I 1tu~.rl1 -I !3o/3 -I .I Proposal for the Designation of ,. I Izembek Lagoon
!~ as a
I Wetland of International Importance I Under the RAMSAR Convention I International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
ABSTRACT: The State of Alaska and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service propose I designation of 41,000 ha Izembek Lagoon as a Wetland of International Importance under the RAMSAR Convention. The convention was held in RAMSAR, Iran in 1975 and was sponsored by the International Union for the Conservation I of Nature and Natural Resources to promote international cooperation in the conservation of wetland habitats. Izembek Lagoon is a marine embayment located on the Bering Sea coast of the Alaska Peninsula, Alaska, USA. Lagoon I habitat is now managed by the State of Alaska as a Game Refuge and the surrounding uplands are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as National Wildlife Refuge. The lagoon contains what are probably the largest eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds in the world. The eelgrass beds are an I important source of food for migratory birds with as many as 150,000 ducks and 300,000 geese using the area during fall migration. Nearly the entire eastern Pacific coast population of brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) feed and stage I in the lagoon in fall and a large percentage of the world population of Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri) and emperor goose (Chen canagica) also use the area. Birds that use the area migrate and winter along both coasts of the Pacific Ocean and among the islands of the south Pacific. Designation of I the area as a Wetland of International Importance would serve to recognize the unique ecology of Izembek Lagoon and the importance of the area to migratory birds • I .. Report prepared by: Jon Andrew U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service I Division of Realty 1011 E. Tudor Road I Anchorage, AK 99508 (907) 786-3437 .t'1l.R1LXS _I Date prepared: February 1986 Alaska Resources Library & Information Services ~-'· Px-: A tr::s!.G:t I I
I TABLE OF CONTENTS .. ~I .. Title Page and Abstra.ct· •••••.••...•.••.•.•...•••..••••••...•...••... i List of Figures•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••iii ~ List of Photographs·••••••..•••••••.••.•••••.••..•••••••.•••••••..• iii I List of Tables ••• ~••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••iii The Ramsar Convent ion • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••- ••••••••.•••••••• . 1
.I Rationale for Designation of Izembek Lagoon as a Wetland of International Importance ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 2
I Description of Izembek Lagoon
Location and Topography ••••••••••_ ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 3 I Climate ••••••••••.••.•••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••••..••.•••. 3 Geology ••••••••..• •..•••.••...•••••••..•.•.•••••••.•..•••.••••.•.••• 3 Soils •••...... •••...... •...... •..•..•..••.•.....•.•.....• 6 I Energy·Resources •••••.••••••••• ~ ••••••••••••••••••••••••••- •••••••••• 6 Water Resources.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••·~····•••••••••6
Vegetation •••••••· ••••••• .- ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• -•••••• 7 I Fisheries•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••7 Wildlife ••.•••••••.•••••••••••..•••.•.••••••.••••••••••••.•••••••••• a I Land Ownership • .•.••••••••••••••••••••••.•.••••••.•••••••••••••••• • 11 Existing/Future Management Practices ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• lS Historic and Current Human Use ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• l6 I Threats •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 16 Major Research•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••17 I Literature Cited ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• l8 Appendices
Appendix A. The Ramsar Convention. A pamphlet describing the convention, its I purpose, obligations to member nations and current status.
Appendix B•. Legal description of land in the vicinity of Izembek Lagoon I proposed for designation as a Wetland of International Importance.
Appendix C. List of fish, bird and mammal species known to occur in or near I Izemb~k Lagoon, Alaska. Data from: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1985. Izembek National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan, Environmental Impact Statement I and Wilderness Review. Appendix D. Leaflets prepared by the U. s. Fish and Wildlife Service I describing Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. ii I ~-~ I
I LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Location of Izembek Lagoon and the proposed Wetland of I International Importance boundary. Figure 2. Fall migration route of the Pacific Flyway population of brant (Branta bernicla nigricans). Many other species of waterfowl and I shorebirds follow a similar route during fall migration.
I LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS Photograph 1. Aerial view of the central portion of Izembek Lagoon, Alaska looking north to the Bering Sea. An inactive U.S. Air Force radar station is located in the center of the photo.
Photograph 2. A few thousand of the brant which frequent Izembek Lagoon each I fall. Nearly the entire eastern Pacific coast population of brant, some 120,000 to 150,000 birds use the lagoon during the I fall migration Photograph 3. In some years as many as 18,000 emperor geese have been documented us1ng Izembek Lagoon. Most of the world population I of emperor geese nest and winter in Alaska. Photograph 4. Rock sandpipers and dunlin are common migrants at Izembek Lagoon and large numbers of rock sandpipers overwinter at I Izembek.
Photograph 5. Harbor seals frequently rest (haulout) on the sand beaches and I barrier islands bordering Izembek Lagoon and the Bering Sea. There are over 400 seals in this picture. I LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Summary of salmon catch and escapement data for Izembek Lagoon and adjacent Moffett Lagoon. Numbers are average annual catch and I average annual escapement, in thousands of fish, for the years 1969 to 1983. Data from Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of I Commercial Fisheries, Kodiak, AK. Table 2. Average peak population counts for selected waterfowl species using Izembek Lagoon. Data from Izembek National Wildlife Refuge for the I years 1975-77, 1979-83. iii I I I I I I
I THE "RAMSAR" CONVENTION
In 1971 a Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as I Waterfowl Habitat was held with the intention of providing a "framework for international conservation of wetland habitats." The convention has become popularly known as the "Ramsar Convention" after its place of adoption 1n Ramsar, Iran. The convention has been in force since 1975 following spring of 1985. The broad objectives of the "Ramsar Convention" are to "stem the loss of wetlands and to ensure their conservation." Member nations are expected to ·~I meet these objectives by promoting conservation of wetlands throughout their nation and by designating specific sites, in this case, Izembek Lagoon, as Wetlands of International Importance. Participating nations are required to designate at least one site under the convention. It is hoped that simply I through public recognition of an area's international importance conservation of the area will be promoted. I As of mid-1985 over 300 sites, comprising over 20,000,000 ha have been designated. There are, at present, no areas designated in the United States.
Selection criteria established under the convention are, by design, very broad I (Table 1). Nevertheless, the importance of sites to waterfowl is stressed.
A more complete description of the "Ramsar Convention" is provided in Appendix I A. I I I I I I I I 1 I I I
I RATIONALE FOR DESIGNATION OF IZEMBEK LAGOON AS A WETLAND OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE
Izembek Lagoon meets or exceeds the three criteria established by the Ramsar I Convention for designation of an area as a Wetland of International Importance (Appendix A.).
1 Criterion I
(a) The area regularly supports many times the minimum population sizes I listed for this criteria during the fall migration and in winter. Waterfowl populations number in the nundreds of thousands. Wader (the European term for shorebirds) use of Izembek Lagoon is unquantified J but is believed to exceed the minimum levels. (b) The area supports over 90% of the eastern Pacific coast population of brant, more than half the world population of emperor geese, and a I significant percentage of the world population of Steller's eiders and Taverner's Canada geese. I (c) Izembek is not used as a breeding area but does support breeding populations during migration as described above (I.a). I Criteria II (a) Animals and plants of the Izembek Lagoon area are not considered to be rare or vulnerable and none of the species have been designated as I threatened or endangered.
(b) The eelgrass beds of Izembek Lagoon are among the largest in the world I and are a valuable source of food for staging waterfowl prior to long over-water migration to wintering areas. Eelgrass is the principle food of brant. There are no eelgrass beds along the northern portion of their migration route capable of supporting the existing or I historically larger brant population levels. The area also supports large numbers of wintering waterfowl. I (c) See II (b). The fall migration and wintering portions of the life cycle of brant and other waterfowl are supported by Izembek Lagoon habitats.
I (d) There are no spec1es known to be endemic to Izembek Lagoon. I Criteria III The wetlands of Izembek Lagoon contain one of the largest eelgrass beds in the world. It is a prime example of a marine, vegetated, I intertidal wetland. Izembek is probably the largest lagoon of its type in Alaska.
I 2 I I I I
I LOCATION AND TOPOGRAPHY
Izernbek Lagoon is located approximately 1,000 krn southwest of Anchorage, I Alaska, USA, near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula (Figure 1, Photograph 1). The lagoon is in the Bristol Bay Coastal Lowland Province and is located between the Bering Sea to the northwest and lowlands of the Aleutian Mountain ] Range to the southeast. The nearest human settlement is the city of Cold Bay located 13 krn southeast of the lagoon. Also included in the proposal area ~s Moffett Lagoon at the north end of the Izernbek Lagoon complex. I The lagoon itself is about 48 krn long and varies in width from 5 to 10 krn. The area proposed for designation includes about 33,000 ha of tide and submerged land and 8,000 ha of islands and adjacent uplands.
About 78% of the lagoon area consists of mud flats and 22% tide channels. Depth of the lagoon at mean low lower tide ranges from less than a meter to as much as 7 meters in tributary-distributary channels. Depths are greatest at I points of flow between the lagoon and the open ocean. Elevations in some upland areas exceed 60 rn above sea level but topography immediately adjacent to the lagoon is generally flat to gently rolling. A legal description of the I lands being nominated for designation as a Wetland of International Importance is presented in Appendix B. I CLIMATE The Izernbek Lagoon area has a maritime climate varying to somewhat continental in winter when ice covers portions of the Bering Sea (McRoy 1966). Weather is I characterized by high winds, moderate and stable temperatures, long periods of cloud cover and frequent precipitation. Due to the peninsular location of Izernbek Lagoon weather conditions are stable and seasonality is less distinct I than in more interior locations. Annual precipitation averages 89 ern with most falling as rain in fall. An average of 150 ern of snow falls in the lagoon area from April to October. There are an average of only 13 cloud free days per year in the Cold Bay area. Temperatures average -2 C in winter and I 26 C in summer with extremes of -25 C and 78 C. Mean annual wind velocity is 27 krn/hr (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1985).
I GEOLOGY Lagoons are bodies of water separated from the ocean by offshore islands and I spits of marine origin. The formation of lagoons is believed to be the result of an emerging coastline. In this case emergence is probably the result of tectonic activity in the seismically active Aleutian arc which underlies the Aleutian mountain range. Emergence of the coastline coupled with the action I of winds, tides, offshore currents, sediment deposition and wave action have resulted in the formation of the sting embayment. Subsequently, the embayment resulted in increased deposition of sediments eventually reaching an I equilibrium with tidal action, sediment deposition and sea level. The increased deposition in turn resulted in the formation of extensive tide flats and the establishment of the vast eelgrass beds now present (McRoy 1970b).
I 3 I I I LIMtioM lzMek Mite .e RgeMm.Na.al IMiif"'fu~nditll pr~ed Wetlan.d of. International· Importance. -
1I t N l
KEY
-- lzembek NWR
lzembek SGR
Wetland of International Importance
Total acreage within refuge: 315,000~ Ac.
0 5 10 1:5 Mllu
·USFWS DIVISION OF REALTY ANCHORAGE I AK.
-~------·---~------.• -- ·-·\! I ._) ..__,! I I I I I I I I
Photograph 1. Aerial view of the central portion of Izembek Lagoon, Alaska I looking north to the Bering Sea. An inactive U.S. Air Force radar station is located in the center of the photo. I I I I I I I I 5 I Figure I. Location·of lzembek State Game Refuge, lzembek National Wildlife Refuge and the proposed Wetla'nd of'lnternational·lmportance. • t s N G l OAmak I.
KEY
Cope lzembek NWR Glazenop --- ' .. ,... lzembek SGR
1111~!1 Wetland of lnterna tiona I Importance
Total acreage within refuge: 315,000* Ac.
0 10 111 Mllu
USFWS DIVISION OF REALTY ANCHORAGE I AK. I
I Surficial geology of the broad coastal plain adjacent to Izembek Lagoon consists primarily of glacial outwash, drift and morainal materials deposited during the last glaciation (U. s. Fish and Wildlife Service 1985, Selkregg, et I al. 1975). SOILS
I An analysis of lagoon sediments made by McRoy (1966) revealed that spits and barrier islands consist mostly of sand and clay derived from offshore shelf areas. Sediments of eelgrass beds and lagoon channels contain small amounts I of silt and clay with those eelgrass beds less exposed to tidal influences having greater accumulations.
Soils of uplands adjacent to the lagoon are mostly typic cryandepts, a very I gravelly soil type derived from volcanic ash. Surficial deposits consist of glacial outwash, drift and morainal deposits with accumulations of beach and I estuarine materials in some locations. Soils of the lower Alaska Peninsula area have been rated unsuitable for forestry and agriculture (Reiger, Schoephorster and Furbush 1979). Permafrost I probably does not occur in the uplands adjacent to the lagoon (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1985). I ENERGY RESOURCES There are no known energy resources in the proposal area and no existing mineral rights on upland areas adjacent to the lagoon (U. S. Fish and Wildlife I Service 1985). However, offshore oil and gas deposits in the North Aleutian Basin may be substantial. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that there may be up to 279 million barrels of oil and one trillion cubic feet of natural gas I present in the Outer Continental Shelf sale area north-northwest and northeast of Unimak Island (U. S. Department of the Interior 1985). There are no known mineral deposits or geothermal occurrences in or near the proposal area I (McFadden 1970, Muffler 1979). WATER RESOURCES I Izembek Lagoon has been classed hydrographically as marine (McRoy 1970b). Dilution of sea water is slight, occurring only in the vicinity of streams and rivers which empty into the lagoon. Tidal cycles occur twice daily with flows concentrated around openings in the barrier islands and sand spits. Tidal I currents decrease in velocity with distance from barrier island openings to less than detectable levels in eelgrass beds.
The volume of the tidal prism has been estimated by McRoy (1966) to be 67% of the lagoon volume at mean high water and the mean tidal range is 1 m. At low tide an intricate system of channels and tide pools is present while at high I tide the lagoon is a shallow basin usually less than 3 to 4 m deep. Portions of the lagoon freeze intermittently during winter but rarely does the entire lagoon ice over (McRoy 1970b).
I 6 u I I
I VEGETATION Tidal and subtidal portions of Izembek Lagoon contain what are probably the largest eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds in the world. The presence of a I shallow basin protected from the direct influence of tides, current and the action of wind and waves have combined to provide an ideal substrate for the growth of eelgrass. An estimated 60 to 70% of the 218 sq km Izembek Lagoon is I vegetated with eelgrass (McRoy 1970b). McRoy (1970b) describes two types or "physiological races" of eelgrass in Izembek Lagoon. Eelgrass beds located in shallow pans are isolated from tidal influences on a daily basis, and support I eelgrass with lower root and rhizome biomass, higher turion density and shorter, narrower leaves than in subtidal eelgrass beds which are continuously exposed to ambient lagoon waters. Differences in growth form and reproduction are attributable to water temperature with eelgrass beds of tide pools I experiencing temperatures (exceeding 15 C) which stimulate reproductive growth. The higher temperatures of the tidal pools are a function of the occurrence of spring, low tides during daylight hours. Water temperatures 1n I tide pools are thus raised to levels suitable for reproductive growth by insolation. In winter low tides occur during darkness and no such reproductive growth occurs. Barsdate, Nebert and McRoy (1974) documented the importance of I the eelgrass beds of Izembek Lagoon in the cycling of nutrients. It was found that water flowing from Izembek Lagoon was similar in many ways to water flowing into the Bering Sea from terrestrial sources such as rivers.
I It was estimated that 166,000 metric tons of carbon, 7,400 metric tons of nitrogen and 1,660 metric tons of phosphorous are produced annually in Izembek Lagoon and that nearly all of these nutrients exit the lagoon in the form of I detached eelgrass. Substantial amounts of these nutrients also exit the lagoon in dissolved form. The importance of nutrients exported to the Bering Sea system is not known but may play a major role in the regional food web (Barsdate, Nebert and McRoy 1974). Terrestrial vegetation in uplands adjacent I to Izembek Lagoon is of three principal types. The wet Calamagrostis meadow borders the lagoon itself and is just upland from intertidal areas. Dominant plants include Calamagrostis sp., various Carex species and Equisetum I arvense. In elevated areas a mesic heath vegetation type is dominant. Principal species of this type are Empetrum nigrum, Arctostaphylus alpina and Ledum decumbens. Depressions close to the coast that are not tidally I influenced contain a low sedge-dwarf shrub-peatland vegetation type. Dominant species include Carex aquatilus, Empetrum nigrum, Andromeda polifolia and several species of Sphagnum (pers. comm. S. Talbot, Regional Botanist, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service). A list of the plant species known to occur on I Izembek National Wildlife Refuge is presented in Appendix C. I FISHERIES The proposal area 1s migratory, spawning or nursery habitat for 39 species of fish (see Appendix C for species list) (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service I 1985). Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and sockeye salmon (0. nerka) are harvested in large numbers in the vicinity of Izembek lagoon and smaller g 7 I I I numbers of pink (0. gorbuscha), king (0. tshawytscha) and coho (0. kisutch) are also taken (Table 1). Although use has not been quantified it is very likely that Izembek Lagoon provides essential nursery and feeding habitat for substantial numbers of these salmon.and other commercial fish species.
WILDLIFE
I The location of Izembek Lagoon along avian migration routes and the presence of an abundant food resource (eelgrass) have combined to make Izembek Lagoon one of the most important migratory bird staging and wintering habitats in the world. More than 82 species of birds have been documented using habitats in the vicinity of Izembek Lagoon (Appendix C. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Serv{ce 1985). Use of the lagoon is greatest in fall when as many as 300,000 geese I and 150,000 ducks may be present (Table 2). Eelgrass is the most important food in the diet of brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) comprising 80% or more of foods consumed by wintering birds I (Schroeder 1984). It is not surprising then, that nearly the entire Pacific Flyway population of brant, some 120 to 150,000 birds, use the lagoon each fall while enroute to wintering grounds on the southern Pacific Coast (U. S. I Fish and Wildlife Service 1985, Figure 2, Photograph 2). I
I
I Photograph 2. A few thousand of the brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) which frequent Izembek Lagoon each fall. Nearly the entire eastern Pacific coast population of brant, some 120,000 to 150,000 birds use the lagoon in migration.
8 I I I I Table 1. Summary of salmon catch and escapement data for Izembek Lagoon and adjacent Moffett Lagoon. Numbers are average annual catch and escapement, in thousands, for the period 1969 to 1983. Data from Alaska Department of Fish I and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Kodiak. I Catch · Escapement Pink Salmon 150 160 Chum Salmon 77,400 1113,040 Sockeye Salmon 11,920 8,880 I King Salmon 0 670 I Coho Salmon 10 No Data I Table 2. Average peak population counts for selected waterfowl species using Izembek Lagoon. Data from Izembek National Wildlife Refuge for the years I 1975-1977, 1979-1983.* Mean Peak Count (n)** Range of Peak Counts
I Canada Goose 42,842 (8) 22,185 - 58,391 Emperor Goose 8,236 (8) 590 - 18,293 Black Brant 147,147 (5) 63,100 - 266,499 I Steller's Eider 63,439 (3) 38,835 - 91,895
* Information on use by other species of waterfowl and shorebirds was not I available. I ~7 n ~ number of years with peak count information. I I I I 10 I I I I In some years substantial numbers of brant (10,000 were present in 1982) may over winter on the lagoon {U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1984). In I addition to brant, large numbers of emperor geese {Chen canagica) and Taverner's Canada geese {Branta canadensis taverni) migrate through the Izembek Lagoon area each fall with small numbers remaining over winter (Figure 3, Photograph 3). As many as 140,000 northern pintails {Anas I acuta) have been documented using Izembek Lagoon and a major portion of the world population of Steller's eiders {Polysticta stelleri) winter on Izembek Lagoon. In late summer the lagoon also supports large I populations of failed or nonbreeding Steller's eiders which use the area for moulting. Most of these birds originate from breeding grounds in the Soviet arctic (Dau, Sarvis and Jones 1985). Population estimates for the I major species of waterfowl using the lagoon are summarized in Table 2. Numbers of shorebirds using the Izembek Lagoon area have not been quantified but over 20 species are known to use lagoon habitats I {Photograph 4). Major species using the area include, rock sandpiper {Calidris ptilocnemis), dunlin {Calidris alpina), sanderling (Calidris al,ba) and western sandpiper {Calidris mauri) {pers. comm. R. Gill, I research biologist, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service).
Izembek Lagoon is especially critical for the. many species of waterfowl I and shorebirds that undertake transoceanic flights to wintering habitats on the lower Pacific coast or southern Pacific islands. Staging habitats at Izembek Lagoon provide the last opportunity for migrating birds to build lipid reserves prior to long over water flights to these wintering I a~eas {Figure 2). .
As can be seen in Figure 2 the Izembek Lagoon area is of international I importance to migratory birds. The area is used by birds that nest and/ or winter along the Pacific Rim including the Soviet Union, Canada, I Japan, Australia and Mexico as well as the United States. Sand spits and barrier island beaches surrounding the lagoon are haulout sites for harbor seals {Phoca vitulina) with as many as 5,000 present at one time {Photograph 5). An estimated 500 to 1,000 sea otters {Enhydra I lutris) and 100 Steller's sea lions {Eumetopias jubatus) frequent the lagoon and nearby offshore areas for feeding and resting (Frost et al. 1982). A variety of mammals use habitats adjacent to the lagoon. Some I of the more common species include river otter (Lutra canadensis), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), mink (Mustela vison), wolverine (Gulo gulo) and short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea) (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1985). A complete list of mammals known to use the Izembek Lagoon area I is included in Appendix c. I LAND OWNERSHIP Tide and submerged lands are owned by the State of Alaska by operation of the Tide and Submerged Lands Act. Lands above the line of mean high tide I that are within the proposal area are owned by the U. S. Government and managed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I 11 I 0~ .. ------p
U.S.S.R.
Can~da -----
U.S .• A.
0 '
Figure 2. Fall migration route of .the eastern Pacific Coast population of .brant CBranta bernicla nigricans) from Canadian, So.viet and American breeding grounds Many other species of waterfowl and shorebirds follow a similar route. I I I I I I I I
Photograph 3. In some years as many as 18,000 emperor geese have been I documented using Izembek Lagoon. Most of the world population I of emperor geese nest and winter in Alaska. I I I I I I I Photograph 4. Rock sandpipers and dunlin are common migrants at Izembek Lagoon and large numbers of rock sandpipers overwinter at I Izembek. 13 I 'I I I I • I I I I I
Photograph 5. Harbor seals frequently rest (haulout) on the sand beaches and I barrier islands bordering Izembek Lagoon and the Bering Sea. There are over 400 seals in this picture. I I I I I I I I 14 I 1 I I EXISTING/FUTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES All lands within the area proposed for designation as a Wetland of International Importance are government designated conservation lands. Izembek Lagoon was established as a State Game Refuge in 1972. The purpose of I the refuge is: " ••• to protect and preserve the natural habitat and game populations in certain areas of the state" (Alaska Statute 16.20.020). The area is jointly managed by the Alaska Departments of Natural Resources and I Fish and Game. Management of state game refuges focuses on a species or group of species, in this case, migrating and wintering waterfowl. Management intensity at Izembek Lagoon is low. No state personnel are permanently stationed at the refuge and no active habitat manipulation is underway or I planned. Land uses may proceed if the proposed use is compatible with maintenance of fish and wildlife populations. Public uses, such as hunting and fishing are permitted under the same regulati6ns for areas not designated I as game refuge (Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game 1982). Management of state lands in the Izembek area and throughout the Bristol Bay region are governed I by the state Bristol Bay Area Plan for State Lands adopted in 1984. Upland areas under the management authority of the Fish and Wildlife Service are within the boundary of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge (INWR). Izembek , I National Wildlife Refuge wis originally established as a reserve for all forms of wildlife and was managed under this broad objective for its first 20 years. In 1980, Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) designated about 300,000 of Izembek NWR's 321,000 acres as wilderness. The I refuge objectives as established by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (Section 302(2)(B) are as follows: I (i) to conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats 1n their natural diversity including, but not limited to, waterfowl, shorebirds, and other migratory birds, brown bears, and salmonids;
I (ii) to fulfill the international treaty obligations of the United States with respect to fish and wildlife and their habitats;
I I (iii) to provide, in a manner consistent with purposes set forth in subparagraphs (i) and (ii), the opportunity for continued subsistence uses by local residents; and
I (iv) to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable and 1n a manner consistent with the purposes set forth in subparagraph (i), water quality I and necessary water quantity within the refuge. A Congressionally mandated Comprehensive Conservation Plan for INWR was completed in 1985 and will guide use of the refuge for the foreseeable I future. Most of the land under proposal is within an area designated for minimal management or management as wilderness. Wilderness areas are managed so as to: "preserve the wilderness character of the biological and physical I features, and provide opportunities for research, subsistence and I 15 I I I recreation." Hunting, fishing and trapping are allowable uses and fish and wildlife habitats are generally not manipulated.'' Minimal management areas I are administered in a similar way except that planned habitat alterations or costruction of public use and administrative facilities could occur. Such construction would would be limited to the extent needed to ensure v1s1tor safety and proper administration of the refuge (U. S. and Wildlife Service 1985). I Pamphlets describing Izembek National Wildlife Refuge have been prepared by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Appendix D) but are in need of updating.
A Memorandum of Understanding has been proposed to insure compatible I management of state and federal refuges by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U. s. Fish and Wildlife Service.
I HISTORIC AND CURRENT HUMAN USE
A limited amount of archeological work has been done in the Izembek Lagoon I area but 36 sites are listed on the Alaska Heritage Resource Survey for INWR. In addition, eleven historic site applications have been made under section 14(h)l of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Most of the above areas are midden sites located along the edge of the lagoon. One of these sites I dates to 950 A.D. and appears to be transitional between Aleut and Eskimo materials {McCartney 1974). Given the abundant fish and wildlife resources of the region it is likely that many more sites exist and will be documented I following more intensive surveys (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1985). An estimated 30,102 activity hours of public use occurred on INWR in 1982-83. I The area is used primarily by residents of Cold Bay a predominantly non-Native settlement of 228 people located roughly 6 miles from the lagoon.
There is a substantial road system in the Cold Bay area totalling some 47 I miles which provides year-round access to the lagoon area by two-wheel drive vehicles. Other means of access to the lagoon include boats and wheeled aircraft which land in subtidal areas on barrier islands bordering the I lagoon. Current recreational uses of the Izembek Lagoon include hiking, beachcombing, camping and nature photography as well as most of the waterfowl hunting that takes place on INWR. Commercial use of the area is confined to I harvests of salmon by fishing boats originating in King Cove and False Pass. THREATS
I Direct threats to the resources of Izembek Lagoon are generally not imminent and of low intensity. This is primarily due to the designation of the area as a State Game Refuge and National Wildlife Refuge. Such designation affords I state and federal agencies with the authority to regulate uses of the area. In this regard the Alaska Department of Natural Resources has closed Izembek Lagoon to oil and gas leasing. The state has also established standards for I development of adjacent lands to account for threats to the area resulting I 16 I l
I from increased exploration and development of oil and gas resources located in the North Aleutian Basin, northwest of Izembek Lagoon. Such impacts might include disturbance to migratory birds resulting from aircraft and helicopter overflights to and from areas being developed for oil and gas. Such activity I was documented as a disturbance factor in 1985 by Izembek National Wildlife Refuge staff. The possibility of a major oil spill entering the lagoon or the construction of oil pipelines and support facilities in the general area are I also potential threats. A much larger human population, also related to oil and gas development, might indirectly impact the fish and wildlife resources of the area, e.g., overharvest of waterfowl, although many of these types of I impacts are covered by existing regulations (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1985). I MAJOR RESEARCH Research conducted on the resources of Izembek Lagoon has concentrated on the ecology of eelgrass and use of the area by migratory birds. Eelgrass studies I have been underway since 1963 and have been conducted primarily by the Institute of Marine Science of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. See McRoy (1970a), Barsdate, Nebert and McRoy (1974), and McRoy (1970b) for a summary of major findings. Monitoring of the migratory bird populations of I Izembek Lagoon has continued since the early 1960s. Despite the great concentrations of waterfowl present in the area, there are few published reports on the migratory bird resources of Izembek Lagoon. McKinney (1957, I 1965) reported on the behavior of black seaters (Melanitta nigra) and Steller's Eiders and Jones (1966, 1970 and 1974) published several papers on I the brant populations of Izembek Lagoon. In recent years efforts to monitor bird populations have intensified as funding and staffing levels have increased. In addition, declines in the populations of brant and emperor geese have prompted more intensive monitoring I of wintering and staging populations. Surveys now include measures of productivity for emperor geese and brant (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1983, 1984). Information from survey efforts is summarized in a number of I unpublished field reports. The Flyway Management plans prepared for brant and emperor goose (Pacific Waterfowl Flyway Council 198la, 1981b) contain some of I this information. An overview of the natural resources of the region is provided in the Comprehensive Conservation Plan for Izembek National Wildlife Refuge (U. S. I Fish and Wildlife Service 1985). I I I 17 I I ·I. .
I LITERATURE CITED
Alaska Department of Fish and Game. 1982. Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game I Special Areas Program Document. Habitat Division. Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game. Anchorage, Alaska. 17 pp.
Barsdate, R. J., M. Nebert and C. P. McRoy. 1974. Lagoon contributions to I ... sediments and water and the Bering Sea. Proc. of the Int. Symp. on Oceanography of the Bering Sea. 34 pp. I Dau, C. P., J. Sarvis and R. D. Jones, Jr. 1985. Temporal and spatial distribution of recoveries of Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) banded on the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. Alaska Migratory Bird I Conference and Workshop. Anchorage, Alaska (abstract only). Frost, K. J., L. F. Lowry and J. J. Burns. 1982. Distribution of marine mammals in the coastal zone of the Bering Sea during summer and I autumn. Final Report, Research Unit #613. Contract #NA 81 RAC 000 50. 188 pp. I Jones, R. D., Jr. and D. M. Jones. 1966. The process of family disintegration in the black brant. Wildfowl 17:73-78.
Jones, R. D.~ Jr. 1970. Reproductive success and age distribution of black I brant. J. Wildl. Manage. 34:328-333.
Jones, R. D., Jr. 1974. A method for appraisal of annual reproductive I success in the black brant population. Master of Science Thesis. Univ. ·Alaska, Fairbanks. 117 pp. I McCartney, A. P. 1974. Prehistoric cultural integration along the Alaska Peninsula. Anthropological Papers of the Univ •. of Alaska, Vol. 16 No. 1, PP• 59-84.
I McFadden, W. A. 1970. Revised mineral appraisal of the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Unpublished U. S. Geological Survey Administrative Report in Wilderness Record-Izembek Wilderness I Proposal. U. S. Burea~of Sport Fish and Wildlife. Anchorage, AK. McKinney, F. 1958. Waterfowl at Cold Bay, Alaska, with notes on the display I of the black seater. Wildlfowl Trust Annu. Rep. 10:133-140. 1965. The spring behavior of wild Steller's eiders. Condor I 67:273-290. Muffler, L. J. P., ed. 1979. Assessment of geothermal resources of the I United States--1978. U. S. Geological Survey Circular 790. 163 pp.
I 18 I I l
I McRoy, C. P. 1966. The standing stock and ecology of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in Izembek Lagoon, Alaska. M. s. Thesis. Univ. Alaska. College, Alaska. 138 PP•
I 1970a. Standing stocks and other features of eelgrass (Zostera marina) populations on the coast of Alaska. J. Fish. Res. Bd. of Canada. 27:1811-1821 • I • 1970b. On the biology of eelgrass in Alaska. PhD. I dissertation. Univ. Alaska. College, AK. 156 pp. Pacific Waterfowl Flyway Council. 198la. Draft Management Plan--Pacific Coast Brant. Prepared by the Technical Committee. 75 pp.
I 198lb. Draft Emperor Goose Management Plan. 18 pp.
Reiger, s., D. B. Schoephorster and C. E. Furbush. 1979. Exploratory soil I survey of Alaska. USDA, Soil Conservation Service. Anchorage, AK. 213 pp.
Selkregg, L. L. ed. 1975. Alaska regional profiles, Volume I: Southcentral I region. Univ. Alaska, Arctic Environmental and Information Center. Anchorage, AK. 254 pp.
I Schroeder, R. L. 1984. Habitat suitability index models: Black brant. U. s. Fish and Wildt. Serv. FWS/OBS-82/10.63. 11 pp. I U. S. Department of the Interior. 1985. The Bristol Bay regional management plan and final environmental impact statement. Volume I. Bristol Bay Study Group and the Alaska Land Use Council. Anchorage, Alaska. 411 I PP• , U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1982, 1983, 1984. Izembek National Wildlife I Refuge annual narrative report. Cold Bay, AK. 1985. Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan, Environmental Impact Statement and Wilderness I Review. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Anchorage, AK. 270 pp. I I I
I 19 I I APPENDIX A .
• THE RAMSAR CONVENTION
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat What areas are covered by the Convention? The Convention takes an extremely broad ap proach in determining the "wetlands" which come under its aegis. Wetlands are defined as: "areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine waters, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres''. In addition, the Convention provides that wetlands "may in corporate riparian and coastal zones adjacent to the wetlands and islands or bodies of marine water deeper than six metres at low tide lying within the wetlands''. As a result of these provi sions, the coverage of the Convention extends to a wide variety of habitat types including rivers, coastal areas and even coral reefs! Why conserve wetlands? Wetlands are among the world's most produc tive environments. They provide tremendous economic benefits to mankind through fishery What is the Ramsar Convention? production- over two-thirds of the world's The Convention on Wetlands of International fish harvest is linked to the health of wetland Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, areas - the maintenance of water tables for sometimes also known as the Ramsar Conven agriculture, water storage and flood control, tion from its place of adoption in 1971 in Iran, shoreline stabilisation, timber production, is an international treaty which provides the waste disposal and water purification, and framework for international cooperation for recreational opportunities. the conservation of wetland habitats. Because wetlands are very important for ecological processes as well as for their rich flora and fauna, the broad objectives of the Convention are to stem the loss of wetlands and to ensure their conservation. To meet these objectives, the Convention places general obligations on Contracting State Par ties relating to the conservation of wetlands throughout their territory, and special obliga tions pertaining to those wetlands which have been designated in a "List of Wetlands of In ternational Importance''. The Convention entered into force in late 1975 following the accession of the seventh State Party, Greece. As of mid-1985, it has 40 Con tracting State Parties throughout the world. Wetlands provide critical habitats for water fowl and other birds as well as for countless mammal, reptile, amphibian, fish and in vertebrate species, many of which are threatened with extinction. The richness of wetlands can also be seen in that wetlands can produce up to eight times as much plant matter as wheat fields! But these riches can only be maintained if the ecological processes of wetlands are allowed to continue functioning. Unfortunately, wet lands are among the world's most threatened habitats due mainly to accelerated drainage, land reclamation, pollution and over exploitation of wetland species.
How can a Convention help? Wetlands are truly international habitats and cooperation among States is therefore a necessity for effective wetland conservation. The health of wetland habitats is dependent upon the quality and quantity of their water supply. Wetlands are affected, for example, far as possible, the wise use of wetlands in by human impacts upon streams and rivers. their territory. Significantly, the Contracting These impacts can occur at considerable Parties have interpreted this wise use require distances from the wetland areas and in many ment to mean the maintenance of the eco cases beyond national borders. Wetlands are logical character of wetlands, which has also seriously degraded by transboundary air important implications for wetland conserva and water pollution. Finally, much of the tion measures. wetland fauna are migratory species whose conservation and management require inter A second obligation under the Convention is national cooperation. the designation of wetlands for inclusion in a "List of Wetlands of International It was against this background that the Con Importance''. Specific conservation duties vention was adopted in 1971, following a pertain to the listed sites. At least one site series of international conferences and must be designated by each Contracting technical meetings, mainly held under the Party with selection based on "international auspices of the International Waterfowl significance in terms of ecology, botany, Research Bureau (IWRB). zoology, limnology or hydrology". Criteria for selection (seep. 13), with greatest relevance to importance for waterfowl, have been Obligations under the Convention adopted by the Contracting Parties. The Con It is explicitly stated in the Convention that tracting Parties, furthermore, are obliged to there is a general obligation for the Contrac inform the International Union for Conserva ting Parties to include wetland conservation tion of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) considerations within their national land-use as Convention Bureau of any changes or like planning. They are required to formulate and ly changes in the ecological character of any implement this planning so as to promote, as listed site.
2 3 Finally, Contracting Parties are obliged to promote the conservation of wetlands in their territory through the establishment of nature reserves. This applies to all wetlands whether or not they are included on the List.
The List of Wetlands of International Importance In practice, the Contracting Parties have gone far beyond the mandatory designation of only one site: as of mid-1985 some 300 sites cover ing in excess of 20,000,000 hectares have been designated for the List. Furthermore, no site has been deleted from the List and replaced by another, despite the possibility that this might be done by a Contracting Party in its ''urgent national interest''. Of all aspects of the Convention, the List has attracted greatest international attention. Plac ing an area on the Ramsar List has had con siderable impact upon the conservation of the area and upon public recognition of the global importance of the site. Listing under Two examples of Ramsar Convention Sites the Convention has become a very important 1. Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia conservation tool. Ichkeul (l 0,000 ha) is one of the main sites in It can be noted that although most Contracting the Mediterranean region for wintering water Parties have designated wetland sites for the fowl and is essential in the Palearctic water List on the basis of their importance for water fowl migration cycle. The wetland site of the fowl, other faunal and floral interests are often National Park comprises an isolated wooded taken into account, with the result that a rather massif and Lake Ichkeul, a permanent lake in comprehensive selection of major wetland directly connected to the sea via Lake Bizerte types is included on the List, especially for and the Tindja Wadi. Lake lchkeul is fed by the Western Palearctic Region. wadis which dry up in summer, causing the level of the lake to fall and salt water from Lake Bizerte to flow in. It should also be noted that Ramsar sites may encompass very large areas. For example, The land around the marshes has been partly Canada has designated sites which in total exploited for agriculture. The construction of are in excess of ten million hectares; barrages in several of the wadis which feed Mauritania has designated one area of the lake with fresh water is endangering the 1,173,000 hectares; and the USSR has desig ecosystem of the entire region. International nated sites totalling 1,227,800 hectares. attention has been drawn to this Ramsar site On the other hand, Contracting Parties such and efforts are being made by the Tunisian as Italy and Denmark have demonstrated the Government to reconcile development re value of listing several small sites within na quirements with international obligations to tional networks. safeguard the area.
4 5 RAMSAR
~ontracting Parties Parties contractantes Partes Contratantes
,~ .-::.&.·• •...... --•• ..'r' ' ..
•. ..
..
~ ,:....-.... . \ / ·,; / • CONVENTION ON WETLANDS OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE ESPECIALLY AS WATERFOWL HABITAT CONVENTION RELATIVE AUX ZONES HUMIDES D'IMPORTANCE INTERNATIONALE PARTICULIEREMENT COMME HABITATS DE LA SAUVAGINE CONVENCION RELATIVA A LOS HUMEDALES DE IMPORTANCIA INTERNACIONAL ESPECIALMENTE COMO HABITAT DE AVES ACUATICAS List of Contracting Parties Liste des Parties contractantes ' Lista de las Partes Contratantes S: Signature without reservation as to ratification Signature sans reserve de ratification Firma sin reserva de ratificacion R: Ratification/ratificacion A: Accession/adhesion/adhesion Country/pays/pais Date/fecha Algeria/ Algerie/ Argelia 04.11.1983 (A) Australia/ Australie/ Australia 08.0E.l974 (S) Austria/ Autriche/ Austria 16.12.1982 (A) Bulgaria/Bulgarie/Bulgaria 24.09.1975 (S) Canada/Canada/Canada 15.01.1981 (A) Chile/Chili/Chile 27.07.1981 (A) Denmark/Danemark/Dinamarca 02.09.1977 (A) Egypt!Egypte/Egipto Finland/Finlande/Finlandia 28.05.1974 (R) Germari· Democratic Republic/ Republique democratique allemande/ 31.07.1978 (A) Republica Democratica Alemana Germany, Federal Republic of/ Allemagne, Republique federale d'/ 26.02.1976 (R) Republica Federal de Alemana Greece/Grece/Grecia 21.08.1975 (A) Hungary/Hongrie/Hungria 11.04.1979 (A) Iceland/lslande/lslandia 02.12.1977 (A) lndia/lnde/India 01.10.1981 (A) Iran/Iran/Iran 23.06.1975 (R) Ireland/lrlande/lrlanda 15.11.1984 (R) Italy/Italie/ltalia 14.12.1976 (R) Japan/Japon/Japon 17.06.1980 (A) Jordan/J ordanie/J ordania I 0. 0 1.1977 (A) Mali/Mali/Mali Mauritania/Mauritanie/Mauritania 22.10.1982 (A) Morocco/Maroc/Marruecos 20.06.1980 (A) Netherlands/Pays-Bas/Paises Bajos 23.05.1980 (R) New Zealand/Nouvelle-Zelande/ 13.08.1976 (S) Nueva Zelandia Norway/Norvege/Noruega 09.07.1974 (S) Pakistan/Pakistan/Pakistan 23.07.1976 (R) Poland/Pologne/Polonia 22.11.1977 (A) Portugal/Portugal/Portugal 24.11.1980 (R) Senegal/Senegal/Senegal 11.07.1977 (A) South Africa/ Afrique du Sud/ Africa del Sur 12.03.1975 (S) Spain/Espagne/Espaiia 04.05.1982 (A) Suriname/Surinam/Surinam 22.07.1985 (A) Sweden/Suede/Suecia 05.12.1974 (S) Switzerland/Suisse/Suiza 16.01.1976 (R) Tunisia/Tunisie/Tunez 24.11.1980 (A) Union of Soviet Socialist Republics/ Union des Republiques socialistes sovietiques/ 11.10.1976 (R) Union de las Republicas Socialistas Sovieticas United Kingdom of Great Britain and 05.01.1976 (R) Northern Ireland/Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord/ Reina Unido de Gran Bretaiia e Irlanda del Norte Uruguay/Uruguay/Uruguay 22.05.1984 (A) Yugoslavia/Y ougoslavie/Yugoeslavia 28.03.1977 (A) 2. Netherlands Wadden Sea How is the Convention run? The Netherlands Wadden Sea (25,000 ha) is The Contracting Parties meet regularly to an area under constant human pressure. The discuss national experiences, to review the area has tremendous economic significance status of sites on the List, to promote with its large gasfields and with the extensive cooperative activities and to hear reports and intensive agriculture and fisheries it sup from international organizations. Such ports. It also provides exercise grounds for meetings have been held on three occasions: the Netherlands' army and navy, supports a in Cagliari, Italy (1980); in Paris, France (1982): large tourist industry and includes significant and in Groningen, Netherlands (1984). The industrial centres and harbour facilities. next meeting is scheduled for Saskatchewan, The site provides critical habitat for numerous Canada, m 1987. Secretariat services for the waterfowl, fish, invertebrate and plant Convention are provided by IUCN, as Con species. Seal populations, which once were vention Bureau. IUCN is assisted in this task thriving in the area, are now seriously by the IWRB as Scientific Adviser. The United threatened. Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) acts as Convention The designation of the site on the Ramsar List Depositary. has been greeted by European conserva tionists as an important recognition of the in tention of the Government of the Netherlands What do the Contracting Parties say? to ensure the conservation of the area despite National reports on the implementation of the its intensive use. The task is a daunting one. Convention which have been submitted to It is interesting to note that a Resolution was Conferences of the Contracting Parties pro adopted at the Second Conference of the vide an interesting overview of national ex Contracting Parties for the remaining area of periences. Italy has indicated that its general the Wadden Sea (under the jurisdiction of national policy on wetland conservation has Denmark and of the Federal Republic of Ger been based on the Convention and that it has many) also to be placed on the List. The coun stimulated active conservation collaboration tries concerned have agreed that this will pro between its Central Government and Regions. vide an additional mechanism for regional Hungary has noted that the Convention pro cooperation for nature conservation. vides important impetus for States to cooper ate for wetland conservation. Norway has also said that the Convention has provided the basis for its national wetland conservation policy, with particular attention being given to preparing wetland inventories, ensuring the protection of a network of wetland reserves, and preventing degradation of wetland habitats. Sweden has commented that the Convention has increased national interest in wetlands, spotlighted their importance both nationally and internationally and promoted the concept that migratory waterfowl are an international asset. Several Contracting Parties have also stress ed the utility of the Convention in helping to prevent detrimental changes to sites included in the List. Examples include the reversal of the order to drain part of the Colfiorito Marsh, 8 Finally, a Protocol to the Convention was adopted in December 1982 which addressed two technical problems: the inclusion of an amendment clause in the Convention since there was no amendment provision in the original text; and the establishment of addi tional authentic language versions of the Con vention. Once this Protocol enters into force, the Contracting Parties intend to examine amendments to provide for certain im provements including a financial basis for a Convention Secretariat.
The promise for the future The Ramsar Convention, as the first modern global conservation convention, has the paten- a Ramsar site in Italy; the cessation of com mercial fisheries in Lake Haleji, a Ramsar site in Pakistan; the rejection of proposed plans to sink a stricken oil tanker close to the Minsmere Walberswick Ramsar site in the United Kingdom; and the abandoning of plans to construct an autobahn extension contiguous to a Ramsar site (the Rhine between Eltville and Bingen) in the Federal Republic of Ger many.
What further action is needed? Efforts are under way to promote expan~ed global cooperation through the Convention. In particular increased involvement from Latin tial to do what no other existing conservation American States is anticipated in view of the convention can do - foster cooperation to recent adoption of the official Spanish conserve particular extensive habitats and the language text of the Convention. Additional species found in them. The Contracting Par sites are also being promoted for the List. ties are demonstrating their determination to Attention is needed to enhance cooperative make the Convention a success. IUCN as project activities under the Convention. At the Convention Bureau, IWRB as its Scientific Ad 1984 Groningen Conference of the Contrac viser and Unesco as Convention Depositary ting Parties a ''Framework for the Implemen are similarly committed to promoting and giv tation of the Convention" was adopted with ing added vigour to the Convention. With con specific "Action Points" for such collaborative tinued goodwill from the Contracting Parties efforts. and with the involvement and assistance of other conservation-minded States and One Action Point called for the establishment organizations and the general public, the im of a "Clearing House" to link developing portant objectives of the Convention can be countries seeking development aid for achieved. The opportunity should be seized to wetland conservation projects with aid agen expand the use of the Ramsar Convention to cies in the developed world. help conserve wetland areas.
10 ll Criteria for Identifying Wetlands of International How States can join the Convention Importance Any Membe r State of the United Nations, one I. Quantitative criteria for identify ing wetlands of importance to of its specialized agencies, the International waterfowl. Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or a Party to A wetland should be considered internationally important if it: (a) regularly supports either 10,000 ducks, geese and swans; the Statutes of the International Court of or 10,000 coots; or 20,000 waders; or (b) regularly supports Justice may become a Party to the Convention one per cent of the individuals in a population of one species either by: (a) signature without reservation as or subspecies of waterfowl; or (c) regularly supports one per cent of the breeding pairs in a population of one species or to ratification; (b) signature subject to ratifica subspecies of waterfowl. tion followed by ratification; or (c) accession. 2. General cnteria fo r identifying wetlands of importance to Signatures and the deposit of instruments of plants or animals. ratification or accession are to be made with A wetland should be considered internationally important if it: the Director General of the United Nations (a) supports an appreciable number of a rare, vulnerable or endangered species or subspecies of plant or animal; or (b) is Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiza of special value for maintaining the genetic and ecological tion (Unesco) in Paris, France . diversity of a region because of the quality and peculiarities of its flora and fauna; or (c) is of special value as the habitat of plants or ammals at a critical stage of their biological cycles; or (d) is of special value for its endemic plant or animal species or communities. 3. Criteria for assessing the value of representative or unique wetlands. A wetland should be considered internationally important if it is a particularly good example of a specific type of wetland characteristic of its region.
The Convention requires that each Contrac ting Party shall designate at least one wetland to be included in the List when joining the Convention. The boundaries of each of these wetlands must be precisely described and also delimited on a map, to be provided to Unesco at the time of adherence to the Con vention.
12 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE WORK OF THE RAMSAR CONVENTION PLEASE WRITE TO: Ramsar Convention Bureau International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources A venue du Mont Blanc 1196 Gland Switzerland or International Waterfowl Research Bureau Slimbridge, Glos. GL2 7BK England Aussi disponible en franc;:ais Tambien disponible en espana! Produced with the financial assistance of ~ Unesco and contributions from the Contracting Parties. Layout: Patrick Virolle Printed by lmprimerie Beck, Lausanne, Switzerland
Photo Credits: Front Cover Bio Foto/Jan Rabben Inside Cover NHPA/M. Morcombe Page I Bio Foto/}an Rabben Page 3 WWF/Henry Ausloos Page 5 WWF/Frecty Merc;:ay Page 8 Jan van de Kam Page 10 Joye Alpe Guravich Page II WWF/Fredy Merc;:ay Page 12 WWF/Hartmut Jungius Page 13 WWF/Digby Lewis WWF/Hartmut Jungius Back Cover NHPA/ A. Bannister I Appendix B. Legal description of land in the v1c1n1ty of Izembek Lagoon proposed for designation as a Wetland of International Importance.
(A) Township 58 South, Range 91 West, Seward Meridian I Secitons 1 - 4 Sections 9 - 12 (B) Township 58 South, Range 90 West, Seward Meridian I .. Sections 1 - 9 Section 16 (C) Township 57 South, Range 91 West, Seward Meridian I Section 13 Sections 24 - 26 Sections 35 - 36 (D) Township 57 South, Range 90 West, Seward Meridian I Sections 1 -5 Sections 7 - 36 (E) Township 57 South, Range 8 West, Seward Meridian I Sections 5 - 6 (F) Township 56 South, Range 87 West, Seward Meridian Sections 1 - 6 I Sections 10 - 11 (G) Township 56 South, Range 88 West, Seward Meridian Sections 1 - 23 Sections 27 - 32 I (H) Township 55 South, Range 87 West, Seward Meridian Sections 1 - 5 Sections 8 - 17 I Sections 9 - 36 (I) Township 56 South, Range 39 West, Seward Meridian Sections 1 - 3 I Sections 9 - 16 Sections 20 - 29 Sections 31 - 36 (J) Township 55 South, Range 89 West, Seward Meridian I Sections 35 - 36 (K) Township 55 South, Range 88 West, Seward Meridian Sections 13 - 15 I Sections 20 - 36 (L) Township 55 South, Range 86 West, Seward Meridian Sections 6 - 7 Sections 18 - 19 I Sections 30 - 31 I I I A-1 I I I Appendix C. List of fish, bird and mammal species known to occur in or near Izembek Lagoon, Alaska. Data from: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1985. Izembek National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive I Conservation Plan, Environmental Impact Statement and Wilderness Review. I Scientific Name Common Name FISH I (species) Clupea harengus pallasi Pacific herring Salmo gairdneri Rainbow trout (steelhead) oncorhynchus gorbuscha Pink salmon I Oncorhynchus nerka Sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch Coho salmon I Oncorhynchus keta Chum salmon Hypomesus pretiosus Surf smelt Osmerus mordax Rainbow smelt I Osmerus dentex Arctic smelt Mallotus villosus Cape lin Theragra calcogramma Walleye pollock Gadus macrocepharu; Pacific cod I Eiegfnus gracilis Saffron cod Gasterosteus aculeatus Threespine stickleback Hexagrammos octogrammus Masked greenling I Hexagrammos stelleri Whitespotted greenling Hexagrammos lagocephalus Rock greenling Liparis cyclopus Ribbon snailfish Leptocottus armatus Pacific staghorn sculpin I Myoxocephalus niger Warthead Sculpin Myoxocephalus PQIYacanthotephalus Great Sculpin Myoxocephalus mednius Sculpin I Blepsias cirrhosus Silverspotted sculpin Microcottus sellaris Brightbelly sculpin Icelinus borealis Northern sculpin I Artedius fenestralis Padded sculpin Hemilepidotus jordani Yellow Irish lord Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus Red Irish lord Occella dodecaedron Bering poacher I Pallasina barbata Tubenose poacher Agonus acipenserinus Sturgeon poacher Ammodytes hexaptesus Pacific sand lance I Pholis laeta Crescent gunnel Lepidopsetta bilineata Rock sole .. Limanda aspera Yellow fin sole I Limanda proboscidea Longhead dab Platichthys stellatus Starry flounder I Hippoglossus stenolepsis Pacific halibut C-1 I I ,I I I Scientific Name Common Name BIRDS (species)
I Gavia stellata Red-throated loon Gavia arctica Arctic loon Gavia immer Common loon I POdiCeps auritus Horned grebe Podiceps grisegena Red-necked grebe Phalacrocorax auritus Double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus Pelagic cormorant I Phalacrocorax urile Red-faced cormorant Cygnus columbi~ Tundra (whistling) swan Chen canagica Emperor goose I Branta bernicla Brant Branta canadensis Canada goose Anas crecca Green-winged teal I Anas platyrhynchos Mallard Anas acuta Northern pintail Anas clypeata Northern shoveler Anas strefera Gadwall I Anas amer1cana American wigeon Anas penelope Eurasian wigeon Aytha valisineria Canvasback I Aytha marila Greater scaup Somateria mollissima Common eider Somateria spectabilis King eider I Polysticta stelleri Steller's eider Histrionicus histrionicus Harlequin duck Clangula hyemalis Old squaw Bucephala clangula Common goldeneye I Bucephala islandica Barrow's goldeneye Bucephala albeola Bufflehead Melanitta nigra Black seater I Melanitta perspicillata Surf seater Melanitta fusca White-winged seater Mergus merganser Common merganser I Mergus serrator Red-breasted merganser Haliaeetus leucocephalus Bald eagle Circus cyaneus Northern harrier (marsh hawk) Buteo lagopus Rough- legged hawk I Aquila chrysaetos Golden eagle Falco columbarius Merlin Falco peregrinus Peregrine falcon I Falco rusticolus Gyrfalcon r:agQpus lagopus Willow ptarmigan I Grus canadensis Sandhi ll crane I C-2 I I I I Scientific Name Common Name Pluvialis dominica Lesser (American) golden plover Charadrius semipalmatus Semipalmated plover .. Haematopus bachmani American black oystercatcher I • Tringa melanoleuca Greater yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Lesser yellowlegs Heteroscelus incanus Wandering tattler I Numenius phaeopus Whimbrel Limosa lapponica Bar-tailed godwit Arenaria interpres Ruddy turnstone Calidris alba Sanderling I Calidris mauri Western sandpiper Calidris minlltilla Least sandpiper Calidris ptilocnemis Rock sandpiper I Calidris alpina Dun lin Limnodromus griseus Short-billed dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Long-billed dowitcher I Gallinago gallinago Common snipe Phalaropus lobatus Red-necked (northern) phalarope Phalaropus fulicaria Red phalarope Stercorarius pomarinus Pomarine jaeger I Stercorarius parasiticus Parasitic jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus Long-tailed jaeger Larus philadelphia Bonaparte's gull I Larus canus Mew gull Larus grallCescens Glaucous-winged gull Larus hyperboreus Glaucous gull I Rissa tridactyla Black-legged kittiwake Xema sabini Sabine's gull sterna paradisaea Arctic tern Sterna aleutica Aleutian tern I Uria aalge Common murre 1.01TWia Thick-billed murre cepphus calumba Pigeon guillemot I Brachyramphus marmoratus Marbled murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris Kittlitz 1 s murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus Ancient murrelet I Ptychoramphus aleuticus Cassin 1 s auklet Cyclorrhynchus psittacula Parakeet auklet Aethia pusilla Least auklet Aethia cristatella Crested auklet I Fratercula cirrhata Tufted puffin Fratercula corniculata Horned puffin .. Nyctea scandiaca Snowy owl I Asia flammeus Short-eared owl ceryle alcyon Belted kingfisher I Tachycineta bicolor Tree swallow I C-3 I 'I I Scientific Name Common Name • Riparia riparia Bank swallow Pica pica Black-billed magp~e Corvus corax Common raven I . .. ~ atrieapillus Black-capped chickadee Troglodytes troglodytes Winter wren Cinclus mexicanus American dipper I Catharus minimus Gray-cheeked thrush Catharus guttatus Hermit thrush Anthus spinoletta Water pipit Lanius excubitor Northern shrike I Vermivora celata Orange-crowned warbler Dendroica petechia Yellow warbler Wilsonia pusilla Wilson's warbler I Spizella arborea American tree sparrow Passerculus sandwinchensis Savannah sparrow Passerella iliaca Fox sparrow I Melospiza melodia Song sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla Golden-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys White-crowned sparrow Calcarius lapponicus Lapland longspur I Plectrophenax nivalis Snow bunting Plectrophenax hyperboreus McKay's bunting Leucostricte arctoa Rosy finch I Carduelis flammea Common redpoll Carduelis hornemanni Hoary redpoll I MAMMALS (species)
Sorex cinereus Masked shrew I Lepus othus Alaskan hare Spermophilus undulatus Arctic ground squirrel Clethrionomys rutilus Northern red-backed vole· I Microtus oeconomus Tundra vole Lemmus sibiricus . Brown lemming Erethizon dorsatum Porcupine I Eschrichtius robustus Gray whale Orcinus orca Killer whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata Minke whale Canis latrans Coyote I Canis lupus Gray wolf Vulpes vulpes Red fox .. Ursus arctos Brown (grizzly) bear I MU:St"ela erm~nea Short-tailed weasel Mustela nivalis Least weasel I Mustela v~son Mink I C-4 I I I I Scientific Name Common Name · • Lutra canadensis River otter "' Enhydra lutris Sea otter I ~ . Eumetopias jubatus Steller's (northern) sea lion ,. Odobenus rosmarus Walrus Phoca vi tulina Harbor seal I Callorhinus ursinus Northern fur seal tarandus Caribou I I I I I I I I I library
.U.s. Pi- '• ('<:. \1\li.ldl,l·fe ServicG I 11 :'10 E_ T Road A '"'~ho··~,.,~ AI ' "·~·' '"'"'-~, .. esKa 99503 I • • I " I C-5 I APPENDIX D. BIBBS Bl THE ...
-IZEMBEK NATIONAL WILDLIFE QANGE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF SPORT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE In fall most of North America's emperor geese also pass through the lzembek Range enroute to wintering areas in the Aleutian Islands. The first emperors begin arriving from the north in late August, and peak num BIRDS 01 THE ... bers appear in November and December. M.any remain on or· near the Range throughout the winter e-xcept in "- ~' 2712-77 THE IZEMBEK NATIONAL-- WILDLIFE RANGE .. l 1 . I ~ I THE IZEMBEK NATIONAL Although the needs of one species of waterfowl, the black brant, motivated creation of the Izembek WILDLIFE RANGE Range, many 'other wildlife species share its benefits. One of these is the Alaska brown bear. A wilderness The importance of the Jzembek National Wildlife animal, this great bear requires a large block of habi Range on the Alaska Peninsula, indeed its re1:1son-for tat such as that ~epresented by the Range. Several being, is in the eelgrass beds in Izembek Lagoon. bears taken here appear in the r~cord class trophy These beds, the largest in the world, are the sole food listi~gs of the .Boone and Crockett Club. A second source for the entire population of black brant in wilderness animal found· on the Range is the Barren spring and fall when they move to and froin their Ground caribou. Though gen~rally sought as a food nesting grounds. The 1960 Public Land Order that animal, record class caribou from the Alaska Penin established the Range sought to insure the area's sula appear in the trophy listings. The life cycles of basic resource- the eelgrass beds. four P,acific salmon species begin . and end on the Izembek Range ... Th~se occur i~ commercially sig~fi . Geologically the Range is the result of volcanism, ,, cant numbers and ·contribute to the ecology of several glaciation, and then marine deposition. The final . :. predators. Wolverines, minks, and land otters, plus stage, still in progress, began about 10,000 years ago the brown bear and bald eagle, utilize salmon when when the Bering land bridge disappeared under the they are available. rising sea at the close of the Pleistocene epoch. Re ceding glaciers exposed the land in roughly its present But it is in the avian populations, especially wa shape and the sea began to deposit the spits and terfowl, that the Izembek Range makes its significant barrier islands that form the lagoons in the area. B'ut contribution to the internatio~ai wildlife !resource. to the babble of many thousands of oldsquaw ducks. .noh yet known, for none . of · their sites have been long before this the ancestors of the Aleuts came from Now widely known for itS role in the migration of the Within Izembek Lagoon th~ Steller's eider is the e~cavated. There is, however, one site in Morzhovoi the eastern Aleutians, where they had arrived. by way black brant population, both north and southbound, most abundant duck. This remarkably colored little Bay that is modern, and it may be that this was a site of the land bridge. Village sites established then on it is also important to equally large numpers of pintails duck winters here after nesting, mostly on the Siberian selected by early Russian administrators to which the the ancient coastline are now separated from the sea that inhabit the Range i~ fall. Unlike the brants, that Arctic coast. King eiders, the Pacific race of the com smaller villages were required to move. The absence by the marine deposits comprising the spit of Cape take the entire eelgrass plant nonselectively, the pin mon eider, and white-winged seaters prefer the deeper of a modern site on Izembek Lagoon has not been 1 Glazenap. What those people found was very. differ tails feed '¢xchisively on its seeds. They and other waters of the bays and the open sea. explained in.any other way. ent from what we see, for now it is the lagoons that dabbling d:Ucks feed mostly at low tide when the eel are the significant ecological factor. Formation of the grass beds. are exposed. AJso grazing on eelgrass, and In all seasons, but especially in fall,the Range is lagoons was the essential step in developing an en~ . on the berries of the heath as well, are numerous host to enormous numbers of shorebirds. At low tide Early Russian ships wintered in Bechevin Bay, vironmerit where eelgrass can grow. 'lesser' C~riada geese in fall. Some years these are these spread over the exposed bars, ·busily gathering and the site of their encampment inside Hook Bay is augmented .. by · several thousand 'cackling' Canada the invertebrates with which the lagoons abound. At recognizable today. In 1827 Count Feodor Lutke Dissected volcano~s, still bearing.glaciers, do~i- · · geese. And most of the world population of emperor high tide they gather in dense flocks that in flight ap- named Izembek Lagoon in honor of Karl Izembek, nate the uplands of Izembek Range. The latter are geese visits the Range while going to and returning pea,r as sudden smoke clouds. . surgeon aboard the sloop M oller, and Cape Krenitzin formed of glacial till with rounded stones and rocks, from wintering grounds in the Aleutian Islands and in honor of· Peter Krenitzin, an earlier explorer. In some showing glacial striae. ·The reliefis low and roll the Alaska Peninsula area. Because the Izembek Range plays such a key role more recent times, before WWII, furbearers were ing, and numerous 'clear mountain streams h~ve cut •. in the black brant population., it is the species most trapped .e xtensively on the Alaska Peninsula, and de meandering courses on their way to the lagoons. T he All of these birds arrive on the Range at the con · carefully studied here. With the entire population caying cabin's still mark the locations · of trap lines soil is light, markedly acid, and covered with tundra clusion of the nesting season in la,te August and early present in fall a sample count is compiled, showing on the Wildlife Range. During WWII several military like vegetation. Susceptible to erosion, the soil re September. For most the departure south occurs in age classes and family size. From this sample an installations were erected on the Range, most of them vegetates slowly when plant cover is stripped away. · late October. By then a second wave of waterfowl has accurate measure of reproductive success is formu still evidenced· by rusting quonset huts, scattered fuel Trees are not native to the region, though brush con appeared to take their place. The ·bays arid lagoons lated. barrels, and erosion scars. sisting of willows and alders occupies an ecological and the open sea north, south, and west of .the niche on the lower slopes of mountains and along the. Izembek Range now become the wintering area for The size and number of the old village sites sug The Range occupies the northern portion of the water courses. hosts of northern waterfow.l. The. atmosphere, domi~ gest that a large population of people inhabited the ultimate 45 miles of the Alaska Peninsula, and con nated in f~ll by the calling of geese, now resounds Range well before t he Christian era. Their fate is tains about 415,000 acres. Izembek and Moffet On the cover - Black brant (R. c. Twist) . Lagoons, plus the lagoons of Cold Bay and Morzhovoi Some roads reach parts of the Izembek Range Bay, lie within its boundaries>. Administration is from from Cold Bay, but most of it is a wilderness that can Created in 1849, the Department of the Interior-a the headquarters of the Aleutian Islands National be reached by boat and/or foot only. Hunting of big department of conservation-is concerned with the Wildlife Refuge in the town of Cold Bay. The town game, willow ptarmigan, waterfowl, and furbearers management, conservation, and development of the Nation's water, fish, wildlife, mineral, forest, and park has but a brief history, having succeeded the WWII is governed by State regulations, as is fishing in all and recreational resources. It also has major responsi installation known first as Fort Randall and later as its forms. Aircraft may not be employed in these ac bilities for Indian and Territorial affairs. Thornbrough Air Force Base. Now officially styled tivities on the Range, and vehicles (including all As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the specialized off-the-road machines from two-wheeled to Department works to assure that nonrenewable re Cold Bay, after the name applied by the Russians to sources are developed and used wisely, that park and the deep-water bay beside the town, it is essentially track-laying) may not be operated off the roads on recreational resources are. conserved for the future, the Range. and that renewable resources make their full contribu an airport town. Its location on the Great Circle tion to the progress, prosperity, and security of the route between the coast cities of North America and United States-now and in the future. Asia, and its possession of a deep-water port for large Cold Bay 1s normally reached by commercial tankers, accounts for this status. Sea food processing flights from Anchorage aboard Reeve Aleutian Air plants have not been attracted because the bay is ways, but charters can be arranged for light aircraft too large to afford shelter for fishing craft in a noto m Anchorage and other points along the line. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR -' riously stormy area. The climate is classified as 'polar maritime,' with prevalent cloud cover and low solar Queries for more detailed information FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE insolation. Average growing season temperature is• may be directed to the Refuge Manager, about 50° F. and the average winter temperature Izembek National Wildlife Range, Pouch 2, about 28° F. Cold Bay, Alaska 99571. Refuge Leaflet 563 e October 1969 IZEMBEK NATIONAL WILDLIFE RANGE ALASKA N o...... 2 0 SCALE ~=o"!5...... ;;.====~""!"!""""!"!""""!"!""~f:ii;O====i.!!" ""!"!""""!"!""""!"!""~ ' MILES _honohll.i~F-"~1 REALTY$:JMA:4312e