshore sites are drilled from onshore points of ori- In 1978 the Lower Churchill Development Act: An gin. Hybrid drill sites come under both federal and Act to Facilitate the Development of the Hydro- provincial regulatory jurisdiction. The boundary Electric Power Potential of the Lower Churchill between their jurisdictions lies at the low water River was signed. The Newfoundland and Quebec mark on the surface and extends straight down into governments planned to expand the initial the subsurface region. Churchill Falls project to the Lower Churchill River. In 1998 the Premiers of Quebec and New- While a Cape St. George site has filed a Develop- foundland announced that the two provincial utility ment Application with the province, overall oil and companies were negotiating an agreement to con- gas activity levels on the island's west coast are low struct the Lower Churchill project. It was to be the compared with an initial flurry of interest in the second largest hydro-electric generating station in mid to late 1990s (D. Burley pers. comm.). the world.

For those birds that spend part of their year near The bulk of the power from the proposed Lower offshore oil activity on the Grand Banks the current Churchill project would be sold throughout North Waste Treatment Guidelines (which are currently America. The development of this project has under review) allow 15% by weight of oil associ- potential to effect Harlequin Ducks nesting on ated with drill cuttings to be disposed of into the affected rivers. A power line would transport ocean. This 15% is not an instantaneous measure power to insular Newfoundland with two others but a 48 hour weighted average. So sheens of oil linking northern and southern Quebec lethal to birds can currently be created in compliance with the Waste Treatment Guidelines. The On November 10, 2000 provincial Energy Minister status quo therefore, does not prevent the legal dis- Paul Dicks confirmed that Quebec will not be a charge of operational waste containing concentra- partner in developing Churchill Falls hydropower tions of oil sufficient to kill seabirds. and that the size of the project would have to be scaled back from one costing twelve billion dol- Regarding the behavior of the newer synthetic lars, to four billion. In July, 2001 Alcoa a large based drilling fluids (SBMs) and their effect on producer of primary aluminum and fabricator of seabirds, the working assumption is that SBMs aluminum and alumina, along with the Govern- have the same physical “hole in the wet suit” effect ment of Newfoundland and Labrador, and New- as any oil based drilling fluid (OBMs). The pur- foundland and Labrador Hydro Corporation, ported low toxicity of SBMs thus becomes an aca-

78 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns undertook a joint feasibility review of developing year. We do not know what breeding adults do if the Lower Churchill Hydro Project and establish- they lose their river. Some of the Harlequins ing aluminum processing facilities in the prov- moulting at sites such as St. Peter's Bay may breed ince. The future of the project is uncertain. on rivers potentially affected by the Lower Churchill hydro-electric plans (P. Thomas pers. If the project were to proceed, some Harlequin comm.). Duck breeding habitat could be lost. Harlequin Ducks return to the same river to breed year after

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 79 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns

7.8. NATO Low Level Flight Training

Figure 7-8: Map showing the outer boundaries of the NATO low level flight training area (see text)

Since the early 1980’s the Department of National Defence (DND) has managed a low-level flight training program in Labrador on the Quebec/ Labrador Peninsula. NATO allies use this program to train pilots by flying military jets at low altitude through an area of roughly 130,000 km2 (see Fig- ure 7-8 for location of flight training area). Some areas considered sensitive to disturbance by the flights are designated as exclusion zones (see Fig- ure 7-9 for an example of a map indicating areas to be avoided by overflights on a given day.

Legend for sample Exclusion Zones depicted by Figure 7-9:

Low level flight tracks are shown in black; lighter colored tracks indicate higher altitudes and are therefore clear of any avoidance restrictions.

Red = Caribou Orange = Raptors Blue = Waterfowl Green = Human Grey = Miscellaneous Figure 7-9: Example of a Flight Track Compliance Monitoring Map from DND website (see text)

80 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 7: Conservation Concerns

The history of the military low-level flight training An initial EIS released in 1989 was found unsuit- program in Labrador has been controversial. Low able by the Panel as the basis to proceed to public level flight training overlaps both in time and space hearings and was cited with 38 information defi- with breeding waterfowl. The impacts of conduct- ciencies. Shortly thereafter, the MND established a ing such activity over what is potentially the heart Project Management Office in NDHQ with a man- of the breeding grounds for eastern Canadian popu- date to usher the project through the review pro- lations of Harlequin Ducks and scoters not to men- cess and to promote a long-term allied commitment tion many other waterfowl, is unknown. Seaducks to the facilities in Goose Bay. Although at the same breeding in the interior of the Quebec/Labrador time NATO cancelled the requirement for a NATO Peninsula migrate to coastal sites to moult and out training base, DND opted to continue with the of Labrador all together to spend the winter else- EARP with a view to ensuring that future Military where. For this reason, sites designated elsewhere Training would be conducted in an environmen- as IBA sites because of the importance of the sites tally sound manner. to these ducks when staging, moulting or wintering must realize the greater ecological context within The revised 1994 EIS was accepted by the Panel, which a particular IBA is nested and connect the allowing public hearings to proceed throughout importance of a given IBA site to the needs of the region later that year. The Panel issued its marine birds when they are elsewhere. report in February 1995 containing 58 recommen- (http://www.goosebay.org/website/ dations, all of which were either fully or partially area_avoidance/avoidance_intro_e.html) approved by Cabinet Committee and released as Government Decisions in May 1995. The most sig- The following background summary is reproduced nificant results included: from the Mitigation Orders issued by the Chief of the Air Staff National Defense Headquarters July - approval of the training activity and its controlled 2000: growth;

Environmental and Assessment Review Process - an independent environmental Institute; and (EARP) - reconfiguration of the training area The following background summary is reproduced from the Mitigation Orders issued by the Chief of Before formally establishing the Institute, Govern- the Air Staff National Defense Headquarters July ment directed that a facilitator be appointed to fur- 2000: ther consult with all parties and issue a report of findings. In addition, before approving the exten- Background sion of Foreign Military Training in Goose Bay, Government wished to review the results of the In 1986, the Minister of National Defence (MND) international negotiations for the renewal of the requested the Minister of the Environment to con- MOU which expired in 1996. Both these reports duct a public environmental assessment of both the were submitted to Cabinet, resulting in a second existing training activity and the NATO training series of Government decisions in December 1995 centre proposed for Goose Bay. The Federal Envi- which approved the new MOU and addressed the ronmental Assessment and Review Office (FEARO) specific recommendations of the facilitator regard- appointed a review panel to issue guidelines and ing the structure and operation of the Institute. conduct the review process. As the proponent, DND prepared an Environmental Impact State- The full document from which the above is ment (EIS) which described the project, assessed excerpted can be viewed at the following website: the potential environmental effects and proposed (http://www.goosebay.org/website/library/report/ appropriate mitigation measures. MOs.pdf)

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Recently the Institute for Environmental Monitor- mate in view of the existing body of knowledge ing and Research (IEMR) contracted the Société about the response of these animals to disturbance. Duvetnor Ltée to critically review 14 technical (Duvetnor 2001) documents and assess their usefulness in evaluat- (http://www.iemr.org/pdfs/Duvetnor_eng.DOC) ing the impact of low level training flights on waterfowl populations. In its conclusions their While DND and the IEMR are engaged with others report quoted the 1994 environmental impact in monitoring the effects of low-level overflights assessment as stating that “the knowledge of water- on wildlife it must be pointed out that flight track fowl in Labrador was less than adequate for water- compliance monitoring is currently done on the fowl management as well as for mitigation of any basis of verbal reports filed by pilots on their return effects of jet overflight.” Duvetnor concluded that from each flight training exercise and flight track this was still true in 2001. The review observed compliance is conducted by the proponent them- that most of the government or consultants reports selves. There is currently no independent verifica- that they reviewed did not meet the standards tion process in place for monitoring flight track required to reach the primary peer-reviewed scien- compliance data. tific literature. In discussing the difficulties of designing experimental designs for ecological 7.9. Forestry research that would measure the effects on waterfowl of low level flights this review concluded that Forestry operations have the potential to effect such designs were not possible to implement and Harlequin Duck breeding habitat both directly therefore recommended an alternative but more through the removal of nesting sites and indirectly. realistic approach. Indirect effects can result from forestry-induced changes to the hydrology of breeding rivers and In this context, we favor a very different approach increased disturbance in an area through the build- to the problem of mitigating impacts of these flights ing of roads which increase access by humans. upon the waterfowl community. Using existing Plans to pursue industrial scale forestry in Labra- knowledge about the requirements of the various dor and on the Northern Peninsula are anticipated species in terms of habitat requirements and timing to escalate over the next few years. In addition to of the breeding season, it would probably be possi- the potential for habitat alteration, increased com- ble to pinpoint sensitive areas that should always mercial forestry would likely be associated with an be excluded from overflights without developing an increase in shipping activity passing by the marine experimental program whose outcome is question- bird IBA sites covered by this document. able from the start. A precautionary approach in this context seems appropriate to us and is legiti-

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8. IBA Conservation Resources dian Audubon Society in 1948. After consulting with members, the Society assumed a broader con- This document aims to facilitate the building of servation mandate and became the Canadian partnerships for marine bird conservation activities Nature Federation (CNF) in 1971. at all levels: international, national, provincial, and local to conserve IBA sites for both the birds and The CNF is Canada’s voice for the naturalist com- the people that benefit from their continued exist- munity and works closely with its provincial, terri- ence. Following are some suggestions for sources torial and local affiliated naturalist organizations, of potential partners, funding and communication to directly reach 100,000 Canadians. The strength opportunities. For potential project ideas see of CNF’s grassroots naturalists’ network allows it Chapter 9. This information is in no way exhaus- to work effectively and knowledgeably on national tive. This document is intended as a starting point conservation issues that affect a diversity of eco- only. It is meant to evolve through amendment and systems and human populations in Canada. The review by those using it. CNF also works in partnership with other environmental organizations, government and industry, 8.1. Organizations Delivering the IBA Program wherever possible. The approach is open and cooperative while remaining firm in CNF’s goal of BirdLife International (BL) developing ecologically sound solutions to conservation problems. A pioneer in its field, BirdLife International (BL) is the first non-government organization dedicated The CNF’s approach is based on the philosophy to promoting worldwide interest in and concern for that natural ecosystems are vital to humans and a the conservation of all birds and the special contri- healthy planet. The organization’s conservation bution they make to global biodiversity. BirdLife programs strive to protect Canadian biodiversity. operates as a worldwide partnership with one, or in Rather than focus on one species or one region, the Canada’s case two, lead organizations in each CNF’s programs ensure all types of landscapes, country. These organizations provide a link to on- habitats, animals and plants are protected. Success the-ground conservation projects that involve local comes from a two-pronged strategy of protecting people with local expertise and knowledge. Since vulnerable ecosystems and promoting ecologically 1993, lead organizations from more than 40 coun- sound land, water and wildlife management poli- tries have become full BirdLife partners. cies.

Countries with a BirdLife partner or partner-desig- Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO) and Bird nate in the Americas include Argentina, Belize, Studies Canada (BSC) Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, the United States and Venezuela. Other countries with Founded in 1960 to monitor bird migration, the non-voting representative organizations include the Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO) was the first Bahamas, Cuba, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico observatory of its type in North America and is still and Uruguay. the only one with year-round staff in Canada. LPBO is committed to involving Canadians in the The Canadian Nature Federation (CNF) conservation of birds and their habitats. LPBO conducts its national and international programs The Canadian Nature Federation is a national con- through Bird Studies Canada (BSC). servation organization with a mission to be Can- ada’s voice for the protection of nature, its Since its founding, LPBO’s program has grown diversity, and the processes that sustain it. Initially and developed considerably. Its principle focus is established as the journal Canadian Nature by still bird population monitoring and research on Reginald Whittemore in 1939, it evolved into a bird migration but the Observatory now runs many membership organization and became the Cana- other programs as well, including education and province-, nation- and continent-wide surveys of

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 83 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources bird populations. Amongst these are the Canadian 8.2. Labrador Aboriginal Organizations Lakes Loon Survey, Project FeederWatch, Christ- mas Bird Counts and educational and site survey The Labrador Inuit Association (LIA) work in Latin America, Ivory Coast and Malaysia. In addition, LPBO conducts research into other The LIA is a non-profit organization formed in aspects of natural history and applied conservation 1973 and incorporated under Newfoundland law in management. The Observatory has a special inter- 1975. The LIA is affiliated with the Inuit Tapirisat est in promoting the participation of amateurs and of Canada (ITC) and represents roughly 4,000 Inuit volunteers in research, believing that many people living mainly in the five coastal Labrador commu- working together can accomplish a great deal more nities of Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik and than could a few professionals working alone. Rigolet. In 1977 the LIA filed a statement of land claims with Canada. In June, 2001 the LIA, the These philosophies made CNF and LPBO/BSC Canadian and the Newfoundland governments logical choices to become BirdLife International’s signed the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement- Canadian partners in September 1993. in-Principle (AIP).

The Natural History Society of Newfoundland The AIP provides for the Inuit to establish pro- and Labrador (NHSNL) tected areas on lands where it has jurisdiction. Within the settlement area off Inuit lands the Inuit The NHS is a province-wide organization whose and government will establish protected areas primary interest is promoting the enjoyment and (including marine protected areas) in the context of protection of all wildlife and natural history the co-management regimes established through resources in Newfoundland, Labrador and sur- the agreement. rounding waters. The NHSNL is a broadly based group with a well-established network of local con- None of the sites designated as IBAs for marine tacts around the province. Approximately one third birds covered in this document are within the LIA of members are avid birders, including ornitholo- Land Claims area. gists employed by Memorial University and by the (http://www.nunatsiavut.com) federal and provincial governments. The Society sponsors a monthly lecture series, an outdoor pro- The Innu Nation gram, publishes a quarterly journal (The Osprey), recognizes individual contribution to the well- The Innu of Labrador live in the communities of being of the natural resources of the province Sheshatshiu and Utshimassit (Davis Inlet). They through the Tuck-Walters award and the Wild are represented politically by the Innu Nation, Things Scholarship, and makes representations to which first filed land claims with the Canadian municipal, provincial, and federal governments Government in 1977. In 1990 the provincial and concerning projects and events that affect our natu- federal governments accepted the Innu Statement ral environment as they arise. The Society was a of Claim and in 1999 the three parties reached an lead intervener in the Terra Nova and White Rose agreement in principle on the next steps in the pro- offshore oil development environmental assess- cess. ments, mainly due to their concern for the risks to seabirds. The Society continues to be a strong pro- None of the sites designated as IBAs for marine ponent of conservation and protection. birds covered in this document are within the Innu Nation’s proposed land selection area.

The Innu Nation employs an environmental advi- sor and maintains a special involvement in following the development of low-level flight training by NATO allies in Labrador, the development of the

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Lower Churchill, National Parks, highways and forestry and Voiseys Bay. Each region in Canada manages their own sensi- (http://www.innu.ca/the_innu.html) tivity mapping program. These regional programs follow national standards developed through the Labrador Métis Nation national program in order to be consistent across the country. Residents of Labrador descended from both Euro- peans and Inuit and living from Lake Melville The Atlantic Region program is primarily a com- south to the Strait of Belle Isle are known as Métis. puter based system offering a variety of coastal In 1982 the Canadian Constitution Act included information useful to environmental responders Inuit, Indians (First Nations) and Métis as aborigi- developing their clean-up and protection plans. A nal peoples. The Labrador Métis Association was software interface has been developed to make the formed in 1985 to represent roughly 5000 members system more interactive with the user. In addition and in 1998 took the name Labrador Métis Nation. to digital data, paper atlases are also being pre- In 1991 the Labrador Métis Nation submitted a pared. land claim to the Government of Canada. In 1998 the Department of Justice recommended that the In order to facilitate the distribution of the Atlantic Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Devel- Region Sensitivity Mapping Program (ARSMP), opment (DIAND) reject the Métis claim. On Feb- Environment Canada Atlantic Region has become ruary 24, 2001, an Ontario Court of Appeal a licensed distributor of digital base maps. The recognized the Métis as a distinct people with con- ARSMP uses the Natural Resources Canada digital stitutional rights comparable to other aboriginal series of base maps at a scale of 1:50,000 and groups. The Labrador Métis Nation land claim 1:250,000. Different scales are essential to repre- area includes the IBA sites identified here as St. sent specific information: the system uses 1:50,000 Peter’s Bay and Point Amour. (http://www.labme- for accurate depiction of fish and shellfish habi- tis.org/) tats, human & biological resources, shoreline protection, etc. Maps at 1:250,000 and 1:1,000,000 8.3. Government Departments and Programs of are mainly used to show locations or to represent Relevance to Marine Birds in Newfoundland regional information such as mammal distribu- and Labrador tions.

8.3.1. Federal Government Departments Once all the base maps are available, data collection has become the next step: biological Environment Canada resources, physical and human-use resources, small craft harbour infrastructure plans & photos, Atlantic Region Sensitivity Mapping Program videos of the Atlantic coastline taken from an helicopter, bird photographs, etc. The National Sensitivity Mapping Program (NSMP) was a Green Plan initiative established in A user interface has been developed to provide a 1991 and managed interdepartmentally. The need system which allows easy access to information for improvement in marine spill response capabil- with minimal training. The Atlantic region has ity, in particular the development of a Canada- been subdivided into 16 sub-regions. This allows wide sensitivity mapping system, was documented the user and the computer to speed-up the process in a number of government and public reviews of searching for data. Once the user interface and undertaken following the EXXON VALDEZ and the databases are integrated, each sub-region will NESTUCCA oil spills. A coordinated program was have its own CD with all the information related to required to develop maps of vulnerable resources it. For example if there is a spill somewhere in in order that the Regional Environmental Emer- region #3, the user can load this CD on a PC or a gency Team (REET) could respond quickly and portable computer and access all the information effectively to marine pollution emergencies. desired.

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(http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/) PIROP (Programme Intégré de Recherches sur Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) les Oiseaux Pélagiques)

The management of wildlife in Canada is shared by PIROP is a data collection scheme started by the federal, provincial, and territorial govern- R.G.B. Brown of the CWS and Paul Germaine of ments. The Canadian Wildlife Service of Environ- the Université de Moncton in 1989. Most of the ment Canada handles wildlife matters that are the records in the PIROP database were generated by responsibility of the federal government. These Brown over the course of his long career at CWS. include protection and management of migratory Observations can be collected following the birds as well as nationally significant wildlife hab- PIROP methodology on ships of convenience by itat. Other responsibilities are endangered species, trained volunteers and there is huge potential to control of international trade in endangered spe- contribute to the monitoring of marine bird distri- cies, research on wildlife issues of national impor- butions by contributing to this database. tance, and international wildlife treaties and issues. As part of its responsibility to manage Other CWS Programs migratory birds, the Canadian Wildlife Service consults with provinces and territories and issues For more information on bird related CWS activi- annual migratory game bird hunting regulations. ties visit the following page: http://www.cws- scf.ec.gc.ca/th02_e.cfm where, among others, you By and large, provincial and territorial wildlife can visit the sites listed below. agencies are responsible for all other wildlife matters. These include conservation and management Canadian Atlas of Bird Banding of wildlife populations and habitat within their Canadian Bird Banding Office borders, issuing licenses and permits for fishing, Canadian Bird Conservation Program game hunting, and trapping, guidelines for safe Canadian Bird Trends database angling and trapping, and outfitting policies See Canadian Bird Trends Newsletters also Section “Management Regime” on page 68. Canadian Landbird Monitoring Strategy Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in There are three Migratory Bird Sanctuaries in the Canada - (COSEWIC) province, Ile aux Canes / Green Island (150 hect- CWS Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Series ares), Shepherd Island (16 hectares) and Terra Environmental assessment guideline for forest Nova (870 hectares). There are no National Wild- habitat of migratory birds life Areas in the province of Newfoundland and Hinterland Who's Who series Labrador. Migratory Bird Populations Division Migratory Birds Convention Act and Regulations Gazetteer of Marine Birds in Atlantic Canada: Migratory Birds Environmental Assessment Guide- An Atlas of Seabird Vulnerability to Oil Pollu- line tion North American Waterfowl Management Plan - (NAWMP) The Gazetteer is based on the Canadian database of Oil Pollution and Birds (Hinterland Who's Who) seabird counts called PIROP (Programme Intégré Partners in Flight Canada de Recherches sur les Oiseaux Pélagiques) owned Pesticides and wild birds (Hinterland Who's Who) by CWS. It uses maps to graphically depict the Species at Risk distribution of seabirds in Atlantic Canada at vari- Wildlife Toxicology Division ous times of the year. Several of the figures in this Bird Trends - (Atlantic Region) document are images from the Gazetteer. The Endangered Species - (Atlantic Region) hardcopy version of the Gazetteer is out of print Migratory Birds - (Atlantic Region) but there is a CD-Rom version available from Oil Spill Response Plan - (Atlantic Region) Environment Canada in Dartmouth, N.S. Wildlife Smuggling - (Atlantic Region)

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Department of National Defense, The Goose (http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/menu.htm) Bay Office, Ottawa Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC) The Goose Bay Office (GBO) is a component of the Chief of the Air Staff at National Defence Head- Transport Canada is also the home of the Cana- quarters in Ottawa, Canada. It is assigned the task dian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC). CMAC is of developing policy and ensuring proper manage- a forum for consultation with its stakeholders on ment of the military training program and of safety, navigation, and marine pollution. The related environmental measures conducted from membership includes commercial shippers, fishers, Goose Bay, Labrador. recreational boaters, unions, other levels of gov- (http://www.goosebay.org/) ernment and other federal departments. CMAC is jointly coordinated and chaired by senior members Parks Canada of the Department of Transport, Safety and Secu- rity and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Marine Conservation Areas Program Canadian Coast Guard.

Parks Canada is responsible for National parks and Coast Guard National Historic Sites. They are also responsible for establishing a national system of marine pro- Lighthouses tected areas under the title National Marine Con- servation Areas (NMCA) Program. Twenty-nine The de-staffing of Canadian lighthouses is in pro- marine regions have been identified for representa- cess and will continue over the next couple of tion. No NMCAs within Newfoundland and years. Lighthouse keepers have been deemed Labrador have yet been established. unnecessary for marine safety and the lights they have tended are now automated. As stations are Gros Morne National Park Migration Monitor- ing Station de-staffed portions of the property holdings are being declared surplus and will be offered up for Located on the west coast of insular Newfound- tender. The process of tendering proceeds accord- land, this migration monitoring station is part of ing to the following order: the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network sup- - property is first offered to other federal depart- ported by Bird Studies Canada and is the only such ments station in Newfoundland and Labrador. Operated - if no other federal departments are interested the by Parks Canada, the migration monitoring site is properties are offered to the Province; this located in a spruce/tamarack bog and spruce head- would include the University land. The operation here is fairly new (since 1998) - if no interest from the Province the nearest and is still in the pilot phase. municipality is offered the opportunity to Transport Canada Atlantic Region bid on the property - if none of the above have expressed interest the Transport Canada is responsible for the following property is put up for public tender and the Marine Policy, Legislation and Regulations: highest bid accepted • Canada Marine Act For example at Point Amour the light house was • Canada Shipping Act (CSA) previously acquired by the Province. There are • Marine Safety Information additional properties associated with Point Amour • National Marine Policy and Regulations that will be offered for tender in the near future. • Marine Acts and Regulations These may offer the opportunity to establish a • Harbours & Ports Annual Reports migration monitoring station at the site. • Port State Control Annual Report

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For a complete list of lights in Newfoundland and The location of lighthouses (not to be confused Labrador visit Coast Guard’s website: with lights alone) in the areas overlapping with the http://www.nfl.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/CCG/ATN/ IBA sites covered by this document are indicated marine_aids_modernization.htm in Figures 8-1 and 8-2.

Figure 8-1: Map showing location of Coast Gaurd light stations in Labrador adapted from Coast Guard website (http://www.nfl.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/CCG/ATN/HL/labrador/map.htm)

88 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources

Figure 8-2: Map showing location of Coast Gaurd light stations in Western Newfoundland adapted from Coast Guard website (http://www.nfl.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/CCG/ATN/HL/labrador/map.htm

through such things as Marine Protected Areas Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Science, Oceans (MPA’s) and Integrated Management (IM). The and Environment Branch Branch’s Hydrography Division produces marine navigation charts. DFO plays a central role in human interactions (http://www.nwafc.nf.ca/sealane/index.htm). with the Northwest Atlantic. While their main focus has been to provide research and develop- DFO operates several research vessels; the WIL- ment support for commercial fisheries and they FRED TEMPLEMAN, a 50m stern trawler, the have no staff earmarked to think about marine TELEOST, a 63m stern trawler, and a smaller ves- birds, DFO could play a leading role in the mainte- sel, SHAMOOK (23 m), used for inshore studies. nance of ocean and marine bird health and they are (http://www.nwafc.nf.ca/sealane/Divisions/ clearly mandated to do so. They also offer huge Oceans/index.htm) potential as a logistical resource. The Program for the Conservation of Arctic The Science, Oceans and Environment (SOE) Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Branch provides scientific information on wild marine resources from Cabot Strait at the entrance CAFF aims to conserve the biodiversity and habi- to the Gulf of St. Lawrence eastward to Flemish tats of Arctic flora and fauna and to develop Cap and northward to Davis Strait. They are also improved conservation management, laws, regula- involved in aquaculture, environmental sciences, tions and practices for the Arctic. habitat protection and Oceans Act implementation (http://www.grida.no/caff/about.htm)

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CAFF Circumpolar Seabird Working Group The CSWG is developing a Circumpolar Seabird (CSWG) CAFF Seabird Projects Colony Database to record and compare data and trends on shared species and to address basic pop- The CAFF Circumpolar Seabird Working Group ulation questions that cannot be answered relying (CSWG) meets annually and publishes the Circum- solely on individual national databases. It will also polar Seabird Bulletin. The CSWG monitors popu- allow the international importance of colonies to lation trends of several seabird species and has be determined and help predict impacts of human shown a general decline in murre and eider popu- activities at a circumpolar scale. lations. The CSWG has identified the main causes for steady population declines in some seabird spe- The Seabird Group is designing a circumpolar sea- cies as heavy hunting pressure; mortality in com- bird monitoring network to provide more accurate mercial fishing operations; human disturbances at data on population, productivity, distribution and seabird colonies (development activities, shipping, status of seabirds at the polar level. It will be built tourism) and oil pollution. on current national monitoring efforts.

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Figure 8-2: Map showing CAFF area boundaries adapted from CAFF website (http://www.grida.no/caff/ images/basemap.jpg)

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research; and to offer training and technical assistance to facilitate scientific exchange. Emphasis is The Biological Resources Division (BRD) of the on collaboration with nations that share biological USGS is developing partnerships with countries resources, have similar ecosystems, or are around the globe to share biological data and addressing conservation issues of importance to information; develop and standardize methodolo- the United States. gies for biological inventory, monitoring, and (http://biology.usgs.gov/)

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Figure 8-3: Map of Wilderness and Ecological Reserves in Newfoundland and Labrador (http:// www.gov.nf.ca/parks&reserves/map.htm)

8.3.4. Provincial Government Departments calieu Island, Cape St. Mary’s, Funk Island and the Witless Bay Islands Ecological Reserve. Department of Tourism, Culture and Recre- (http://www.gov.nf.ca/parks&reserves/wil- ation dres.htm)

Parks and Natural Areas Division Wildlife Division The Parks and Natural Areas division of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation The Rare Bird Data Collection project collects administers the Wilderness and Ecological ‘sighting’ data both present and historical. Reserves Act. This provincial legislation allows for the creation of Wilderness Reserves. Several In 1999 the provincial Department of Forest Ecological Reserves have been established for the Resources and Agrifoods launched the Newfound- protection of breeding seabirds. They include Bac- land Rare Plant Project, a three year project to

92 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources inventory rare plants. The project began on the independent Chair and nonvoting members repre- west coast of insular Newfoundland. senting provincial and federal governments.

Culture and Heritage Division, Newfoundland The IEMR has a mandate: Museum • to focus on the protection of the environ- The Newfoundland Museum is part of the Culture ment, and within the concept of sustainable and Heritage Division of the Department of Tour- development, to support the viability of the ism, Culture and Recreation, Government of New- military flight training program; foundland and Labrador. The three branches are the Newfoundland Museum on Duckworth Street, • to provide independent verification of envi- St. John's; the Southern Newfoundland Seamen's ronmental effects as well as expertise and Museum, Grand Bank and the Mary March Regional Museum, Grand Falls/Windsor. advice in structuring adequate monitoring (http://www.nfmuseum.com/museums.htm) and mitigation measures; and to foster a level of trust among all groups affected by The Cruiseship Authority of Newfoundland and the military training program. Labrador (CANAL) In the event that studies show significant impacts The Cruiseship Authority of Newfoundland and are occurring that cannot be mitigated or justified, Labrador (CANAL) was incorporated on June 5, the Institute may recommend that appropriate 1998, by an Act of the Province of Newfoundland action be taken to address the situation, including and Labrador. The purpose of the Act was to estab- that military flying activities be limited or phased lish an authority to promote and co-ordinate the out. development and operations of a cruiseship industry in the Province. The IEMR has been a part of two conferences, the (http://www.cruisenewfoundland.com/about.html) proceedings of which along with other documents are available from their website. The Workshop on 8.4. Non-Governmental Groups and Programs Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western with Mandates Relevant to Marine Birds in Scientific Knowledge was held September 10-11, Newfoundland and Labrador 1997 in North West River and in August 2000, the Effects of Noise on Wildlife Conference was held. Institute for Environmental Monitoring and (http://www.iemr.org/home.html) Research (IEMR) See Figure 7-8 for a map showing the low-level The Institute was established in 1995 in response flight training area. to a recommendation by an independent Environ- mental Assessment Panel appointed to review mili- The International Maritime Organization tary flight training at Goose Bay. Its purpose is to (IMO) oversee the environmental effects of allied flight training conducted at the Canadian Forces Base at The International Maritime Organization is the Goose Bay over areas of Labrador and Northeast- United Nations' specialized agency responsible for ern Québec. improving maritime safety and preventing pollution from ships. IMO is the author of a treaty The Institute is governed by a Board of Directors known as MARPOL 73/78 which covers accidental representing aboriginal and municipal groups in and operational oil pollution, pollution by chemi- the region with interests in military training activi- cals, goods in packaged form and sewage and gar- ties operated from 5 Wing Goose Bay. It has an bage. (http://www.imo.org/)

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Atlantic Cooperative Wildlife Ecology Research Fisheries Resource Conservation Council Network (ACWERN), Department of Biology, (FRCC) Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s The Fisheries Resource Conservation Council (FRCC) was created in 1993 to form a partnership ACWERN graduate students do research focused between scientific and academic expertise, and all on seabird ecology. In 1996, ACWERN began a sectors of the fishing industry. Together, Council long-term study of seabirds of the Gannet Islands, members make public recommendations to the Labrador. Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on such issues as (http://www.mun.ca/acwern/) total allowable catches (TACs) and other conservation measures for the Atlantic fishery. The Council Biopsychology Programme, Departments of is responsible for advising the Minister on Can- Biology and Psychology, Memorial University ada's position with respect to straddling and trans- of Newfoundland, St. John’s boundary stocks under the jurisdiction of international bodies such as the Northwest Atlantic The Biopsychology Programme is an interdiscipli- Fisheries Organization (NAFO). The Council also nary graduate program focused on animal behav- provides advice in the areas of scientific research iour and behavioural ecology. There have been and assessment priorities. numerous studies by Biopsychology graduate stu- (http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/frcc/index.htm) dents which focus on marine bird ecology. (http://www.mun.ca/biopsych/intro.html) Atlantic Canadian Conservation Data Center

Grenfell College Environmental Science Pro- Based in Sackville, New Brunswick, the Atlantic gramme, Memorial University of Newfound- Canada Conservation Data Centre (ACCDC) land, Corner Brook assembles and provides information and expertise on species at risk and natural communities in This is an interdisciplinary programme of the natu- Atlantic Canada, and undertakes field biological ral sciences, specifically as they contribute to a inventories, in support of decision-making, greater awareness and understanding of the envi- research and education. ronment. (www.accdc.com) (http://woodstock.swgc.mun.ca/envs/) Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW/CAW) Network (NLEN)

The FFAW/CAW is a powerful force in New- The NLEN is a non-profit, non-government organi- foundland and Labrador. Fishing is at the prov- zation with a mandate to improve communication ince’s cultural and political core. Historically, links and facilitate joint initiatives among groups fishing has been the principle source of interaction and organizations in Newfoundland and Labrador with the marine environment for many Newfound- which share a concern for the quality of the envi- landers and Labradorians. ronment.

The FFAW/CAW membership could be a major The NLEN facilitates communication in the prov- force for marine conservation and efforts to engage ince by: (a) holding provincial networking meet- the knowledge of the membership and their inher- ings; (b) publishing a provincial newsletter ent interest in the marine environment could hold (Environment Network News); and (c) aiding great potential for marine bird conservation. groups and individuals to organize around envi- (http://www.ffaw.nf.ca/structure.html) ronmental issues. (http://www3.nf.sympatico.ca/nlen/hlen.htm)

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NLEN Youth Caucus Association of Technology Industries. Private sector groups and individuals in Newfoundland and Based in Corner Brook, the NLEN Youth Caucus is Labrador who would like issues to be considered a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedi- by the ACZISC should bring these to the attention cated to getting youth involved in environmental of Randy Gillespie, the NATI representative on the and other social issues. ACZISC. In addition, interested private sector per- (http://www3.nf.sympatico.ca/nlen/index.htm). sonnel are encouraged to attend ACZISC meetings.

Coasts Under Stress Representatives of community groups are encouraged to attend ACZISC meetings in their respec- Coasts under Stress is a five-year long (2000-2004) tive Provinces; currently there are no regional collaborative research initiative between Memorial community associations. University of Newfoundland, the University of (http://www.dal.ca/aczisc/workplan) Calgary and the University of Victoria and other North American partners. This project explores The ACZISC has produced a Guide to Coastal links between changes in society and the environ- Information in Atlantic Canada and an Atlantic ment and the long-term health of people, commu- Coastal Database Directory. nities and their environment (http:// (http://www.dal.ca/aczisc/acdd_bkd) www.coastsunderstress.ca/home.html). 8.5. Key Groups and Organizations with Inter- Protected Areas Association ests Relevant to Marine Birds Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula The Protected Areas Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (PAA) works to establish protected Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs natural areas in Newfoundland and Labrador. They Secretariat are a non-profit association, and through research, planning and public education, work toward the The Congress exists to research, analyze and completion of a network of representative exam- develop culturally relevant alternatives to federal ples of all the province's unique eco-systems. The policies that impact on the Mi'kmaq, Maliseet and PAA have had several projects related to marine Passamaquoddy First Nation communities and protected areas resulting in publications listed on peoples. The potential exists through the Marshall their website. and Sparrow decisions for Mi'kmaq people to (http://www.nfld.net/paa/). develop an interest in seabird harvesting. This may or may not be of relevance to sites in this region. Atlantic Coastal Zone Information Steering (http://www.apcfnc.ca/) Committee (ACZISC) Ducks Unlimited (DU) ACZISC membership is composed of organizations and agencies which have a mandate for, and can Ducks Unlimited has been involved in various contribute to, the development and coordination of projects on the Labrador coast for many years. a regional coastal zone information infrastructure and the promotion of integrated coastal zone man- Founded in 1938, Ducks Unlimited Canada is a agement initiatives. Membership currently private, non-profit organization dedicated to the includes the four Atlantic Provinces, seven federal conservation of wetlands for the benefit of North departments, First Nations, the private sector and America's waterfowl, wildlife and people. To date academia. they have secured and protected over 18 million acres of habitat and established nearly 6 thousand The private sector in Newfoundland and Labrador projects. is represented by the Newfoundland and Labrador (http://www.ducks.ca/aboutdu/index.html)

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Ducks Unlimited has a children’s education pro- The Seaduck Joint Venture (SJV) gram called Greenwings for which they produce two magazines. They have also developed educa- The Sea Duck Joint Venture was formed under the tional curriculum materials for schools. auspices of the North America Waterfowl Manage- ment Plan (NAWMP) to address declines in many DU’s research arm, the Institute for Wetland and North American seaduck populations. Waterfowl Research (IWWR) was established in (http://seaduckjv.org) 1991 with a mission to “help guide the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands by developing and Development Associations and Associated sustaining a premiere program of research and by Projects educating professionals in wetland and waterfowl conservation biology”. Newfoundland and Labrador Association Of Community Business Development Corpora- A DU Newfoundland project of special interest tions Inc. that may have application to seaducks is the Geese in Space project. Using satellite technology to There are fifteen CBDCs in Newfoundland and learn more about the Canada Geese of Newfound- Labrador. These are autonomous, not-for-profit land and Labrador, in 1999 DU tagged 22 geese corporations, which serve all regions of the prov- with satellite transmitters. In 2000, 24 more geese ince. Supported by Atlantic Canada Opportunities were tagged. Following the movements of the Agency (ACOA), they assist in the creation of tagged geese has revealed important details about small businesses, and in the expansion, moderniza- the birds migration patterns. The public can follow tion and stabilization of existing businesses. the routes of these geese by visiting the DU website. The IBA sites covered by this document fall within (http://www.ducks.ca/geese/index.htm) the jurisdiction of the economic planning zones 4, 5 and 6 which include the Southeastern Aurora DU is currently developing a long term strategy for Development Corporation, Labrador Straits Devel- seaduck endeavors in Newfoundland and Labrador. opment Corporation, Southern Labrador Develop- ment Association and the Combined Councils of Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV) Labrador which is the umbrella organization for Labrador community councils and has it's office at EHJV is one of six Joint Ventures spawned across Forteau. Canada as part of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) to restore waterfowl Northern Peninsula East, Newfoundland, populations to levels found in the 1970s. The Coastal Resource Inventory EHJV was founded by the eastern provinces (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, LEAD AGENCY: Nordic Economic Development Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland), CWS, Corporation Ducks Unlimited Canada, and Wildlife Habitat Canada. COLLABORATING AGENCIES: Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Environment Canada; Human While the EHJV has so far concerned itself mostly Resources Development Canada; Newfoundland with municipal based stewardship programs for Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture; Atlantic wetlands, it is currently expanding to include Canada Opportunities Agency seaducks and marine areas such as St. Peter’s Bay CONTACT PERSON: Joan O'Brien, Oceans Act in southern Labrador. Integration Section, Oceans Programs Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Newfoundland Region, P.O. Box 5667, St. John's, NF CANADA A1C 5X1 - Tel: 709-772-3150 - Fax: 709-772- 5315 - Email: [email protected]

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seabird conservation project on Quebec's Lower DESCRIPTION/RATIONALE: Primarily for use North Shore. To reverse the decline in seabird pop- as a tool in Integrated Coastal Zone Management ulations on island sanctuaries, QLF has involved as well as environmental impact assessment, sensi- school children and local communities through tivity mapping, sustainable economic develop- education and sanctuary management ment planning, and other potential resource developments. Rural Communities: In 1996, the Atlantic Center for the Environment launched Beyond Borders, a GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE: The Northern Pen- program initiative to strengthen and inform com- insula from St. Barbe Bay to Pigeon Cove. A munity-based conservation in northern New map indicating coverage is available. England and eastern Canada. Focusing on rural communities, QLF provides a model for linking BASE MAPS USED: NTS Sheets: 12I/08, 12I/09, ecosystem management, economic development, 12I/16, 2L/13, 2M/04, 2M/05, 2M/11, 2M/12, 12P/ and community action and leadership. On-site 01, 12P/02, 12P/07, 12P/08, 12P/09 projects include technical assistance, training SCALE: 1:50 000 workshops and conferences, environmental education, publications, and exchanges. THEMES/PARAMETERS MAPPED: Groundfish, (http://www.qlf.org/) pelagics, shellfish, marine mammals, birds, aquatic plants, aquaculture, infrastructure, culture-tourism- QLF offers internships, mostly in the summer and recreation, shoreline classification, ice coverage usually two to three months duration, to undergrad- uates, recent graduates, and graduate-level univer- INFORMATION SOURCES AND DETAILS OF sity students from Canada and the U.S. DATA COLLECTION: This data is Traditional Internships include stipends and lodging and for Ecological Knowledge (TEK). It was collected most field positions, food expenses, and travel to through interviews with people having direct and from program sites are covered. Examples of knowledge of local areas. Interviewees were pri- positions advertised for the summer of 2001 fol- marily fishers (active and retired) as well as others low: with relevant knowledge. This data is anecdotal in nature and is qualitative. Existing shoreline classi- Seabird Research Assistants: fication information was used. Gannet Colony Restoration Project April-September Location: Quebec North Shore BEGINNING AND COMPLETION DATES: Feb- Conduct fieldwork for re-establishment of North- ruary 2000 to present ern Gannet colony on a remote island. Much time CURRENT STATUS OF PROJECT: Ongoing spent aboard boats, in rugged camping situations, long hours observing birds, and recording daily observations. Project may include rearing live Quebec-Labrador Foundation (QLF) gannet chicks. Written report and journal. Out- Atlantic Center for the Environment reach and education to build local support among residents of nearby French-speaking communities. The Quebec-Labrador Foundation (QLF) exists to support the rural communities and environment of Seabird Conservation Instructors eastern Canada and northern New England, and June-August Location: Quebec North Shore create models for stewardship of natural resources For generations, residents of the Quebec North and cultural heritage which can be applied world- Shore have harvested seabirds for food and tradi- wide. tional activities. A conservation program, now in its 24th year, has been successful at working within Seabird Conservation Project, St. Mary's Island, the local culture to make sure that the harvest is Quebec: Since 1977, QLF has been conducting a sustainable and that designated areas are fully

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 97 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources protected. Education activities for youth and the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences general public at a seabird sanctuary are an important component of this program. Design and Manomet's mission is to conserve natural lead field trips to observe and study birds, super- resources for the benefit of wildlife and human vise locally-hired staff, oversee training operations populations. Manomet established the “Linking and logistics, conduct community outreach, and Wetlands and Communities” program among sites keep field notes and other records. in Canada, U.S. and Mexico that share the same migratory birds at different times of the year and Conservation Camp Instructors introduced thousands of regional schoolchildren to June-August Location: Labrador; Teach natural migration banding at Manomet. history topics to youth and teens in remote island camp setting. The Lighthouse Society of Newfoundland and Labrador Curriculum Development in Wetlands Education June-August, September - possible extension The Lighthouse Society of Newfoundland and Location: Montreal, Quebec or Ipswich, Massa- Labrador is a loose association of lighthouse fans, chusetts, possible work in Labrador community groups, economic development associations, heritage groups and private businesses with A person experienced in environmental education a light station connection. Their mission is “To at the secondary school level will develop supple- facilitate the preservation of the physical assets of mentary curriculum materials for secondary the Province's light stations and to preserve and school use on wetlands education. Target audience communicate their histories, through partnership will be schools in Newfoundland and Labrador. with government agencies, community groups and Program will build on an existing curriculum for interested members of the general public.” primary schools. Associate will develop and test key concepts, lesson plans, and teaching guides. 8.6. Other Bird and/or Marine Web Sites and Concepts must be relevant to the Newfoundland Educational Resources of Interest and Labrador setting and to ongoing programs in wetlands conservation and water quality monitor- Newfoundland Bird Sightings on the Internet ing. The Internet discussion group nf.birds is the local The above internship descriptions serve to illus- arena for discussion of bird sightings in the prov- trate one kind of resource that QLF can offer to ince. It is carried by most Internet service provid- local conservation efforts. In particular, QLF has a ers in the province and is also universally available history of seabird conservation projects. In the mid on the web at http://groups.google.com/ by enter- 1980s QLF co-produced a nine-part radio series ing “nf.birds’ in the search box. with CBC Radio about the Quebec North Shore. They have had many projects on the Northern Pen- International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) insula and the coast of Labrador. Other bird related projects that QLF has experience with IMBD exists to focus attention on the nearly 350 include the creation of a Checklist for Birds of the species of migratory birds that travel between nest- Quebec Lower North Shore. ing habitats in North America and non-breeding grounds in South and Central America, Mexico, QLF has a municipal waste project ongoing in and the Caribbean. IMBD is held on the second Nain. Saturday in May. In 2001, IMBD falls on May 12. IMBD is the hallmark outreach event for Partners In Flight (PIF). (http://www.americanbirding.org/imbd/imbd- gen.htm)

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BirdLife International Seabird Conservation Contact: Connie Downes, Canadian Wildlife Ser- Programme vice, National Wildlife Research Centre, Hull, PQ K1A 0H3; 819/953-1425; fax 819/953-6612; BirdLife International Seabird Conservation Pro- email: [email protected] gramme: the primary role is the advocacy of seabird conservation issues to all relevant BC Coastal Waterbird Survey governments, non-government and intergovern- mental organizations, as well as to the informed Location: Coastal areas of British Columbia. public. It is funded by the Royal Society for the Project: THE BC Coastal Waterbird Survey Protection of Birds, the United Kingdom's Partner (BCCWS), through a network of volunteers, and is based at the University of Cape Town, South regional organizers, naturalist groups, government Africa within the Avian Demography Unit (ADU). agencies and non-government organizations, aims The ADU conducts research in partnership with to monitor waterbirds in coastal areas of British BirdLife South Africa, the national partner. Columbia. The Survey will provide data that will (http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/stats/adu/seabirds/) assess the annual changes and long-term trends in population size and distribution of coastal water- Opportunities for Birders Volunteer Directory birds, and will be used to conserve coastal waterbird populations and habitats in British Columbia. Projects requiring the assistance of volunteer bird- Participants are free to choose a survey site, or ers can advertise to attract them on this site. Also a contact the BC Coastal Waterbird Survey Coordi- good place to get ideas for bird monitoring and nator for help in choosing a survey site in their other projects. In addition, birders from this prov- area.When: Participants are asked to survey ince seeking opportunities for experience else- waterbirds at a designated survey site once a where can find the information at this site required month with an emphasis from September to April. to get hooked up with existing projects. There are Commitment: While we hope people will adopt a currently no listings for projects in Newfoundland BCCWS site and continue to visit for years to and Labrador. The following are illustrative exam- come, we appreciate whatever efforts you can ples taken from the above website: make. (http://www.americanbirding.org/opps/ Skills: Surveyors must be comfortable identifying voldiaa.htm) all waterbird species that regularly occur in the survey area. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) Contact: BC Coastal Waterbird Survey Coordina- Location: Active in all Canadian provinces and tor, BC Programs, Bird Studies Canada, 5421, territories. See listing under North America. Robertson Rd., RR 1, Delta, British Columbia, V4K Project: Designed to detect and measure year-to- 3N2; 604/940-4696 or 877/349-BIRD; email: year and long-term changes in breeding bird popu- [email protected] lations. A standardized roadside survey run mainly by volunteers. Observers count all birds seen or Migration Monitoring at the Atlantic Bird Obser- heard at 50 three-minute stops along a designated vatory 3/01 40- kilometer route. Location: On two coastal islands off the southern tip of Nova Scotia. Approximately 250 km south of Skills: Participants must be highly skilled in identi- Halifax. fication of birds by song and sight. Project: Involves monitoring migratory birds Commitment: Participants should expect to partic- through the use of banding, mist-netting, census, ipate over a number of years. Routes are prefera- and casual observations. Data collected contrib- bly run by the same observer each year. utes to larger scale efforts conducted by the Cana- Logistics: Participants use own vehicle. Many par- dian Migration Monitoring Network. ticipants prefer to bring along an assistant for When: Spring monitoring commences during the note-taking and timing. last week of April until the first week of June. Fall

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 99 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources monitoring commences mid August and continues Radio programs and other audio projects are avail- until 30 October. able for listening on the Internet in Real Audio Commitment: Minimum of one week, longer-term from an audio archive maintained by the Alder volunteers given preference. Institute. Skills: Bird identification (sight and sound), mist- (http://alder.nf.ca/openair.html) net extraction, and banding skills preferred but not necessary. Training is provided. John Maunder's Newfoundland and Labrador Logistics: Live on a remote island in a rustic cabin. Natural Sciences Website Boat trips to the islands are provided. Volunteers must provide own transportation to the mainland The personal website of the Newfoundland wharf. Room and board provided for long-term Museum's Curator of Natural History. An invalu- volunteers (1 month or more), shorter term volun- able source of natural history links for the prov- teers will pay small fee. ince. Contact: Trina Fitzgerald, Atlantic Bird Observa- (http://www.nfmuseum.com/nhistlnk.htm) tory, Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B0P 1X0; 902/585/1313; fax: 902/ The Newfoundland Bird Paintings of Roger 585/1059; email: [email protected] Tory Peterson

To list a Project: This is a traveling exhibit from the Newfoundland American Birding Association welcomes submis- Museum. sions to the its Opportunities for Birders directory at any time. The current directory is posted here on The 33 colour plates (the Great Auk plate was our web site, and is regularly updated to include reproduced in black and white), along with an any new entries we receive throughout the year. additional 39 pen and ink drawings, were done The Directory lists bird-related volunteer opportu- under contract to the Newfoundland Government. nities in Canada, the United States and a few from The rights to the original colour artwork were pur- Central and South America. chased by the government at the time of delivery, and the paintings now reside in the Newfoundland If your programs include bird-related field, office Museum, as part of the Museum’s Natural History or other work that could benefit from those with Collection. The traveling exhibit presents the 33 birding expertise, don’t miss out on the opportunity original watercolour paintings. of a free listing of your projects in our Opportuni- (http://www.nfmuseum.com/peterson.htm) ties for Birders directory. Our 2001 directory included more than 650 projects from federal and Climate Change Education Centre in New- state agencies as well as a variety of non-govern- foundland mental organizations. Climate Change can affect the status and distribu- Open Air: Natural History Radio from New- tion of marine birds and their prey and through foundland and Labrador changes in sea level alter the availability of breeding habitat, particularly for birds nesting at low ele- The flagship community radio show of the Alder vations such as eider ducks. Institute, Open Air is broadcast weekly for one hour to the eastern Avalon of Newfoundland on The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is CHMR-FM and to the world in Real Audio on the planning to establish an information and coordina- Internet. Open Air is a magazine style radio pro- tion centre for climate change activities to give a gram with a special focus on the natural history of stronger awareness and understanding of the the province and a great deal of material on birds causes and implications of climate change and glo- and IBA related topics. bal warming. For information, access (http://www.gov.nf.ca/releases/2000/mines&en/ 1221n02.htm)

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Interactive Web-Based Ecology Course Protocol for Monitoring Seabirds The University of Toronto introductory biology A Report By The Marine Biodiversity Monitoring course has developed a suite of web based labora- Committee (Atlantic Maritime Ecological Science tory exercises which emphasize experimentation Cooperative, Huntsman Marine Science Center) to and hands-on skills, and which are designed to The Ecological Monitoring And Assessment Net- augment lectures on evolution, ecology, and work of Environment Canada by Antony W. Dia- mond. The report can be read online from behaviour. At the web site there is an online exer- http://www.cciw.ca/eman-temp/research/proto- cise exploring the conservation of the Whooping cols/seabirds/intro.html or obtained from the Crane. Users design a management program to author, Antony Diamond. save the endangered species and learn some conservation biology and population ecology along the Ecology Action Centre way. This website could serve as a model for a more locally relevant project designed to learn The Ecology Action Centre has been an active about the population ecology of marine birds in advocate, protecting the environment since 1971. Newfoundland and Labrador. The Centre's earliest projects included recycling, (http://www.cquest.utoronto.ca/zoo/bio150y/ composting, and energy conservation, and these cranes/) are now widely recognized environmental issues. Currently we are focussing on Marine, Wilderness, National Film Board of Canada (NFB) Transportation, and Environment & Development Issues, with a connection to the School Ground Created in 1939, the National Film Board of Can- Naturalization project. ada (NFB) is a public agency that produces and (http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/EAC/ distributes films and other audiovisual works index.html) which reflect Canada to Canadians and the rest of the world. Bird Study Merit Badge The NFB, as the storehouse of a large part of the Scouting for Birds is a non-profit web site designed country's audiovisual heritage, in the form of a col- to promote Bird Study Merit Badge. While this is lection of over 10,000 titles, has always been and an American program it may be an appropriate remains a cultural organization, while acting as an model to adapt for use with whatever organized important catalyst of social change. It is also a youth groups exist in a local area. centre of filmmaking and video technology and can (http://k2gw.tripod.com/birdstudy/index.html) pride itself on some of the most remarkable technical breakthroughs in film production. Online Data Base of Canada’s International Commitments, Commissioner of the Environ- From anywhere in Canada, a toll-free number, 1- ment and Sustainable Development 800-267-7710, allows people to order directly films and videocassettes from the NFB. Canada is a party to many international environmental agreements. This database provides users Several years ago, as the NFB began to close its with key information about some of these. Agree- own audiovisual libraries, it initiated partnerships ments and the commitments found in them. For with public libraries to make video collections additional information see about the database. accessible at a local level. Furthermore, the NFB (http://pubx.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/A_Branch/AES/ sought out other community organizations nation- Env_commitments.nsf/Homepage) wide and provided them with favourable conditions so they could establish a core collection. Large video collections of NFB titles are available at

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources most major Canadian public libraries. The NFB 8.7. The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts has also negotiated some agreements with inde- Community pendent distributors and its productions are available in many video stores, bookstores and The Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labra- department stores. dor

Many NFB films are designed specifically for The Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador classroom use, while others are ideal for enrich- is a member-based organization that works to max- ment purposes. This market represents 40% of all imize the artistic and economic potential of the videocassette sales for the NFB. The NFB is a sup- craft community of the province. plier of Canadian educational material to most (http://www.craftcouncil.nf.ca/about/profile.asp) Canadian school boards, to a wide number of secondary and elementary schools and some universi- The Labrador Craft marketing Agency ties. (LCMA)

NFB Video Distribution Partners in Newfound- Now representing more than 60 craftspeople from land: this Northern part of our province, the LCMA has both retail and wholesale buyers on their client Corner Brook Public Library list. Sir Richard Squires Building (http://www.craftcouncil.nf.ca/about/lcma.asp) Corner Brook A2H 6J8 Tel.: 709 634-0013 The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council

Provincial Information and Library Resources “It is our creative ability that ensures our sur- Board vival as a recognizable people and culture, and Arts and Culture Centre enables us also to contribute to the enrichment St. John' s A1B 3A3 of the nation of which we form a distinctive Tel.: 709 737-2133 part.” -G.M. Story Among the NFB titles are several relating to The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council is a marine birds and/or Newfoundland seabird colo- nonprofit organization whose purpose is to foster nies. A list of some relevant titles follows: the arts of the province by operating financial assistance programmes; providing services and Season of the Eiders, 1999, 50 min 02 sec resources; and by working with government and Gannets of Bonaventure, 1978, 27 min 50 sec the community for development in the arts. Roger Tory Peterson: Portrait of a Birdwatcher, (http://www.nlac.nf.ca/html/home.htm) 1978, 57 min 40 sec The Funks, 1977, 27 min 50 sec Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Coop- Puffins, Predators and Pirates, 1976, 27 min 50 sec erative (NIFCO) The Winds of Fogo, 1969, 20 min 24 sec Adventure in Newfoundland, 1964, 16 min 03 sec NIFCO was founded in 1975 by a group of artists Along Newfoundland's Shores, 1962, 7 min 13 sec to tell Newfoundland's stories on film. NIFCO now Newfoundland Sea Birds, 1961, 13 min 58 sec has a complete 16mm production facility available to all members regardless of funding. The co-op is a production centre, a meeting place for filmmakers and offers Introductory filmmaking courses and a First Film Program for newcomers.

NIFCO’s website is currently under construction:

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(http://enterprise.newcomm.net/filmcan/ Nature Canada NIFCO.htm) CNF publishes a magazine called Nature Canada 8.8. Communication Opportunities about issues that affect the environment and what readers can do to help nature. The Northern Pen (http://www.cnf.ca/naturecanada/index.html).

The Northern Pen, Bebb Publishing Ltd., P.O. Box Quebec Labrador Foundation Compass 520, St. Anthony, NF, A0K 4S0. http://northernpen.hypermart.net/edition.htm The QLF Magazine

The Labradorian 8.9. Funding Sources

The Labradorian: weekly produced in Happy Val- Important Bird Areas – Community Action ley-Goose Bay Fund (http://www.rb.nf.ca/labradorian/) The purpose of the Important Bird Areas Commu- Them Days nity Action Fund is to provide funding support for high-priority projects which contribute to the con- THEM DAYS Incorporated is dedicated to keeping servation of bird species and their habitats within the history of Labrador alive by documenting and an Important Bird Area. Emphasis of the fund is preserving the “old ways and early days” of local conservation action. Labrador. All projects must be conducted within an officially THEM DAYS was established to record, document, recognized Important Bird Area (IBA), contribute research and publish the oral, visual and written to the conservation of the birds and habitats for history of Labrador. THEM DAYS does this by which the site has been identified, and implement conducting special projects of research, activities where a clear need is demonstrated (pri- translation, consultation, maintenance of archival ority will be given to activities identified during a collections and production of publications on mat- conservation planning process). A list of eligible ters relating to Labrador history and culture. The IBA sites will be provided by the Canadian Nature Board of Directors for THEM DAYS manages the Federation for each new funding cycle. Maximum affairs of THEM DAYS Incorporated. annual grant is $5,000. A 1:1 match is required, (http://collections.ic.gc.ca/Labrador/home.html) which may be cash, in-kind (eg. materials and/or volunteer time), or a combination of both. Match- The Osprey ing funds must be in place prior to the disburse- ment of the first installment. Grants up to $10,000 Natural History Society of Newfoundland and may be approved for exceptional projects where Labrador: The Society publishes its journal “THE the proponent has secured a 2:1 cash match. OSPREY” on a quarterly basis. (http://www.nhs.nf.ca/) The IBA Community Action Fund provides grants to individuals or groups for high-priority IBA IBA News Canada projects which contribute to the conservation of bird species and their habitats within an IBA. To The IBA Program publishes a newsletter called be eligible for funding, the project area must: IBA News Canada. (http://www.ibacanada.com/newsletter/news.htm). 1. be an officially recognized Important Bird Area, as identified by the Canadian Nature Federation and Bird Studies Canada;

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources

2. have a conservation/management plan either awarded annually on a competitive basis, but in progress or completed (priority will be multi-year support will be considered. given to those sites with an IBA conservation plan either in progress or completed). The Fund offers three types of grants:

The IBA Community Action Fund will fund projects Regular Grants support projects that involve under the following three areas: research or education or that contribute to the preservation of Canadian birds. Conservation • implementation of conservation actions Migration Monitoring Grants are awarded in sup- where a clear need is identified (eg. activi- port of a special program which began in 1994 to ties identified in an IBA conservation plan initiate and support migration monitoring stations or in other planning processes); (bird observatories) that monitor Canadian land- • local monitoring programs; birds as part of the Canadian Migration Monitor- • habitat enhancement, rehabilitation or res- ing Network. The Baillie Fund is committed to providing support for migration monitoring toration projects. projects until the year 2003. Education Student Field Research Grants are funded • education programs designed to increase through the James L. Baillie Student Award for public Field Research. • awareness of an Important Bird Area and its importance to bird conservation; The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council IBA landowner awareness programs. Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Research (lower priority) • applied research on bird conservation Scholarships and Study Grants are available, as (priority will be given to projects focusing are funds to support product development projects on the bird species for which the IBA is and public awareness programming. The Craft important). Council's Awards Committee also administers a Community Education Program which aims to For more information visit: http://www.ibacan- strengthen the awareness of the value of craft to ada.com/ibacaf.htm the community and the individual.

Bird Studies Canada-The James L. Baillie Since the mid-1970's, the Craft Council has been Memorial Fund circulating and re-circulating a loan fund of $25,000. As members repay existing loans, funds The Baillie Fund aims to encourage field studies by are re-lent to other members. Funds, to a maximum amateur naturalists and to support projects which of $3,000, are normally used for the purchase of increase or disseminate knowledge of birds in their supplies or equipment. For an application form, natural environment or contribute to their preser- contact the Craft Council at info@craftcoun- vation. Priority is given to projects that enable cil.nf.ca enthusiastic amateurs and volunteers to put their (http://www.craftcouncil.nf.ca/about/awards.asp) interest to work to support conservation efforts or increase our knowledge of Canadian birds. Environment Canada's Science Horizons Youth Internship Program Individuals and organizations are both eligible for support. Most grants are between $200 and $3000 Environment Canada's Science Horizons Program and they average about $1000. Grants are is a collaborative effort with Canadian universi- ties, the private sector and provinces and territo-

104 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources ries which offers promising young scientists and CEDOs: Community Economic Development post-secondary graduates hands-on experience Organizations are the main vehicles of investment. working on environmental projects under the men- Created to help design and make investments in torship and coaching of experienced scientists and local ventures, CEDOs are accountable to their program managers. communities. (http://www.ec.gc.ca/sci_hor/) ROPs: Regional Opportunities Programs identify region-wide opportunities (mining, tourism, etc.) Community Services Council Newfoundland through planning and leveraging other help pro- and Labrador grams. ROPs may not make direct investments. (http://www.cibc.com/aboriginal/fapcanab.html) Mission Statement: The Community Services Council is an independent, voluntary organization Guaranteed Loan Program dedicated to promoting social and economic well- being. It acts as a catalyst to enhance the voluntary This program is administered through Indian and sector and to bring together community organiza- Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). Its objective is tions, governments and individuals in identifying to guarantee loans for unincorporated Indian and needs and concerns. As a leading social planning Band businesses on reserves needing financial aid and research organization, CSC, in collaboration from approved lending institutions. The program is with others, initiates analysis of critical issues, for- available to any unincorporated Canadian Status mulates policy objectives and develops strategies Indian or Inuit individual and group, and other and services to improve human well-being. entities which are majority owned by Aboriginal people. Aboriginal Business Canada Community Business Development Corporation Aboriginal Business Canada (ABC), a division of Programs Industry Canada, was created to promote, support and grow Aboriginal owned and operated busi- Community Business Development Corporations nesses. It helps to improve access to business (CBDCs) today received a funding commitment of financing, fund the purchase of management sup- $10 million to support the development of small- port services, and works to enhance the business and medium-size enterprises in communities climate for Aboriginal entrepreneurs. affected by the downturn in the groundfish industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. ABC offers a wide range of direct-funded and non- funded business assistance. It supports the network Funding, through the Canada-Newfoundland of Aboriginal Capital Corporations (ACCs) in pro- Agreement for the Economic Development Compo- viding important community-based commercial nent of the Canadian Fisheries Adjustment and lending services, and helps to improve the entre- Restructuring Initiative (EDC), was announced by preneurial climate through support of business Senator Joan Cook on behalf of George Baker, conferences, studies, and information products. Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State ABC also acts as an advocate for Aboriginal busi- for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency ness in the government arena. (ACOA), Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development (http://www.abc.gc.ca/) and Rural Renewal and Nick Hurley, president, Newfoundland and Labrador Association Commu- Canadian Aboriginal Economic Development nity Business Development Corporations. Strategy (CAEDS) Funding available through CBDCs is complemen- CAEDS was created in 1989 to help native people tary to other types of business funding: micro-lend- with long-term employment through business ing through organizations such as the development. Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Coop-

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources eratives and the Newfoundland and Labrador Young Entrepreneurs ConneXion - Seed Capi- Organization for Women Entrepreneurs, ACOA’s tal and Counseling Program business development program, the Department of Development and Rural Renewal’s Strategic In partnership with the Atlantic Canada Opportu- Enterprise Development Fund, and commercial nities Agency (A.C.O.A.), the CBDCs offer individ- lending through banks. uals under the age of 30, small business start-up and expansion financing to a maximum of $15,000. The three-year $81.25 million Canada-Newfound- Up to $2,000, by way of non-repayable contribu- land Agreement for the Economic Development tion, is also available for training and business Component of the Canadian Fisheries Adjustment counseling. and Restructuring Initiative (EDC) was signed on August 16, 1999. The agreement is designed to Conservation Corps Green Teams build upon the strategic plans and priorities of the Regional Economic Development Boards to The vision of the Conservation Corps is that young improve the long-term economic climate in regions people will lead change in environmental, eco- impacted by the downturn in the groundfish indus- nomic and cultural development and ethics in New- try. foundland and Labrador.

It is delivered federally by ACOA and provincially The mandate of Conservation Corps Newfound- by the Department of Development and Rural land and Labrador is to provide young people with Renewal. (from a Development and Rural Renewal meaningful work, training and educational oppor- News Release, March 13, 2000) tunities in the areas of environmental and cultural (http://www.gov.nf.ca/releases/2000/drr/ heritage conservation and enhancement and pro- 0313n08.htm) mote a strong conservation ethic in Newfoundland and Labrador. CBDCs provide Financial Assistance Programs For Small Business including the following three: The Conservation Corps solicits project proposals from community and corporate groups around the CBDC Financial Assistance. province, and provides assistance and advice in designing these projects. A Green Team project The CBDCs offer financial assistance in the form may be approved if the proposal meets the follow- of fully repayable small business loans to profit- ing criteria: it provides a meaningful work experi- oriented organizations wanting to start, expand or ence for youth; it is able to be carried out by a modernize a small business. The loans have a group of four young people in a 7-8 week time maximum limit of $125,000. From the perspective frame; and it benefits the community and sur- of each CBDC, the jobs created should be filled by rounding environment. If a project is approved a residents of that region. Each regional CBDC has partnership begins between the community group it’s own specific eligibility and assessment criteria. and the Conservation Corps. The Board of Directors is made up by individuals (http://www.conservationcorps.nf.ca/html/green- from the communities served. team.htm)

Self - Employment Benefit (SEB) Program Funding Guide Available from Environment Canada Human Resources Development Canada (H.R.D.C.) offers self-employment benefits to eligi- Environment Canada's new funding guide entitled ble individuals interested in starting their own “The Green Source – A Quick Reference to Fund- business or purchasing an existing operation. In ing Sources for Environmental Projects by Non- addition clients can also access free business train- Profit Organizations in the Atlantic Provinces” is ing and counseling. now available at http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/community/resources.html#Fundraising

106 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources

American Fund for Environmental Cooperation The Guide includes over one hundred potential (NAFEC). sources of assistance for projects. A paper copy For information, access http://www.cec.org can be obtained by phoning 1-800-663-5755. Canadian Museums Association Youth Employ- Quebec Labrador Foundation, Partners in ment Strategy Learning Partners in Learning is a Newfoundland Project The CMA administers a number of youth employ- that provides some funding perhaps best suited for ment programs funded under the Youth Employ- oral history type projects. ment Strategy of Human Resources Development Canada. The Young Canada Works in Heritage The North American Commission for Environ- Institutions program creates summer jobs across mental Cooperation (NACEC) Canada and the Youth International Internship Program places interns abroad. Migratory birds cross international boundaries and (http://www.museums.ca/anreport/pages/youth- marine conservation is very much affected by the strategy.htm) North American Free Trade Agreement. NACEC has a perennial funding offer through it’s North

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources

8.10. Electoral District and Political Represen- tation

Effecting change on multiple levels of organization includes educating local politicians and their opposition about the issues. The following figures show details of federal and provincial political representation in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Figure 8-3: Map Showing Federal Political Repre- sentation in Newfoundland and Labrador

Figure 8-4: Map Showing Provincial Political Repre- sentation in Newfoundland and Labrador

108 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources

8.11. Additional District Maps of Interest for Newfoundland and Labrador

The following figures reproduced from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador website (http://www.nfstats.gov.nf.ca/Maps/)

Figure 8-6: Strategic Social Plan Regions

Figure 8-5: Provincial School Districts

Figure 8-7: Economic Planning Zones

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 8: IBA Conservation Resources

Figure 8-8: Health and Community Service Board Districts

110 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 9: What’s Next: Recommendations

9. What’s Next: Recommenda- • Christmas bird counts • Beached bird surveys for oiled birds tions • Banding programs • Breeding bird surveys The following are some suggestions for projects that would involve people in efforts to 1. increase 9.3. Suggestions Specific to Moulting Seaducks awareness of the threats faced by marine birds, 2. reduce existing threats and 3. prevent further • Explore the feasibility of implementing time area threats; that the Labrador Métis Nation or other closures for seaduck moulting sites. groups in consultation or association with the • Develop awareness among the public and hunters above could pursue in the future. Elsewhere in this concerning the needs of seaducks during their document are sources of ideas on potential part- moulting period. • Ensure that hazards to shipping in the vicinity of ners, funding and communication opportunities. moulting sites are minimized to prevent accidental This information is in no way exhaustive. This oil spills associated with vessel accidents. document is intended as a starting point only. It is • Explore the development of alternative travel routes meant to evolve through amendment and review by for regular vessel traffic that currently pass close by those using it. the area. • Make marine tour outfitters aware of the need to 9.1. Respect Land Claims leave moulting seaducks undisturbed and increase awareness among potential marine tourists to the Develop awareness of Labrador Land Claims and area of the importance of giving moulting birds a how all levels of government, federal, provincial wide berth. and aboriginal, can collaborate to conserve areas of importance to marine birds during the interim 9.4. Suggestions Specific to Breeding Birds period of negotiations preceding the settlement of Land Claims. • Develop public awareness concerning the needs and value of breeding marine birds. • Ensure that hazards to shipping in the vicinity of 9.2. Suggestions for Research breeding sites are minimized to prevent accidental oil spills associated with vessel accidents. PIROP (Programme Intégré de Recherches sur les • Explore the development of alternative travel routes Oiseaux Pélagiques) In consultation with CWS, for regular vessel traffic that currently pass close by develop a strategy to contribute to the PIROP data- the area. base and if feasible form a plan to do so in a way • Make marine tour outfitters aware of the need to that generates employment and career training give breeding seaducks and seabirds a wide berth opportunities for local people. This would involve and increase awareness among potential marine training and placing observors on participating ves- tourists to the area about the behaviors of breeding sels and training existing mariners interested in seabirds when disturbed. collecting marine bird observations. • Create awareness around the need to provide for the long-term and systematic monitoring of all marine bird populations breeding, moulting and wintering Local Knowledge. Develop programs to record in the waters off Newfoundland and Labrador. and enhance local ecological knowledge • Explore the potential to initiate and maintain long- term population monitoring through breeding bird Population Monitoring surveys and banding programs. • Expand and update the Researcher’s Guide to New- Explore the development of a variety of monitoring foundland Seabird Colonies to include the coast of tools, either expanding on existing efforts or initi- Labrador. ating new ones; for example: • Where harvests of breeding birds and/or eggs occurs, support studies to design sustainable harvesting methods and strategies

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 111 Chapter 9: What’s Next: Recommendations

9.5. Suggestions for Education and Public guide to resources available to help those involved Awareness in community planning for marine conservation.

Oral History. Develop a series of Oral history Audio, Theatre and Film. Explore the use of projects to document the historical and contempo- Audio, Theatre and Film as entertaining and liter- rary relationships of people to marine birds and the acy independent ways to distribute information. marine environment. For example assist in the distribution of existing and develop new: School Curriculum. Explore development of educational curriculum materials on marine birds • web-based audio materials detailing the natural his- and their habitat requirements. tory of marine birds and marine ecology • home-audio materials that entertain and educate the Extra-curriculum. Develop a series of extra-cur- listener about the natural history of marine birds riculum educational materials for a series of age and marine ecology groups and in a variety of media. For example: • community and commercial radio exposure for marine bird conservation material • locally relevant and contemporary theatre, films • biologically informative coloring books for small and videos relevant to marine bird conservation children • a series of locally relevant marine bird calendars 9.6. Suggestions Specific to Harvesting • locally specific laminated field “flash guides” of marine birds suitable for convenient use in pockets and aboard small boats In consultation with the Labrador Métis Nation, other residents and the Canadian Wildlife Service Youth Groups. Develop a marine bird program develop research efforts and public awareness for use by local youth groups. strategies designed to insure the long-term compat- ibility of human harvests with the health of bird Birders Checklist. Develop a Birders Checklist populations. for the area. For examples see the Checklist of the Birds of Insular Newfoundland and its continental • Develop a hunter awareness campaign focused on Shelf waters by the NHSNL (http://www.nhs.nf.ca/ the identification of various seaduck and seabird checklist.htm) and a similar checklist developed by species and an understanding of their breeding ecology the QLF for the Quebec Lower North Shore. • Develop an awareness among hunters of the magni- Develop a migrating bird checklist for distribution tude of preventable adult bird mortality that results to the public. from non-hunting sources such as fisheries bycatch and marine oil pollution Oil pollution. Develop relationships between peo- • Encourage communications between relevant par- ple, schools and groups interested in the prevention ties on how to reduce preventable and undesired of marine pollution from along the entire coast of sources of bird mortality Labrador. • Develop a program to encourage hunters to report their sightings of other birds and wildlife CAFF Pamphlet. In consultation with CWS and CAFF, adapt the CAFF pamphlet “Seabirds and Science Outreach. Develop programs where You: Sharing the Ocean” for local use. those who do research on marine birds relevant to the area visit schools and other community venues At-Sea Field Guide. Develop a Field Identifica- to share the results of their work with local people. tion Guide for observers at sea, possibly building on Brown et al. 1968. Artist in Residence Program: Explore the potential of sponsoring artist visitation to areas expressly Community Resource Directory. Collaborate for the purpose of creating works about the birds with the Community Services Council to create a and/or relationships between birds and people.

112 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 9: What’s Next: Recommendations

These residency periods could include visits to of modifications to monofilament gillnets that schools or offering artmaking workshops to com- would make them less prone to seabird bycatch. munities in the summer or school year. For local Net colour and the use of alarms may be promising models and potential partners see the artist in resi- avenues of work. dence program at Gros Morne National Park and To raise the awareness of seabird bycatch as a the Pouch Cove Foundation (http://www.pouch- conservation problem in some Canadian fisheries, cove.org/visual.html). Also explore the history of an information/education program should be the MUN Extension Service which hosted an Artist developed and directed toward fishers and Cana- in Residence program in several communities dian fisheries management agencies. around the province in the 1970s. Nain was one of Current knowledge of the spatial and temporal the communities included in the Extension Service patterns of seabird bycatch should be incorporated program when it existed. into future fisheries regulations such that fishing effort is reduced during periods of the year, and at Migratory Connections. Explore the possibility locations, when and where seabird bycatch is a of cooperative studies with communities that share significant problem. the same migratory birds at different times of the The use of monofilament gillnets should be dis- year. For example eiders, Harlequin Ducks and continued in areas where seabird bycatch is known murres are potential links to Greenland, the Cana- to occur and is a particular problem, such as in the dian Arctic and the Eastern United States. vicinity of seabird colonies.

9.7. Suggestions Specific to the Fishery The full report from which the above is drawn is available at http://www.grida.no/caff/ Based on their observations of seabird bycatch in tr1_itr1.htm#canada. insular Newfoundland, Piatt and Nettleship (1987) recommended the following actions to reduce Fisheries Resource Conservation Council bycatch: (FRCC). Engage the FRCC with reference to interpreting aspects of their mandate and how they 1. Regulation of the timing of use of gillnets so as to apply to marine bird-fisheries interactions: avoid critical periods, such as when Capelin swim inshore to spawn; 3.2 To develop a more profound understanding of 2. Restrictions on the use of gillnets in particularly fish-producing ecosystems including the inter-rela- sensitive areas, such as around major seabird colo- tionships between species and the effects of nies; changes in the marine environment on stocks. 3. Use of bycatch quotas for seabirds much the same as is in place for fish bycatch. 4.3 The Council may recommend any measures considered necessary and appropriate for conser- John Chardine in a review of the problem made the vation purposes such as TACs, closure of areas to following recommendations to improve institu- fishing during specific periods, approaches to tional response to seabird bycatch in Canada. avoid catching sub-optimal sized fish or unwanted species, and restrictions on the characteristics or Monitoring of seabird bycatch is needed in use of fishing gears. areas likely to experience problems such as near concentrations of seabirds at breeding colonies Nautical Charts and offshore feeding areas. Monitoring of seabird bycatch should become Encourage development of efforts to improve the an integral part of activities of fisheries observers quality of nautical charts for the area to reduce haz- on vessels fishing in Canadian waters. ards to shipping Canadian Wildlife Service and Department of Fisheries and Oceans should co-operate with fishers and university researchers in the development

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 113 Chapter 9: What’s Next: Recommendations

9.8. Suggestions Specific to the Tourism Indus- onshore and offshore oil and gas in the province try and how marine birds may be affected. • Develop awareness around the Rights Issuance Many of the above project ideas can be adapted for Regime for both onshore and offshore oil develop- application to the tourism industry. In addition the ment and how it may interfere with the protection following more focused suggestions are examples of areas for the conservation of birds and other marine life. of projects that would specifically target this sec- • Develop awareness around the need for indepen- tor: dent monitoring of oil and gas activity. • Develop awareness around the need for the Cana- • Develop television and/or radio advertisements dian Wildlife Service to involve itself more in inde- about the effects of disturbance on breeding and pendently monitoring the distribution of birds at sea moulting birds. and at breeding colonies and the effects on marine • Develop a region specific pamphlet with sugges- birds of both onshore and offshore oil activity and tions on how to minimize the effects of touring on ship source pollution. marine birds. 9.10. Suggestions regarding various Mega- Marine Tour operators. Engage existing tour Projects boat operators in public awareness efforts and provide them with specially produced materials such Explore and seek independent critical review and as audio natural history products to play on their contribute to increased public awareness and the vessel which will both entertain and inform them need for government and proponent accountability and their guests. Cartoon like coloring books for to the public of the potential for the following children could be designed to depict the effects of mega-projects to affect birds using the IBAs cov- disturbance on birds. ered by this document:

9.9. Suggestions Specific to Marine Oil Pollution • Proposed Mine/Mill at Voisey’s Bay and associated shipping • Start local beach surveys for marine oil. • DND managed Low-Level Flight Training • Plan the collection of baseline data to facilitate • Proposed Lower Churchill hydro electric develop- detection of changes in the future. ment and associated road and powerline construc- • Request Transport Canada contribute to a small tion vessel bilge awareness campaign in the area for res- • Industrial forestry and associated road construction idents and fisherman and shipping • Establish what current levels of independent moni- • Trans labrador Highway and associated increased toring for ship source oil pollution are in place and access for logging, hunting, housing development consider if the level of surveillance provided is suf- and tourism ficient to deter the intentional illegal dumping of • Mealey Mountains National Park and associated oily bilge and ballast water disturbance potential • Encourage the provision of services for marine vessel operational waste treatment on shore. 9.11. Suggestions for Formal Protection • Initiate awareness campaigns around the environmental aspects of oil development and explore the • Explore the various options for formally conserving broad scale connections between marine pollution these sites for the benefit of marine bird conserva- on the Grand Banks, seabird species that winter tion. there and those that breed in Northern Labrador. • Contribute to public awareness of the protective Also explore the broad scale connections between options and the costs and benefits associated with marine pollution near shore in Placentia Bay and each. the seaducks that winter there and seaducks that • Regardless of the protective status of a site, explore breed and/or moult in Northern Labrador the development of Guardian programs for areas • Develop awareness around the regulatory regimes sensitive to disturbance. governing the exploration and development of both

114 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Chapter 9: What’s Next: Recommendations

9.12. Sea Duck Joint Venture tail relevant suggestions from above with the objectives and strategic plans of the Sea Duck Joint The Sea Duck Joint Venture Strategic Plan for Venture should also be explored (see “Appendix II 2001-2006 has a list of specific reccomendations Sea Duck Joint Venture” on page 143). that should be added to the above. Ways to dove-

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 115 Chapter 9: What’s Next: Recommendations

116 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 References

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Innis, H. A. (1940). The Cod Fisheries: The His- vation. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Nuttall tory of an International Economy. Toronto, Ornithological Club. University of Toronto Press. Nettleship, D. N., and Birkhead, T. R., eds., (1985) Jacques Whitford Environment Limited (1997). The Atlantic Alcidae: Orlando, Academic Voisey’s Bay 1996 Environmental Baseline Press, p. 574. Technical Data Report: Avifauna Piatt, J. F. and Nettleship, D.N. 1987. Incidental Labrador Inuit Association. (1977). Our Footprints catch of marine birds and mammals in fishing are Everywhere. Nain, Labrador Inuit Associa- nets off Newfoundland, Canada. Marine Poll. tion. Bull. 18: 344-349.

Lock, A.R. 1986. A census of Common Eiders Piatt, J. F., Nettleship, D.N. and Threlfall, W. breeding in Labrador and the Maritime Prov- 1984. Net-mortality of Common Murres and inces. In A. Reed (ED.) Eider ducks in Can- Atlantic Puffins in Newfoundland, 1951-81. ada. Report Series Number 47, Canadian Pp.196-206 in D. N. Nettleship, G. A. Sanger, Wildlife Service. and P. F. Springer (eds). Marine birds: their feeding ecology and commercial fisheries rela- Lock, A. R., R. G. B. Brown, et al. (1994). Gazet- tionships. Supply and Services Canada, teer of marine birds in Atlantic Canada: an Ottawa. atlas of sea bird vulnerability to oil pollution. Ottawa, Canadian Wildlife Service, Atlantic Ryan, S. (1994) The Ice Hunters: A History Of Region: 1 atlas (viii, 137 p.): ca. 100 maps Newfoundland Sealing To 1914, Breakwater (some col.). Books, St. John’s.

Mactavish, B. (1999a). Site Nomination Form: SelnØ, J., J. Wells, et al. (1996). Point Amour, Point Amour, Strait of Belle Isle, Important Labrador Spring Eider Count and Seawatch Bird Areas in Canada: 4. April 19 - May 24, 1996. St. John's, Canadian Wildlife Service. Mactavish, B. (1999b). Site Nomination Form: Fishcot Islands, Important Bird Areas in Can- Sharpe, B. E. (1996). Post Release Survival of ada: 4. Oiled, Cleaned Seabirds in North America. Ibis 138: 222-228. Mactavish, B. (1999c). Site Nomination Form: Grey Island (North), Important Bird Areas in Société Duvetnor Ltée. (2001). Review and analy- Canada: 4. sis of studies and documents on the topic of waterfowl and low level flights in Labrador Mactavish, B. (1999d). Site Nomination Form: and Northeastern Quebec. A report prepared Hare Bay, Important Bird Areas in Canada: 3. for the Institute for Environmental Monitoring and Research, Contract Number 2423. Mactavish, B. (1999e). Site Nomination Form: St. Peter Bay, Important Bird Areas in Canada: 4. Steele, D. H., R. Andersen and T.M. Green. (1992). The managed commercial annihilation Mactavish, B. (1999f). Site Nomination Form: Bell of northern cod. Newfoundland Studies, Island (Grey Island), Important Bird Areas in Spring 1992, Vol. 8(1): 34-68. Canada: 4. Tuck, James A. (1976). Ancient people of Port au Montevecchi, W. A. and L. M. Tuck (1987). New- Choix: the excavation of an archaic Indian foundland Birds: Exploitation, Study, Conser- cemetery in Newfoundland. Institute of Social

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and Economic Research, Memorial University Yodzis, P. (2001) Must top predators be culled for of Newfoundland. the sake of fisheries? Trends in Ecology & Evolution, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 78-84.

120 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Appendix I Contacts

Appendix I Contacts E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://www.nunatsiavut.com Caveat: The following is an incomplete list of contact information for people and groups of potential Innu Nation interest to any party pursuing conservation plans PO Box 119 for marine birds in Labrador. It is not intended to Sheshatshiu, Labrador A0P1M0 be exhaustive and it does not presume a definite tel: 709/497-8398 interest in being contacted by those listed. Rather fax: 709/497-8396 it is meant as a start-up directory which users can Web Site: http://www.innu.ca/the_innu.html annotate as they begin to develop a network of interested parties and collaborators. Labrador Métis Nation (LMN) P.O. Box 2164 Stn. “B” Canadian IBA Program Partners Happy Valley-Goose Bay Labrador, Canada The Canadian Nature Federation A0P 1E0 Suite 606, 1 Nicholas Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Can- Phone: 709 896-0592 ada K1N 7B7 Toll-Free: 1-877-896-0592 1-800-267-4088 Fax: 709 896-0594 E-mail: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Bird Studies Canada/Études d'Oiseaux Canada Labrador Inuit Development Corporation P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, Ontario Canada N0E P.O. Box 1000, Station “B” 1M0 (or 215 Hamilton River Road for courier) Phone: 1-888-448-BIRD Fax: 1-519-586-3532 Goose Bay, Labrador A0P 1E0 Email: [email protected] Telephone: (709) 896-5834 http://www.bsc-eoc.org/bscmain.html Fax: (709) 896-8505 E-Mail: [email protected] Newfoundland IBA Partner Web Site: http://www.nunatsiavut.com/lidc.html

The Natural History Society of Newfoundland and OKalaKatiget Society Labrador P.O. Box 160 P.O. Box 1013 Nain, Labrador A0P 1E0 St. John's, NF A1C 5M3 Telephone: (709) 922-2955 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: (709) 922-2293 http://www.nhs.nf.ca E-Mail: [email protected]

Labrador Resources Labrador Inuit Health Commission P.O. Box 250 Labrador Inuit Association Nain, Labrador A0P 1L0 P.O. Box 70 Telephone: (709) 922-2114 (or 2 Morhardt St. for courier) Fax: (709) 922-2216 Nain, Labrador A0P 1L0 E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone: (709) 922-2942 Web Site: http://www.nunatsiavut.com/lihc.html Fax: (709) 922-2931

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 121 Appendix I Contacts

Torngâsok Cultural Centre Institute for Environmental Monitoring and General Delivery Research Nain, Labrador A0P 1L0 P.O. Box 1859, Stn. "B" Telephone: (709) 922-2158 114 Hamilton River Road Fax: (709) 922-2863 Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador E-Mail: [email protected] A0P 1E0 Web Site: http://www.nunatsiavut.com/torn- Telephone: (709) 896-3266 gasok.html Fax: (709) 896-3076 Email: [email protected] Nanuk Development Corporation Regional Office Tony E. Chubbs Hopedale, Labrador Department of National Defence A0P 1G0 Box 7002, Station A Tel: (709) 933-3875 Happy Valley-Goose Bay Fax: (709) 933-3877 Labrador A0P 1S0 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: http://home.thezone.net/~nanuk/ Newfoundland Resources webdoc1.htm Eastern Habitat Joint Venture Newfoundland and THEM DAYS Incorporated Labrador Archives & Publications Inland Fish and Wildlife Division P.O. Box 939, Station B Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods 3 Courtemanche Street P.O. Box 8700 Happy Valley-Goose Bay St. John’s, NF-LAB A1B 4J6 Labrador Phone:(709) 729-3569 Canada Fax: (709) 729-4989 A0P 1E0 http://www.gov.nf.ca/forest/wildlife/Wildlife/East- Phone: 709 896-8531 ernHabitat.htm Fax: 709 896-4970 email: [email protected] Seaduck Joint Venture James Hancock Labrador Community Development Corporation Director, Inland Fish and Wildlife Division, Dept. P.O. Box 1089, Station B of Tourism, Culture and Recreation Happy Valley - Goose Bay, Labrador P.O. Box 2006 A0P 1E0 Corner Brook, NF A2H 6JB Telephone: (709) 896-5814/5182 Phone: (709) 729-2817 Facsimile: (709) 896 4333 Fax (709) 729-0751 Toll Free: 1-888-303-2232 E-mail: [email protected]

Keith Chaulk Ducks Unlimited St. John's Environment Canada 115 Duckworth St. Box 116 Station C St. John's, NF Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador A1C 1E9 A0P 1C0 Tel: (709) 738-5405 Phone: 709 896-6167 Fax: (709) 738-5407 Fax: 709 896-5264 E-mail: [email protected]

122 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Appendix I Contacts

CruiseShip Authority of Newfoundland and Labra- Scouts Canada in Newfoundland dor 15 Terra Nova Road P.O. Box 12049 St. John's NF A1B 1E7 Argyle Building, 68 Portugal Cove Road Telephone: (709) 722-0931 St. John's, Newfoundland Fax: (709) 722-5407 A1B 1R7 Email: [email protected] Tel: 709-737-1534 http://www.scouts.ca/about/ Fax: 709-737-1098 Community Services Council Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) Suite 201, Virginia Park Plaza Earle McCurdy, President Newfoundland Drive P.O Box 10, 2 Steers Cove, St. John's, NF St. John's, NF A1C 5H5 A1A 3E9 Telephone: (709) 576-7276 Tel: (709) 753-9860 Fax: (709) 576-1962 Fax: (709) 753-6112 Email: [email protected] Hedley Richards http://www.csc.nf.net/about/contact.htm FFAW Executive Board Member Inshore Division Tim Anderson P.O. Box 579 Head, Oceans Act Integration Section St. Anthony, NF A0K 4S0 Oceans Programs, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Telephone: (709) 454-3091 Newfoundland Region Tel: 709-772-2852 - Fax: 709-772-5562 Fisheries Resource Conservation Council Email: [email protected] P.O. Box 2001 Station D Randy Gillespie, Vice-President Ottawa, ON Canadian Centre for Marine Communications K1P 5W3 Tel: 709-579-4872 - Fax: 709-579-0495 Tel: (613) 998-0433 Email: [email protected] Fax: (613) 998-1146 Leslie Grattan, Deputy Minister Allied Youth Provincial Office Environmental Planning and Management Projects P.O Box 21145 Government of Newfoundland and Labrador St. John’s Newfoundland Tel: 709-729-3782 - Fax: 709-729-1860 A1A 5B2 Email: [email protected] Telephone: (709) 729-0725 Fax: (709) 729-5824 Neil MacNaughton, Director of Surveys and Map- Email: [email protected] ping http://www.gov.nf.ca/health/ay Department of Government Services and Lands Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Girl Guides of Canada Tel: 709-729-3239 - Fax: 709-729-0690 Newfoundland and Labrador Council Email: [email protected] Bldg 566, St. John's Place Pleasantville, St. John's, Mike Warren, Director, Planning Services NF A1A 1S3 Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Tel # 709/726-1116 Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Fax # 709/726-4045 Tel: 709-729-3708 - Fax: 709-729-6082 [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 123 Appendix I Contacts

Resources in Canada Email: [email protected]

Canadian Wildlife Service Aboriginal Business PO Box 6227 Canada 17 Waterfowl Lane Industry Canada Sackville, N.B. 1505 Barrington Street E4L 1G6 Maritime Centre, Suite 1605 Phone: (506) 364-5044 P.O. Box 940, Station M Fax: (506) 364-5062 Halifax, N.S. E-mail: [email protected] B3J 3K5 http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/index.html PHONE: (902) 426-2018 FAX: (902) 426-1643 Seaduck Joint Venture, Canadian Co-chair E-MAIL: [email protected] George Finney Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Aboriginal Capital Corporation: 17 waterfowl Lane, P.O. Box 6227 Ulnooweg Dev. Group Inc. Sackville, NB E4L 1G6 139 Esplanade Street Ph. (506) 364-5011 P.O. Box 1259 Fax (506) 364-5062 Truro, Nova Scotia e-mail [email protected] B2N 5N2 Phone: (902) 893-7379 Mark Gloutney, Manager or 1-888-766-2376 Ducks Unlimited Conservation Program Fax: (902) 893-0353 P.O. Box 430 E-mail: [email protected] Unit 64, Hwy. 6 Amherst, NS Antony W. Diamond B4H 3Z5 University of New Brunswick Tel: (902) 667-8726 Atlantic Cooperative Wildlife Ecology Network Fax: (902) 667-0916 Faculties of Science, and Forestry & Environmen- E-mail: [email protected] tal Management Bag service Number 45111 Rob Rainer, Executive Director Fredericton, New Brunswick Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre Canada E3B 6E1 PO Box 6416 Sackville, NB E4L 1G6 Larry Hildebrand, A/Manager Phone: (506) 364 –5092 Sustainable Communities and Ecosystems Divi- www.accdc.com sion Corporate Affairs Branch Environment Canada, Atlantic Region Roger Percy Tel: 902-426-2131 - Fax: 902-426-6348 Head, Emergencies Section Email: [email protected] Environmental Protection Branch, Environment Canada Richard MacDougall Queen Square, 45 Alderney Drive Director, Canadian Hydrographic Service, Atlantic Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 2N6 Fisheries and Oceans Canada Tel:902-426-2576 Tel: 902-426-3497 - Fax: 902-426-7827 Fax: 902-426-9709

124 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Appendix I Contacts

Brian K. Mosher, Regional Director Coastal Communities Network Harbours and Ports, Atlantic Region RR #2, East Bay, N.S. Transport Canada B0A 1H0, PO Box 1013 E-mail:[email protected] 12th Floor, Queen Square Phone: (902) 379-2688 45 Alderney Dr. Fax: 902-379-2698 Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4K2 URL: http://www.coastalcommunities.ns.ca/ Tel: 902-426-2588 info.html Fax: 902-426-3904 Cell: 902-497-9492 International Resources E-Mail: [email protected] USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center William Scott, Regional Director 12100 Beech Forest Road, Suite 4039 Marine Safety, Atlantic Region Laurel, Maryland 20708-4039 USA Transport Canada Telephone: 301-497-5500 Fax: 301-497-5505 PO Box 1013 URL: http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/ 14th Floor, Queen Square 45 Alderney Dr. Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4K2 International Secretariat Tel: 902-426-2060 Hafnarstraeti 97 Fax: 902-426-6657 600 Akureyri, Iceland E-Mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.grida.no/caff Canadian Ocean Habitat Protection Society Box 13, Newellton, Nova Scotia Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences BOW 1PO Canada PO Box 1770, Manomet Derek Jones, Director Massachusetts 02345 USA Email: [email protected] phone: 508.224.6521 URL: http://atlantisforce.org/cohps/ fax: 508.224.9220 [email protected] Ecology Action Centre Email: [email protected] 1568 Argyle St. Suite 31 Halifax N.S., Canada B3J 2B3 Claudette LeBlanc Phone: (902) 429-2202 ACZISC Secretariat, Oceans Institute of Canada URL: http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/ 1226 Le Marchant Street EAC/index.html Halifax, NS Canada B3H 3P7 Tel: 902-494-3879 - Fax: 902-494-1334 Email: [email protected]

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 125 Appendix I Contacts

126 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Appendix II Sea Duck Joint Venture Strategic Plan

Appendix II Sea Duck Joint by Canada; Spectacled Eiders and the Alaska breeding population of Steller's Eiders have been Venture listed as threatened by the United States.

Following are selected excerpts from the Sea Duck Analysis of previous survey and harvest data, Joint Venture Strategic Plan 2001-2006 (Sea Duck along with new surveys and studies conducted in Joint Venture management Board, 2001). The the 1990’s, indicates population declines in 10 of complete report document from which the excerpts the 15 species of North American sea ducks. Fed- are taken is available on the Internet (http:// eral, State, Provincial and NGO management seaduckjv.org/pdf/StratPlan2001_06.pdf). agencies came together in 1997 to propose a Sea Duck Joint Venture (SDJV) to address these issues Introduction at a continental scale. The NAWMP Committee approved the SDJV in November 1998 as the best The fifteen species of sea ducks (Tribe Mergini) are vehicle to coordinate the conservation of sea the most poorly understood group of waterfowl in ducks. The organizational structure and functions North America. Even the most basic biological of the SDJV are similar to other joint ventures information is unknown for some species. There under NAWMP and are described in Appendix A. are few reliable population indices or estimates of annual productivity for any species. Much of our The SDJV will endeavor to address the needs for knowledge is based on a very few, localized stud- information about all 15 species of Mergini that ies. Surveys are not adequately designed to accu- occur in North America. Although the focus of the rately estimate the harvest of sea ducks. joint venture is sea duck populations in North America, partnerships with other circumpolar Sea ducks, as a group, have evolved in relatively countries sharing these populations will be encour- stable environments. Most species exhibit delayed aged. Joint venture efforts will encompass issues sexual maturity, long life spans and low annual related to both population dynamics and habitat recruitment. For many reasons, the environments quantity and quality. inhabited by sea ducks are changing; human endeavors are expanding in northern breeding Mission Statement areas and many traditional wintering areas are increasingly affected by urbanization and industri- The SDJV promotes the conservation of North alization. Thriving gull and other predator popula- American sea ducks through partnerships by pro- tions are placing greater pressure on annual viding greater knowledge and understanding for production of some species. Indirect factors, such effective management. as bioaccumulation of contaminants and climate change, could be negatively affecting survival and Goals production in some populations; exposure to lead is a documented source of mortality. Only through • The SDJV facilitates and supports the develop- a concerted effort to gain an understanding of how ment of knowledge and understanding critical to these factors interact can we hope to effectively sea duck conservation in North America. conserve sea ducks. • The SDJV increases the profile of sea ducks History and Purpose of the Joint Venture within the conservation, industrial, and scientific communities. Sea ducks were given no special consideration under the 1986 North American Waterfowl Man- • The SDJV develops a program to involve the agement Plan (NAWMP). Although few data were partners and resources needed to accomplish sea available, most populations were thought to be rel- duck conservation. atively stable. Since 1986, the eastern population of Harlequin Ducks has been listed as endangered

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 127 Appendix II Sea Duck Joint Venture Strategic Plan

• The SDJV promotes proactive conservation of sea Communication and Marketing Goals ducks. • Increase public and stakeholder awareness and Current Funding and Program Status understanding of sea duck conservation issues.

The SDJV has a long-term goal of developing new • Facilitate the acquisition of resources (financial, funding sources and increasing capabilities to partnerships) required to address key conservation cooperatively fund sea duck science projects. issues. Although the SDJV currently does not have funds to sponsor extensive new research and monitoring • Increase the body of knowledge related to sea programs, member organizations will look for ducks through the participation of a broader range opportunities to collaborate with partners to stimu- of participants. late and amplify the advancement of sea duck science with available funds. The SDJV will promote • Promote the conservation of sea ducks and their its scientific agenda to meet information needs habitat. through three main avenues: Strategic Considerations • The SDJV members are committed to directing funds toward meeting SDJV information needs; by The approach to communications will reflect the necessity, distribution of most of these funds may following strategic considerations: be constrained by legislative or policy mandates of member organizations; • There are no dedicated SDJV funds for communications. Communication products and activities • The SDJV will facilitate funding and support for will depend upon the voluntary contributions of work by partner organizations, with the expecta- member agencies and partners. tion that funding contributions will have favorable matching and multiplier effects to increase science Sea Duck Joint Venture Strategic Plan 2001 - 2006 program benefits; and 10• Each partner should undertake to lead in the development and/or implementation of specific • The SDJV will provide technical advice and products and activities. assistance to cooperators who wish to contribute toward meeting SDJV science objectives with their • Information relevant to a wide range of species own resources. and/or audiences will be required to increase awareness and understanding. Proposal and Endorsement Process • Focused information (species/geographic) will be Project proposals will be the primary instrument required for the development of partnerships and by which the SDJV Management Board endorses financial support. and supports relevant scientific work on sea ducks. Until such time as funding is available on a com- • Initial efforts should focus on information prod- petitive basis, the SDJV will use a simplified pro- ucts of wide application before moving to more cess to solicit and endorse sound and economical specific marketing efforts. projects that address elements of its scientific agenda (i.e. Appendix B: Information Needs). The • Communications with broad applications can be proposal process and format are found in Appen- delivered in a centralized fashion, but more dix C. regional/local messages should be delivered through regional partners.

128 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Appendix II Sea Duck Joint Venture Strategic Plan

Target Audiences • Some species range beyond North America. They The target audiences for SDJV communications are shared with Russia and Greenland. include: FUNDING STRATEGIES • Legislators (National, State, Provincial) The Sea Duck Joint Venture, when fully opera- • Judiciary and legal systems (fines and court set- tional, will require several millions of dollars tlements) annually over a period of at least ten years. This is due to the magnitude of the task in terms of data • Wildlife management agencies (National, State, gaps, research needs, and the fact that sea ducks Provincial, Co-management Boards) tend to be widely dispersed in remote locations for much of their lives. Studying them is difficult and • Environmental non-governmental organizations expensive. (ENGOs) that support sea duck, coastal and estuary habitat conservation The Sea Duck Joint Venture will use four principle strategies to fund its activities: • Sport hunting organizations and individuals Redirect Base Resources from a Broad Range of • Subsistence hunting organizations and individu- Partners als The SDJV is a partnership of Federal, State and • Commercial/industrial organizations (petroleum Provincial governments, major non-government producers and shippers, commercial fishers, tour organizations, and individual researchers at uni- operators, land developers) that share sea duck versities and elsewhere. Each partner is committed habitats to playing a meaningful role in the implementation of SDJV programs and is committed to make best • General public efforts to redirect existing internal funds to SDJV priorities to the degree possible. Key Messages Seek Supplemental Appropriations Key messages could include: Government agencies have mandated responsibili- • Some sea duck populations are in serious ties for the conservation of sea ducks and yet, in decline; the status of most is unknown. general, funds have not been dedicated to sea duck work by legislators. Given that the tasks outlined • Conservation of sea ducks requires coordinated by the SDJV greatly exceed the capacity of govern- efforts by many conservation agencies. ment agencies to respond under existing budgets, opportunities will be sought to obtain additional • The actions of individuals can make a difference. appropriations.

• Sea ducks are shrouded in mystery, scientific Develop Corporate Partners uncertainty and are enigmatic to managers. Certain industries operate within areas frequented • Sea ducks are important to aboriginal communi- by sea ducks and, in many cases, their operations ties for subsistence and cultural reasons. can pose threats to sea ducks and habitats. These include merchant shipping; cruise ship operators; • New threats are emerging - climate change, con- offshore oil and gas exploration and development; taminants, and economic factors - which could be petroleum shipping; and aquaculture. The SDJV the cause of population declines. will approach industry associations and specific

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 129 Appendix II Sea Duck Joint Venture Strategic Plan corporations to seek support for implementation of 4. Survey a sample of islands annually to quantify specific programs. These approaches will be made annual variation in colony size (e.g. non-breed- in co-operation with major NGO partners to facili- ing), long term response to perturbations (e.g. tate corporate recognition and tax benefits for Polar Bear predation) and intra-colony movements industry. within a region.

Secure Court Awards for Environmental Damage Population Definition/Delineation: The zone of contact between the Hudson Bay Eider and North- In the past, oil pollution, particularly that deriving ern Eider occurs in northern Hudson Bay. The from marine oil spills, has caused significant dam- zone between the Pacific Common Eider (V-nigra) age to sea ducks and their habitats. All too fre- and the Northern Eider is less clear. Further, the quently, such spills are either deliberate or links between nesting areas and wintering areas preventable, and court action has ensued. In both (where harvest levels vary) is poorly known. This Canada and the United States, mechanisms are in information is required to assess population size place to direct court awards towards conservation and trends, and the effects of harvest and other fac- efforts. In such instances, partners will work with tors on population dynamics. enforcement staff and prosecutors to direct funds towards SDJV programming where this is appro- 1. Use satellite telemetry and banding to determine priate. affiliations between breeding, molting, and wintering areas in the Eastern Arctic and west Green- APPENDIX B – INFORMATION NEEDS AND land. STRATEGIES FOR 20 POPULATIONS OF 2. Conduct offshore aerial and boat-based surveys NORTH AMERICAN SEA DUCKS to define boundaries and level of use of staging, molting, and wintering areas. Common Eider, Northern Race (Somateria mollissima borealis) Population Dynamics: Very little information exists on annual productivity, survival, and recruit- Population Size and Trends: Northern Common ment. Although a project is underway on Eiders breed in the eastern Canadian Arctic, Southampton Island, a second is required to con- northern Québec, Labrador, and west Greenland. currently measure these parameters at other Thus, it is both logistically difficult and expensive breeding sites. to conduct breeding population surveys for this species. However, data on population size and 1. Continue to quantify annual survival, productiv- trends throughout this range are needed to monitor ity and recruitment of Northern Common Eiders at the population and establish levels of sustainable East Bay, Southampton Island, Nunavut. harvest. 2. Initiate a second study of survival, productivity, 1. Periodically repeat surveys of eider breeding and recruitment at another major nesting area in populations where historical data exist (e.g. south the low eastern Canadian Arctic, perhaps in Fro- Baffin Island, Ungava Bay, west Greenland). bisher Bay or along the south coast of Baffin Island where, (a) a study would be logistically feasible, 2. Initiate new surveys to establish baseline data (b) some baseline data already exist, and (c) where throughout the breeding range. Locations include significant proportions of the Northern Common Frobisher Bay and Cumberland Sound, where Eider ducks nest. Conduct regular winter surveys large numbers of Common Eiders are thought to in west Greenland and Newfoundland/ Labrador to breed. detect changes in population size, and sex ratios.

3. Develop new survey techniques (e.g. aerial sur- Establish several colony sites that are monitored veys of drakes) and refine existing techniques. concurrently each year. This would determine for the first time whether changes at colonies reflect

130 Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 Appendix II Sea Duck Joint Venture Strategic Plan only regional variation during summer or instead ticularly in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, changes in the population over the entire geo- where constrained logistics and extreme weather graphic range. The latter finding would suggest conditions often prohibit surveys. that any factors impacting large proportions of the population do so at wintering areas, where eiders 1. Identify key molting, brood-rearing, and winter- originating from several nesting areas across the ing areas in Arctic Canada and west Greenland. eastern Canadian Arctic congregate. Quantify the key environmental and habitat factors that influence habitat selection and annual varia- Population Ecology: Little is known about the fac- tion in habitat use. tors that influence adult survival and reproductive success of Northern Common Eiders. This infor- 2. Identify key nesting areas in Arctic Canada and mation is required to establish models that assess west Greenland. Quantify key environmental and the sustainability of harvest, population trends, habitat factors that influence nest site selection, and the potential of a species to recovery from pop- colony size, and annual variation in habitat use ulation declines. (e.g. island size, proximity to a mainland, and frequency of Polar Bear predation). 1. Continue to study factors affecting breeding ecology and survival of Northern Eiders at East Harvest Assessment: Northern Common Eiders are Bay, Southampton Island, Nunavut (Canadian known to be heavily harvested throughout their Wildlife Service and University collaborators). range, particularly in Greenland in winter where These include predation, weather, ice conditions, annual harvest estimates often exceed 100,000 contaminants, parasitology, nest site selection, and birds (F. Merkel, Greenland Institute of Nature). body condition of hens. Despite this, the influence of harvest on population dynamics remains poorly known. 2. Establish a second research study, perhaps in Frobisher Bay or along the south coast of Baffin Continue to monitor the subsistence and sport har- Island where, (a) a study would be logistically fea- vests of Northern Common Eider in Nunavut (i.e. sible, (b) some baseline data exist, and (c) where Nunavut Harvest Study is ongoing), Newfound- significant proportions of the Northern Common land, Labrador, and west Greenland (i.e. harvest Eiders nest. studies ongoing).

3. Initiate a study of winter ecology in southwest 2. Assess sources and degree of bias in harvest Greenland. Compare diet, survival, habitat use, reporting from each area, and establish correction and body condition across years, in different habi- factors to refine harvest estimates. tats (fjords vs. coasts), and among other Arctic eider populations. This study has been initiated by 3. Assess crippling loss of eiders under various F. Merkel (Greenland Institute of Nature) in col- harvest scenarios (e.g. shot over pack ice, solid ice, laboration with the Canadian Wildlife Service. from shore over open water, from boats etc.). Given their large size, fast flight, and often dense Habitat requirements: During nesting, molting, flocks, crippling loss is likely an important param- brood rearing, and at over-wintering sites, North- eter in harvest assessment. Approximately 26% of ern Common Eiders are vulnerable to disturbance Northern Eiders breeding in Hudson Strait and and potentially, food shortages. Large concentra- Foxe Basin carry imbedded shot (B. Barrow and tions of eiders may exist for several weeks at a sin- G. Gilchrist, CWS). gle location, and these sites must be identified with the long-term view of formal marine habitat pro- 4. Determine what proportion of Common Eiders tection under the Oceans Act and the revised harvested in Greenland breed in Canada. Prelimi- Canadian Wildlife Act. Research methods include nary examination suggests over 90% (F. Merkel, boat-based and aerial surveys, and satellite telem- Greenland Institute of Nature). etry. The latter technique has great potential, par-

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Parasites, Disease, Contaminants: There are few the nonbreeding and subadult component of the data on the levels of contaminants, parasites and population disease in Northern Common Eiders. However, collections are feasible because this race is har- 1. Develop and implement a coordinated, stan- vested by Inuit in Canada and Greenland through- dardized population survey throughout its range. out the year and across its range. 2. Conduct surveys to determine the status and 1. Compare levels of contaminants in recently col- location of nonbreeding and subadult eider. lected Northern Common Eiders to museum speci- mens to determine if levels have increased over the Population Definition/Delineation: The present past century. approach to manage this subspecies as one population unit may not be appropriate. Hunter band 2. Compare levels of contaminants found in North- returns indicate female eiders from breeding colo- ern Common Eiders to other North American and nies in different geographic areas use similar win- eider populations. A recent pan-Arctic comparison tering areas. However, band returns from females (M. Wayland, CWS) suggests that the Northern recaptured on breeding colonies indicate there is Common Eider carries higher metal concentra- no interchange between birds breeding in the Gulf tions (e.g. cadmium) than either the Hudson Bay of St. Lawrence, Maine, and New Brunswick and Race or the Western Arctic Race, and among the Nova Scotia. The extremes of the breeding range of highest concentrations of any sea duck. The effect dresseri are well known, but not the delineation of of these levels on reproduction and survival are not sub-populations. A genetic analysis of breeding known, and require further study. populations in different geographic areas has not been conducted, although some blood samples 3. Compare parasite loads (i.e. parasite species have been taken. present and number) found within Northern Com- mon Eiders across the population, during different 1. Assess population genetic characteristics of times of year, with other circumpolar Common breeding populations in different geographic areas Eiders and with other sea duck species. Such a of range. comparison would provide insights into whether Northern Common Eiders are heavily parasitized. 2. Determine affiliations between breeding, molt- Preliminary studies (C. James, University of ing and wintering areas. Guelph) indicate that nesting hens on Southampton Island are heavily parasitized, and that parasite Population Dynamics: Measures of nest/hatching levels vary considerably between individuals nest- success have been well studied and are available ing within a colony. The effect of these levels on on this race throughout its range. However, with reproduction and survival are not known, and the exception of survival estimates of adult females require further study. and several localized studies on brood rearing and duckling survival, there are no data on many Common Eider, Southern Race parameters of population dynamics. (Somateria mollissima dresseri) 1. Summarize available information on productiv- Population Size and Trends: Estimates of the ity and its geographic variability. breeding population are based on uncoordinated surveys, using different techniques conducted over 2. Determine reproductive success for this race in the last 25 years in different geographical areas. all major nesting areas. Published information indicates a stable or increasing population, but recent reports from 3. Continue mark-recapture studies of adult female Nova Scotia and Québec suggest regional survival at multiple locations (declining vs. stable decreases. Little information exists on the size of populations, if possible).

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4. Estimate breeding propensity (percentage of hens attempting to breed in a given year) in declin- 4. Identify and characterize molting sites of adult ing vs. stable populations, if possible. females.

5. Estimate duckling survival from hatch through 5. Quantify winter habitat use in relation to foods, fledging and its geographic variability. tides and ice conditions.

6. Estimate recruitment by marking older (2-6 Harvest Assessment: Harvest surveys for this race weeks) ducklings in declining vs. stable popula- are imprecise and may not be adequate to model tions, if possible. population effects of regulatory changes.

7. Determine the survival rate of other age-sex 1. Evaluate current surveys for adequacy at esti- cohorts of the population. Band adult males on mating harvest levels. molting areas. A study of marked birds is needed on both breeding and wintering areas. 2. Model the population to determine the impact of various harvest levels. 8. Conduct regular winter surveys to obtain information on the size of the population. 3. Determine if current restrictive measures are sufficient to maintain acceptable harvest rates. Population Ecology: Breeding ecology is the most studied aspect of population ecology for this race. Parasites, Diseases, Contaminants: Most data Additional localized studies have examined the available are derived from other races. birds on wintering areas. Important parameters necessary for their management have been largely 1. Sample birds for contaminants, diseases and neglected. There remain critical gaps in knowledge parasites. of ecology/life history of the population. Harlequin Duck, Eastern Population 1. Study the molting ecology of adult males. (Histrionicus histrionicus)

2. Study the molting ecology of adult females with Population Size and Trends: Information on the and without young. size and trend of the eastern seaboard wintering population needs to be refined. Little is known of 3. Study the ecology of subadults. the size and trends of the Greenland wintering population. 4. Study the ecology of wintering birds and its geographic variability. 1. Establish a monitoring program to better assess the size and trend of the eastern seaboard winter- Habitat requirements: With the exception of nesting population. ing, knowledge of habitat requirements is rudimen- tary or largely unknown. 2. Determine the size of the Greenland wintering population. 1. Characterize and quantify the characteristics of habitats preferred by females with broods by geo- 3. Determine the trend of the Greenland wintering graphic area. population.

2. Identify and characterize the habitat used by Population Definition/Delineation: There seem to nonbreeders and subadults. be two isolated populations in eastern North Amer- ica, one that winters on the eastern seaboard and 3. Identify and characterize molting sites of adult one that winters in Greenland. Preliminary genetic males. studies support this division, but better genetic

Marine Bird IBAs Near the Strait of Belle Isle and Northern Peninsula, Canadian Nature Federation. 2001 133 Appendix II Sea Duck Joint Venture Strategic Plan studies are needed to establish the degree of 2. Identify and characterize spring staging areas. genetic differentiation of the two populations. 3. Identify and characterize molting sites. 1. Determine the boundaries between breeding birds from Greenland and the eastern seaboard Identify and characterize important wintering wintering populations in Labrador and Québec. sites.

2. Undertake a comprehensive genetic analysis of Harvest Assessment: Hunting is not currently the various populations of Harlequin Ducks. allowed by law. However, the amount of illegal hunting and of subsistence harvest is poorly docu- 3. Determine affiliations of birds among breeding, mented. molting and wintering areas; locate breeding areas of birds wintering in Nova Scotia and in 1. Estimate the level of subsistence harvest in Can- Newfoundland ada and Greenland.

Population Dynamics: Basic population parame- 2. Educate local people living near major staging, ters are needed for the two eastern populations. molting and wintering areas about the status of the There are no reliable data on survival rates of species to reduce accidental harvest. young and adults. The mechanisms of selection of molting areas and even wintering areas are not Parasites, Disease, Contaminants: There is little known. information on body parasites. There is no information on the levels of contaminants in the eastern 1. Conduct studies of survival rates of adults and populations young. 1. Determine the level of contaminants in birds at 2. Study reproductive success on various rivers major wintering sites. and across years. 2. Determine the level of contaminants in birds 3. Obtain more accurate sex and age ratios for the from Greenland various wintering areas (Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and other peripheral wintering 3. Compare contaminants levels in males and areas). females.

Population Ecology: Breeding ecology of the east- Black Scoter ern population is poorly documented. Little is (Melanitta nigra) known of the effects of weather, food availability and spring runoff on reproductive success. Population Size and Trends: The population seems to number in the hundreds of thousands for this 1. Study factors affecting reproductive success. species, but there is little quantitative information available to assess population size and trends. The 2. Study dispersal behavior of young. number of Black Scoters breeding in Western Alaska appear to have declined, indicated by a Habitat requirements: Important rivers for breed- decline in total scoters in surveyed strata where ing remain to be located and characterized. Spring Black Scoters predominate. Similarly, the popula- staging areas have not been characterized nor well tion wintering in the Atlantic Flyway seems to be identified declining.

1. Identify and characterize rivers that are heavily 1. Develop a population estimate through stan- used by Harlequin Ducks. dardized surveys of scoter species.

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2. Delineate and monitor numbers of breeding been collected on food habits and feeding ecology Black Scoters in Alaska and Canada. in breeding and wintering areas, but additional studies are needed 3. Delineate and monitor numbers of wintering Black Scoters in Canada and the United States. 1. Quantify the reproductive live history for the Black Scoter in the various breeding areas. Population Definition and Delineation: There appear to be two geographic populations of Black 2. Assess the winter ecology for this species in the Scoters that are separated by their breeding and Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. wintering distribution; however, the delineation of these two populations is not well documented 3. Assess the molting ecology for this species (identification of nearctic breeding areas and the throughout its range. molting areas, migration corridors, and wintering areas associated with birds from those breeding 4. Assess the breeding ecology for this species areas). throughout its range.

1. Assess and improve surveys of the breeding 5. Assess diets during the summer, migration and range of the Black Scoter. winter for this species throughout its range.

2. Determine the molt areas of birds associated Harvest Assessment: The sport harvest is low in with various breeding areas. comparison with apparent overall population levels, but the accuracy of harvest estimates is poor. 3. Determine the migration corridors used between Subsistence harvest is poorly documented. breeding, molting and wintering areas. 1. Assess and improve the surveys for sport and 4. Determine wintering areas used by Black Sco- illegal harvest for this species. ters from various breeding areas. 2. Improve subsistence harvest estimates for 5. Determine seasonal movements of non-breeding Alaska and Canada. Black Scoters affiliated with breeding areas. Habitat Requirements: Breeding, molting and win- Population Dynamics: There are few data avail- ter habitat needs are not well documented, able on population dynamics for this species. although the location of many key areas have been documented. 1. Determine survival rates of birds from various breeding areas. 1. Characterize the breeding habitat in Alaska and Canada, and identify the factors responsible for 2. Determine production rates of birds from vari- their selection. ous breeding areas. 2. Characterize the molting habitat in Alaska and 3. Determine the age structure of breeding popula- Canada, and identify the factors responsible for tions. their selection.

4. Develop a demographic model for the species. 3. Characterize the wintering habitat in Alaska and Canada, and identify the factors responsible for Population Ecology: Studies of nesting ecology their selection. have been done in Québec, but larger and more geographically diverse studies are needed. In addi- Parasites, Disease, and Contaminants: Little is tion, breeding, molting, migration, and wintering known about parasites, disease, and contaminants ecology need to be better documented. Data have in the Black Scoter.

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4. Determine the wintering areas used by Surf Sco- 1. Screen Black Scoters for diseases and parasites ters from various breeding areas. on both the breeding and wintering areas. 5. Determine seasonal movements of non-breeding 2. Determine contaminant levels, especially lead, Surf Scoters affiliated with breeding areas. on both the breeding and wintering areas. Population Dynamics: There are few data on the Surf Scoter population dynamics of this species. (Melanitta perspicillata) 1. Determine production rates of birds from vari- Population Size and Trends: The population seems ous breeding areas. to number in the hundreds of thousands for this species, but there is little quantitative information 2. Determine survival rates of birds from various available to assess population size and trends. The breeding areas. numbers of Surf Scoters breeding in western Can- ada and perhaps Alaska are declining, as indicated 3. Determine the age structure for various breed- by a decline in total scoter numbers where Surf ing populations. Scoters predominate. Similarly, the population wintering in the Atlantic Flyway appears to be 4. Develop a demographic model for the species. declining. Population Ecology: Studies of nesting ecology 1. Develop a population estimate through stan- have been done in eastern and western Canada, dardized surveys of scoter species. but larger studies are needed. In addition, breeding, molting, migration, and wintering ecology 2. Delineate and monitor numbers of breeding Surf needs to be better documented. Data have been Scoters in Alaska and Canada. collected on food habits and feeding ecology in breeding and wintering areas, but additional stud- 3. Delineate and monitor numbers of wintering ies are needed. Surf Scoters in Canada and the United States. 1. Quantify the reproductive live history for the Population Definition and Delineation: Surf Sco- Surf Scoter in the various breeding areas. ters breed throughout the boreal forest, but appear to have larger nesting populations in western Can- 2. Assess the winter ecology for this species in the ada, Alaska and Québec. Breeding in the midconti- Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. nent prairies has declined significantly. The current nearctic breeding range should be fully 3. Assess the molting ecology for this species identified. Molt areas, migration corridors and throughout its range. winter areas associated with breeding populations also needs to be fully identified. 4. Assess the breeding ecology for this species throughout its range. 1. Assess and improve surveys of the breeding range of the Surf Scoter. 5. Assess diets during the summer, migration and winter for this species throughout its range. 2. Determine the molt areas associated with various breeding areas. Harvest Assessment: The sport harvest is low in comparison with apparent overall population lev- 3. Determine the migration corridors used between els. The level and composition of subsistence har- various breeding and wintering areas. vest is poorly documented. At present, estimates of sport and subsistence harvest are poor.

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1. Assess and improve the surveys of sport and illegal harvest for this species. 1. Endorsement Only - those that are seeking endorsement as an SDJV project, but not specifi- 2. Quantify subsistence harvest levels for Alaska cally requesting SDJV funds; and Canada. 2. Endorsement and Funding - those partially- Habitat Requirements: Breeding, molting and win- funded or unfunded projects seeking endorsement ter habitat needs are not well documented, as an SDJV priority and the SDJV's assistance in although the location of many key areas have been locating financial cooperators. documented. Endorsement Only proposals will be accepted at 1. Characterize the breeding habitat in Alaska and any time, given full but expedited review by the Canada, and identify the factors responsible for SDJV Continental Technical Team, and forwarded their selection. promptly to the Management Board with an endorsement recommendation and priority desig- 2. Characterize the molting habitat in Alaska and nation. The Board may act outside their regular Canada, and identify the factors responsible for meeting schedule to expedite support for these pre- their selection. funded projects meeting SDJV priority concerns.

3. Characterize the wintering habitat in Alaska and Endorsement and Funding proposals will require a Canada, and identify the factors responsible for full formal review by the SDJV Continental Techni- their selection. cal Team and will be reviewed when they are received. Proponents should submit proposals at Parasites, Disease, and Contaminants: Little is least one month before the next scheduled Board known about parasites, disease, and contaminants meeting to be considered for endorsement that year in the Surf Scoter. (contact an SDJV Coordination Office for dates of meetings). 1. Screen Surf Scoters for diseases and parasites on both the breeding and wintering areas. Planning Assistance. In order to promote and assist the development of project concepts and pro- 2. Determine levels of contaminants, especially posals, interested parties are encouraged to con- lead, on both the breeding and wintering areas. tact members of the SDJV Continental Technical Team to explore priority topics of research, the APPENDIX C - SEA DUCK JOINT VENTURE status of ongoing programs and prospects for GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION cooperative efforts. The Coordination Offices can AND EVALUATION help facilitate communication and provide a list of current projects in North America. Procedures for Proposal Submission SDJV Coordination Office SDJV Coordination The Sea Duck Joint Venture (SDJV) currently does Office not have a pool of funds to sponsor new research and monitoring projects independent of its member Canadian Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife agencies and organizations. The Joint Venture's Service role is to encourage and facilitate international 17 Waterfowl Lane, P.O. Box 6227 1011 East and cross-flyway studies focusing on high-priority Tudor Road information needs for sea duck populations, as Sackville, New Brunswick Anchorage, Alaska described in the Prospectus and Strategic Plan, 99503 available from the SDJV Coordination Offices. Canada E4L 1G6 USA Consequently, the SDJV will receive proposals in (506) 364-5013 (907) 786-3569 two categories:

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Proposal Format 11. Literature Cited: as appropriate.

Proposals should be complete and concise, but no 12. Personnel: Briefly describe the role and more than 10 pages in length and should include responsibilities of each key staff position in the the following: study and append a current curriculum vitae for the principal investigator(s). 1. Cover Page: Project title, Principal Investigator name(s) and affiliation, proposal category, key 13. Logistical Requirements: State needs for camp words, and date. facilities, aircraft support, or other special resources, including dates needed (for assessment 2. Problem/Issue Statement: What is the problem of potential cooperative efforts and shared sup- or issue addressed by the proposed work, in rela- port). tion to the SDJV priorities? (see the Strategic Plan) - 50 words. 14. Schedule: Beginning date, milestones, completion date. 3. SDJV Population(s) Targeted 15. Budget: One page (as an attachment) including 4. Justification: Combine more information and lit- personnel requirements, operating expenses, capi- erature review here. What new information will be tal costs, and administrative or overhead charges. generated? How will it solve the problem? Maxi- Summarize annual costs and total project costs mum 1 page. (multi-year). List all funds currently secured for the project, funds applied for, and cooperators. 5. Objectives or Hypotheses: Objectives should be specific, clear and concise. Both null and alternate 16. Letters of Commitment: Attach any letters of hypotheses should be stated. commitment from funding cooperators, endorse- ments or other documentation in support of the 6. Scope and Location: Provide a description of proposal. the proposed study area, camp locations, and staging sites. Does the project encompass an appropri- Progress and Final Reports ate portion of the population range and involve relevant jurisdictions to address the stated prob- Annual progress reports are required for all lems/issues? projects endorsed by the SDJV and should be sent to an SDJV Coordination Office. These should be 7. Experimental Design: Planned methods includ- 5-10 pages in length and MUST be prefaced by an ing statistical treatments. This section is critical to abstract (half-page). For ongoing projects, be sure determining scientific soundness. to describe accomplishments to date (including publications), confirm the need for continuing sup- 8. Anticipated Output: List expected products or port, and explain changes in the project since data sets. endorsement. Serious problems with project implementation should be identified. The following ques- 9. Management Implications: What is the signifi- tions should be answered by the report: cance of the work to management of the populations concerned? 1. Was the work carried out as planned? Explain variances. 10. Relationship to Other Projects: Describe the relationship of the proposed work to other 2. Is the work on schedule? Explain variances. projects, in terms of complementary scientific objectives, direct collaboration and/or shared 3. Are the results being used in management? resources. 4. Is partner support still committed?

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coordinate with other projects. Evaluation of each A final completion report is expected for each proposal will focus on the following critical ques- endorsed project. tions:

Send progress and final reports and requests for 1. Does the proposal address an SDJV popula- consideration of continuing support to an SDJV tion(s) or identified issue? Coordination Office by 1 November each year. A list of publications arising from the endorsed 2. What is the Strategic Plan Information Needs project would be appreciated. rank? A low score on this question may affect the likelihood of funding support or may lead to a Evaluation of Proposals request for more justification.

The Continental Technical Team will evaluate pro- 3. Is the proposal scientifically sound? (clear and posals in a timely manner and may request more specific objectives, sound design, realistic sched- information or clarification of content. The Team ule, achievable products, investigator’s experience may provide authors critical comments on objec- and record of accomplishments) A low score on tives and methods, make suggestions for improve- this question will lead to rejection or a request to ment, and point out potential opportunities to revise and resubmit.

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