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Farallon National Wildlife Refuge Annual Narrative Report

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Farallon National Wildlife Refuge Annual Narrative Report FARALLON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE San Francisco County, California ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 2005 (Combined with 2004) U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM REVIEWS AND APPROVALS FARALLON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE San Francisco County, California ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 2005 Qfbs 0 (fi Refuge Manager^ Date j D e ^ W _ s Refuge Complex Manager Date INTRODUCTION Farallon National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1909 and is located approximately 28 miles west of San Francisco. It is comprised of four groups of islands including the North Farallons, Middle Farallons, and Noonday Rock which are all designated as wilderness areas. The South Farallon Islands were given refuge status in 1969 and are the largest group consisting of 120 acres and reaching a height of 370 feet. West End, a portion of the South Farallon Islands, is also designated a wilderness area. The Refuge totals 211 acres. The Refuge comprises the largest continental seabird breeding colony south of Alaska. It supports 13 nesting species including the world’s largest breeding colonies of ashy storm-petrel, Brandt’s cormorant, and western gull. Six pinniped species also breed or haul out on the Refuge. After absences of over 100 years, northern elephant seals and northern fur seals returned to breed on South Farallon Islands in 1972 and 1996, respectively. The Farallon Islands are a granitic formation that is part of the Farallon Ridge. Shallow soils can be found scattered on some of the South Farallon Islands. Vegetation is dominated by Farallon weed, an important nest building material for cormorants and gulls. Floral diversity is limited and is made up of a high proportion and number of nonnative species due to the large amount of human activity on the Southeast Farallon Island (part of the South Farallon Islands) since the 1800's. Wildlife populations were heavily exploited in the late 18th and early 19th centuries for meat, hides and eggs. Over-fishing of sardines reduced seabird food supplies. Some species were extirpated or declined drastically. Historical estimates indicate that thousands of northern fur seals and as many as 400,000 common murres once populated the islands. An active Coast Guard station further impacted island wildlife and habitat until the full automation of the light station in 1972. Under Refuge stewardship, extirpated species have re-colonized the islands, and wildlife populations as a whole are slowly recovering. Still, wildlife remain vulnerable to the impacts of pollution, oil spills, gill net fisheries and global climate charges. The Service has cooperative agreements with Point Reyes Bird Observatory and the U.S. Coast Guard to facilitate protection and management of the Refuge TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE TITLE PAG ES.......................................................................................................................... 1-2 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................... 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS......................................................................................................... 4 A. HIGHLIGHTS....................................................................................................... 8 B. CLIMATE CONDITIONS................................................................................... 8 C. LAND ACQUISITION......................................................................................... M R 1. Fee Title.................................................................................................................................. NTR 2. Easements.............................................................................................................................. NTR 3. Other........................................................................................................................................ N TR D. PLANNING.......................................................................................................... 8 1. Master Plan............................................................................................................................ 8 2. Management Plan.................................................................................................................. NTR 3. Public Participation.............................................................................................................. N TR 4. Compliance with Environmental Mandates...................................................................... NTR 5. Research and Investigations................................................................................................. 8 E. ADMINISTRATION 1. Personnel................................................................................................................................ 12 2. Youth Programs..................................................................................................................... NTR 3. Other Manpower Programs................................................................................................. NTR 4. Volunteer Programs.............................................................................................................. 13 5. Funding................................................................................................................................... 14 6. Safety....................................................................................................................................... 14 - 4- 7. Technical Assistance............................................................................................................. NTR 8. Other Item s............................................................................................................................ NTR F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT 1. General................................................................................................................................... 15 2. W etlands................................................................................................................................. N TR 3. Forests.................................................................................................................................... 16 4. Croplands............................................................................................................................... NTR 5. Grasslands.............................................................................................................................. N TR 6. Other H abitats....................................................................................................................... 16 7. Grazing................................................................................................................................... N TR 8. Haying.................................................................................................................................... NTR 9. Fire Departm ent.................................................................................................................... NTR 10. Pest Control......................................................................................................................... 16 11. Water Rights....................................................................................................................... NTR 12. W ilderness and Special Areas........................................................................................... 18 13. WPA Easement M onitoring.............................................................................................. N TR G. WILDLIFE 1. Wildlife Diversity.................................................................................................................. NTR 2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species............................................................................ 18 3. Waterfowl............................................................................................................................... 20 4. Marsh and Water Birds.........................................................................................:.............. 20 5. Gulls, Terns, and Seabirds................................................................................................... 20 6. Raptors.................................................................................................................................... 26 7. Other Migratory Birds.......................................................................................................... 27 8. Game M ammals.................................................................................................................... NTR 9. Marine M ammals................................................................................................................... 27 - 5- 10. Other Resident Wildlife..................................................................................................... NTR 11. Fisheries Resources............................................................................................................ 32 12. Wildlife Propagation and Stocking................................................................................... NTR 13. Surplus Animal Disposal.................................................................................................... NTR 14. Scientific Collections.........................................................................................................
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