ALASKA MARITIME NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE HOMER, ALASKA ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT CALENDAR YEAR 1995 U.S. Department of Interior Fi

Home , Aiktak Island, Andreanof Islands, Delarof Islands, Fox Islands (Alaska), Kagamil Island, Near Islands

ALASKA MARITIME NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

HOMER, ALASKA

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

CALENDAR YEAR 1995

U.S. Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM ALASKA MARITIME NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Homer, Alaska

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1995

Department of Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM REVTRWS AND APPPOVAT s

ALASKA MARITIME NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Homer, Alaska

ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT

Calendar Year 1995

z/zzirn Refuge Manager R Date As^odiate Manager Date Refuges and Wildlife < iii

INTRODUCTION

The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge was created by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) in 1980. The purposes for which it was established were: 1) to conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats in their natural diversity; 2) fulfill international fish and wildlife treaty obligations; 3) provide opportunities for continued subsistence uses by local residents; 4) provide a program of national and international scientific research on marine resources; 5) ensure water quality and necessary water quantity within the refuge. This Act consolidated management of eleven existing refuges with 460,000 additional acres resulting in a 3,500,000+ acre refuge. Although relatively small in land mass, its lands are scattered along most of the coast of Alaska and extend from Forrester Island in Southeast Alaska along the Gulf of Alaska to the western end of the Aleutian Islands and northward to the Icy Cape area southwest of Barrow in northwest Alaska. There are more than 2,500 islands, islets, and pinnacle rocks within the refuge which are used annually by millions of seabirds of at least 30 species. The Maritime Refuge is divided into five units which includes all former refuges and some other federal lands/waters within those designated units. Homer, Alaska, is the refuge's headquarters and the home port of the Tiglax, the refuge's ship which supports field operations.

Gulf of Alaska

The Gulf of Alaska Unit comprises 435,156 acres and extends over 800 miles from Alaska's southcentral coast near Kodiak Island, eastward to southeast Alaska, and includes four former refuges: Tuxedni, St. Lazaria, Hazy and Forrester Islands. Major seabird colonies occur on the following islands or island groups within the unit: Chisik, Barren, Gull, Pye, Chiswell, Middleton, St. Lazaria, Hazy and Forrester. This unit is the only one which supports forest habitat on the Maritime Refuge. Spruce-hemlock forest is the dominant plant community on nearly all the islands east of Cook Inlet. The transition zone occurs in the Barren Islands, where there is only a small forested area on Ushagat Island. Shrub-comprised communities of elderberry and salmonberry associations, and coastal maritime grass communities dominate in non-forested areas. As in most of the refuge, topography in this unit is often precipitous, with seabirds using cliffs, talus slopes, burrows, boulder rubble, and rock crevices to breed and nest. About 420,000 acres of submerged lands around Afognak Island and Kodiak Island are managed as part of the Refuge. Seabird colonies in this unit are probably the most visited of any in the state. Unlike most other units, two colonies are readily accessible by marine vessel: St. Lazaria Island, which is fifteen miles from Sitka, and the Chiswell Islands, which are thirty-five miles from Seward.

Alaska Peninsula

The Alaska Peninsula Unit is the second largest of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. More than 800 islands totaling 420,371 acres comprise this unit, which incorporated two refuges established before designation of the Maritime Refuge. The Semidi Islands, < iv designated a refuge in 1932, and Simeonof Island, a refuge since 1958, also are the only areas in the Alaska Peninsula Unit where jurisdiction extends below mean high tide. Over 6,000,000 seabirds comprised of at least'25 species nest in this region. Few of the islands remain truly pristine due to introductions since the 1800s of foxes, rodents, and ungulates. Foxes destroyed seabird colonies on numerous islands and left remnant populations on other islands. Ground squirrels and voles, released with foxes as food sources, do intense damage on seabird colonies.

Aleutian Islands

The Aleutian Islands Unit comprises 2,395,768 acres in southwestern Alaska and extends over 1,100 miles from Unimak Island to Attu Island. The chain of islands is 20-60 miles wide with a maximum elevation of 9,400 feet above sea level. The unit includes over 200 mostly treeless islands, islets and rocks. Some islands are wave-cut platforms, less than 600 feet above sea level, while other islands are intensely glaciated mountainous islands as high as 3,000 feet above sea level. The islands are divided into seven island groups: Krenitzen Islands, Fox Islands, Islands of the Four Mountains, Andreanof Islands, Delarof Islands, Rat Islands, and the Near Islands. The AIU provides nesting habitat for several million seabirds, the Aleutian Canada goose and other waterfowl. The unit is an important migration and staging region for waterfowl, shorebirds and passerines and provides wintering habitat for emperor geese and other waterfowl. Asiatic birds are frequently seen in spring and autumn. Thirty-five percent of all bird species observed in the Aleutians breed only in Asia; some 260 bird species have been recorded in the Aleutian Islands Unit. This unit also provides habitat for thousands of marine mammals, including sea otters, harbor seals, and endangered Steller sea lions.

Bering Sea

The Bering Sea Unit extends over 600 miles and comprises 147,564 acres. It includes far-flung islands and headlands between the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Strait. The topography within this unit varies from small sandy islands to large volcanic islands. These areas provide habitat for nesting seabirds, as well as haul-out and rookery areas for marine mammals. This unit is divided into five different groups: 1) Hagemeister Island; 2) Pribilof Islands; 3) St. Matthew Island group; 4) Sand Islands; 5) the Norton Sound islands and capes.

Chukchi Sea

Lying primarily north of the Arctic Circle, the Chukchi Sea Unit extends nearly 500 miles from west of Point Barrow to just north of the Bering Strait and comprises 132,419 acres. Unlike other units in the refuge, this one includes sizeable acreage of mainland areas. Topography varies from low, sandy barrier islands in the Arctic Ocean to high, rocky spires in the western Brooks Range. This unit includes the former Chamisso National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1912. Nearly half a million kittiwakes and murres breed on cliffs at Cape Lisbume and Cape Thompson. Chamisso and Puffin Islands in Kotzebue Sound are the largest island colonies in the unit. Black guillemots, a species normally found in the north Atlantic, extend as far south as Cape Thompson. The most common bird species nesting on low barrier islands between Cape Lisbume and Point Barrow is the common eider. Up to several hundred walruses haul out annually at Cape Lisbume when the sea ice recedes. In winter, polar bears roam Cape Lisbume; other terrestrial mammals in the unit include grizzly bear, musk ox, wolverine, marmot, Dall sheep and caribou. The Western Arctic Caribou herd congregate near Cape Lisbume and Cape Thompson for summer post-calving.

Description of Major Refuge Programs

Ecological Monitoring.—WiXh. such a geographically diverse refuge, most of which is isolated wilderness, an ecological monitoring program has been set up using indicator species to identify ecosystem problems. The approach is to annually record population trends, several parameters of reproductive success, and favored prey for selected species of seabirds at 10 sites scattered throughout the refuge. Also at these "annual ecological monitoring sites" off-road point count routes are used to monitor passerine populations, beaches are surveyed for oil, and sea water temperatures are monitored. Even with 10 sites, coverage of the refuge is sparse, so efforts are made to survey additional sites at reduced frequency (some at 3-5 year intervals and some once a decade) to determine the geographic extent of trends observed at annual sites (see Monitoring and Studies Section).

Support of Research—One of the establishing order purposes for the refuge was to support an international research program. The establishment of Research Natural Areas and an International Biosphere Reserve on the refuge has drawn further attention to the area as a research site. In most years 10-20 research projects are either conducted on the refuge or with samples collected by refuge staff from the area (see Monitoring and Studies Section).

Technical Assistance.—Since the Alaska Maritime NWR has one of the largest marine bird and mammal conservation programs in the world, there are numerous requests for technical information about seabirds and marine mammals from the public and other agency personnel. There are also numerous requests for members of the refuge staff to participate in technical workshops and professional meetings and to provide technical reviews of manuscripts and reports, study proposals, impact assessments, and management plans (see Technical Assistance in Monitoring and Studies Section).

Management of Alien Species—A number of alien animals have been introduced to the refuge, particularly on the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands units. Some of the introductions were intentional, such as arctic and red foxes for fur ranching (prior to WWII) and reindeer and caribou for use by local people on inhabited islands like Atka and Adak. Others were accidental, such as Norway rats which became established on most islands occupied by military forces during WWII or as a result of ship wrecks. These introductions and others have extirpated some species of native birds and reduced populations of others to low levels. The refuge has ongoing programs to remove introduced foxes from selected islands to restore native < vi biodiversity, to prevent further introductions of rats, and to try to manage ungulates to reduce habitat damage (see Habitat Restoration and Fish and Wildlife Management sections).

Endangered and Threatened Species Management.--The refuge continues to be involved in recovery programs for threatened Aleutian Canada geese and for endangered Steller sea lions and Aleutian shield ferns. Although a recovery plan is not yet in place for endangered short- tailed albatrosses, a standard monitoring protocol has been developed for observations from the M/V Tig Iax.

Outreach and Visitor .Semc^.--Major elements of the refuge outreach program include: visitor centers at Homer and Adak, a naturalist on the state ferry M/V Tustemena, the Pribilof Stewardship Camps for children of the Pribilof Island, a school environmental education program including the Shorebird Sister Schools Program and the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page CLIMATE 3

1. MONITORING AND STUDIES A. Surveys and Censuses 3 B. Studies and Investigations ' 8 C. Outside Research: On-Refuge 19 D. Technical Assistance, Presentations, and Publications 20

2. HABITAT RESTORATION A. Wetland/Upland Restoration: On-Refuge 22 B, Wetland/Upland Restoration: Off-Refuge nothing to report

3. HABITAT MANAGEMENT A. Manage Water Levels nothing to report B. Manage Moist Soil Units nothing to report C. Graze/Mow/Hay nothing to report D. Farming nothing to report E. Forest Cutting nothing to report F. Prescribed Burning nothing to report G. Control Pest Plants nothing to report

4. FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT A. Bird Banding nothing to report B. Disease Monitoring and Treatment 24 C. Reintroductions 24 - D. Provide Nest Structures 25 E. Predator and Exotic Control 25

5. COORDINATION ACTIVITIES A. Interagency Coordination 26 B. Tribal Coordination-Indian Self-Determination Act of 1994 . . . nothing to report C. Private Land Activities (Excluding Restorations) nothing to report

6. RESOURCES PROTECTION A. Law Enforcement 27 B. Wildfire Preparedness nothing to report C. Manage Permits and Economic Uses 27 D. Contaminant Investigation and Cleanup 27 E. Manage Water Rights nothing to report F. Manage Cultural Resources nothing to report G. Federal Facility Compliance Act nothing to report H. Land Acquisition nothing to report 7. PROVISIONS UNIQUE TO ALASKA

8. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RECREATION A. Visitor Services 27 B. Outreach....' 29

9. PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION A. Comprehensive Management Planning nothing to report B. Outreach nothing to report C. Training 32 D. General Administration 32 E. M/V Tiglax Operations 36

10. FEEDBACK nothing to report f 3

CTJMATTC CONDITIONS

Month Avg Temp Min Temp Max Temp Precip. Precip Dev. (0F) (0F) (0F) (inches) (inches)

JAN 24.0 -5 48 2.07 -0.33

FEB 26.3 4 47 2.03 -0.10

MAR 22.8 -4 45 0.99 -0.71

APR 41.0 26 59 .85 0.53

MAY 45.9 31 60 1.00 -0.15

JUN 51.7 34 68 1.14 0.11

JUL 55.0 42 68 2.37 + 1.49

AUG 53.5 40 71 3.18 +2.24

SEP 51.7 34 63 4.11 -0.82

OCT 41.0 23 54 1.88 -1.36

NOV 26.4 7 44 0.32 -2.30

DEC 28.0 -2 47 0.41 -2.41

1. MONITORING AND STUDIES

A. Refuge Ecological Monitoring Program

The approved refuge wildlife inventory plan calls for annual observations of selected parameters for indicator species at 10 sites, selected for their geographical distribution within the refuge. Funding does not allow for full implementation of the monitoring program every year, but in 1995, most of the annual sites were monitored and a number of less-frequently visited sites were also surveyed (see below). Abstracts from annual sites are provided below the list.

1. Cape Lisbume: Minerals Management Service (MMS) Funding 2. Bluff: Challenge Cost Share Funding; partnership with U. of Alaska 3. St. George: Refuge Funding 4. St. Paul: Short visit, not specifically funded 5. Buldir: Refuge Funding 6. Kasatochi/Koniuji: Short visit, not specifically funded 7. Aiktak: Refuge Funding (Ecosystem Team) 8. Chowiet: No work 9. E. Amatuli: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOS) Funding 10. St. Lazaria: Refuge funding 4

Cape Lisburne.—R.QSu\Xs> of this project funded by Minerals Management Service were published in a Proceedings of the Arctic Synthesis (see the citation in Section 1.D below).

Bluff.—Monitoring numbers of adults and reproduction of murres {Uria spp., predominately common murres, U. aalge) and black-legged kittiwakes {Kissa tridactyla) at Bluff, Alaska began in July 1975. In 1976-1978 and 1987-1991 the colony was studied for the entire breeding season. Fieldwork covered only part of the breeding season in 1979-1986. No monitoring occurred in 1992-1994. The mean murre count in 1995 was higher than in any previous year except 1981 and 1987. In 1995, murre numbers on plots increased throughout the census period, suggesting a large influx of nonbreeders during the count period. The results indicate that there has been no decline in the numbers of murres at Bluff in the past several years, and, indeed may be increasing. Breeding chronology of murres in 1995 was earlier than most other years studied. Murre reproductive success in 1995 was average or slightly below compared to previous years. Counts of kittiwakes at Bluff in 1995 were higher than in any previous count year. Kittiwake reproductive performance was extremely poor in 1995 (summarized from: Murphy, E. C. 1995. Monitoring of population numbers and reproductive success of cliff- nesting seabirds at Bluff, Alaska, in 1995).

St. George.—As part of refuge-wide monitoring program for seabirds, the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge has monitored the productivity of kittiwakes (Rissa spp.) and murres {Uria spp.) at St. George Island annually since 1985. In 1995, we found that kittiwakes experienced a breeding failure. Conditions must have been poor early in the breeding season because black-legged kittiwakes {R. tridactyla) laid fewer eggs than usual (mean clutch 1.25, the lowest since 1987), and no eggs hatched on study plots. Red-legged kittiwakes also had very low breeding success (0.08 chicks/nest), the lowest since 1989. It was not a particularly late spring. For example, the mean hatching date for red-legged kittiwakes was identical to the two previous years. Because of the poor breeding success in 1995, kittiwakes did not attend nest sites regularly, and the re-sightings of banded birds were probably incomplete. As a result the sample indicated that over-winter survival of adult red-legged kittiwakes was only 87%, lower than in previous winters (range = 92%-96% for 1992-1994). Breeding conditions were better for murres than for kittiwakes at St. George Island in 1995. Reproductive success for common murres {U. aalge) was 0.59 chicks fledged/egg, and success for thick-billed murres {U. lomvia) was 0.52 chicks fledged/egg. These values were about average compared to past years. (Excerpted from: Dragoo, D. E., and B. K. Dragoo. 1996. Results of productivity monitoring of kittiwakes and murres at St. George Island, Alaska in 1995. U. S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep., AMNWR 96/01. Homer, Alas. 71 pp.)

St. Paul.—Funding for seabird productivity work at St. Paul was not available in 1995. Still an estimate for red-faced cormorant and kittiwake productivity was obtained opportunistically by personnel present at St. Paul for other projects. WB Sowls made an early visit to count nests and a late visit to count large chicks before they fledged. Red-faced cormorants produced approximately 0.91 chicks/nest. Red-legged kittiwakes had very low productivity (only .05 chicks/nest) and black-legged kittiwakes totally failed on St. Paul productivity plots. 5

Buldir.—B\x\du is one of the 9 annual monitoring sites in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The primary objective at all these monitoring sites is to collect baseline status and trends information for a suite of species representing piscivouous and planktivorous trophic guilds, including key species that serve as indicators of marine ecosystem "health". By correlating data with environmental conditions and information from other sites, ecosystem processes may be better understood. In 1996, staff of the Alaska Maritime NWR monitored black-legged kittiwakes and red-legged kittiwakes (both surface fish feeders) along with thick- billed murres (diving fish feeders) at Buldir. Members of other trophic guilds (surface plankton feeders, diving plankton feeders) were also monitored and results are presented elsewhere. The 1995 breeding season for both black-legged and red-legged kittiwakes at Buldir was one of the worst on record. Only 3% of black-legged kittiwakes and 4% of red-legged kittiwakes produced a chick which eventually fledged. The last 3 years have been near total reproductive failures for kittiwakes. The mean for the last 3 years is only 2% for both species. In contrast, thick billed murres had one of their best reproductive seasons since annual monitoring began at Buldir. Nearly 74% of murre nest sites produced a chick which left the nesting cliff. Since murres (a diving fish feeder) did well reproductively and both kittiwakes (surface fish/macrozooplankton feeder) fared poorly it would suggest that there was possibly a lack of food available at the surface in 1995 in the vicinity of Buldir. Can kittiwakes maintain their population numbers with such low productivity? We monitored the overwinter survival of 282 breeding red-legged kittiwakes over 7 years and estimate that the mean overwinter survival rate was 98%. A simple life table analysis suggested current levels of red-legged kittiwake productivity are sufficient to maintain population equilibrium, given the current extremely high survival rate, occasional "good" productivity years, and several assumptions about kittiwake life history. Results from 1995 continue to add to a long-term dataset from Buldir which provides a basis for inter-year and inter-site comparisons throughout Alaska. These long-term datasets are extremely valuable when looking at processes which affect the marine ecosystem. Future plans are to continue to monitor seabirds annually at Buldir.

Williams, J.C., J.B. Fischer, L.J. Meehan, and M.A. Ortwerth. 1995. The status of kittiwakes and murres at Buldir Island, Alaska in 1995. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 97/04. 55pp.

Kasatochi.—In 1995, we counted kittiwakes and murres at Koniuji and murres on Kasatochi on August 13. The objective was to begin to gather baseline data from these sites in preparation for using them for annual monitoring beginning in 1996.

Aiktak.--We monitored the status of seabirds at Aiktak Island, eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska, in 1995 as part of a refuge-wide ecological monitoring program designed to detect patterns in indicator species which reflect responses to fluctuations in the marine environment. It appears the marine food web for seabirds was adequate to support above average reproductive success in 1995 for both surface-feeders (e.g., storm-petrels and gulls) and divers (murres and puffins). This is particularly interesting, because surface feeders, but not divers, experienced reproductive failures at annual monitoring sites to the east (in the western Gulf of Alaska), west (in the central and western Aleutians), and north (in the Pribilof Islands) in 1995, indicating the < 6 relatively productive marine environment of Unimak Pass adjacent to Aiktak Island provided a buffer against otherwise wide-spread unfavorable environmental conditions for concentrating prey near the ocean's surface. • Aiktak Island seems to have been productive in at least the recent past, because we found evidence that populations of storm-petrels and puffins have increased over the past 5-6 years. Gull populations in 1995 were similar to estimates in 1980, the only year for which a prior estimate was available. Murre numbers on index plots have remained stable since 1992, but a decline seems to have occurred since 1980. (Excerpted from: Dragoo, D. E., and S. Woodward. 1996. Seabird monitoring at Aiktak Island, Alaska in 1995. U. S. Fish and Wildl. Rep., AMNWR 96/02. Homer, Alas. 57 pp.).

Chowiet.--ln 1995, National Biological Survey personnel gathered data on populations, productivity, and timing of nesting events for several species of seabirds, but the data had not been summarized by the time this report was written.

E. Amatuli.—SQQ APEX Barren Islands Project in the Special Studies section below.

Roseneau, D.G., A.B. Kettle, and G.V. Byrd. 1995. Barren Islands seabird studies, 1995. Appendix J (34 pp.) in APEX: Alaska Predator Ecosystem Experiment (D.C. Duffy, Compiler), Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Proj. Annual rept. (Restoration Project 95163), Alaska Natural Heritage Program, Univ. of Alaska, Anchorage, AK.

St. Lazaria.--We monitored nine species of seabirds at St. Lazaria Island from 2 June to 1 September 1994, and from 1 June to 2 September 1995. Population and productivity data were collected on fork-tailed and Leach's storm-petrels, pelagic cormorants, glaucous-winged gulls, common and thick-billed murres, rhinoceros auklets, and tufted puffins. Population information only was collected on pigeon guillemots. We also investigated breeding phenology of both species of storm-petrel. We collected samples of food items being brought to fork-tailed and Leach's storm-petrel, tufted puffin, and rhinoceros auklet chicks. It appears St. Lazaria is an ideal seabird monitoring site in the southeastern Alaska region. We were able to get information on populations, timing of nesting events, productivity, and/or food habits for up to 9 species representing all of the feeding guilds (e.g., diving fish-eater, surface plankton-eater). Preliminary comparisons with prior data suggest no major changes in distribution of nesting birds has occurred over the past decade. Furthermore, most indicators of population levels (e.g., burrow densities, numbers of nests for surface-nesters, or birds counted on index plots) suggested no differences between 1994 and 1995. In contrast, burrow occupancy rates (which tend to vary among years) for storm-petrels were higher in 1994 than in 1993 or 1995. Measures of productivity indicated that storm-petrels which ate primarily euphausids, shrimp, and small fish had a higher rate of reproductive success in 1994 than in 1995. In contrast, nearshore fish-eating pelagic cormorants and glaucous-winged gulls had higher rates of success in 1995 than in 1994. Offshore diving fish-eaters like murres and rhinocerous auklets had relatively low success which did not differ between years in 1994 and 1995f Tufted puffins had high chick loss in 1995, probably due to burrow flooding. As data begin to accumulate, we will be able to gain a better understanding of ecosystem processes in the marine ecosystem near St. Lazaria. The ultimate goal is to be able to assess causes of change in seabird populations to aid in their long-term conservation. (Excerpted from: Slater, L., G. V. Byrd, and B. A. Blackie. 1996. Seabird < 7 monitoring studies at St. Lazaria Island, Alaska, 1993-1995. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. rept., AMNWR 96/05. Homer, AK. 49 pp.)

Besides annual sites, we have an objective to collect similar types of data at "calibration sites" at 2-3 year intervals. The expectation for funding for these sites is low through refuge sources, but data were collected at several of these sites with other funding:

1. Chisik: MMS and EVOS funding 2. Middleton: U.S. Geological Survey funding 3. Cape Thompson: MMS 4. Agattu: Short visit, not specifically funded 5. Forrester: Short visit, not specifically funded

Finally, our plan calls for opportunistically visiting a number of other sites at least every 10 years to conduct non-replicated counts of seabirds. In 1995 the following refuge sites were surveyed with no special funding by using vessel time and available staff.

Surveys at 60-foot Rock were conducted by National Biological Service personnel. Results of counts were entered into the Pacific Seabird Monitoring Database. General observations at Simeonof were summarized on Alaska Refuge Checklist Forms and submitted to Migratory Bird Management in Anchorage. For Sites # 3-8 below "Colony Status Record" reports were completed and sent to Migratory Bird Management in Anchorage for inclusion in the Alaska Seabird Colony Database. Results for Attu (Site #9) are located at the Adak Office, Aleutian Islands Unit, Alaska Maritime NWR, and are USFWS AIU unpublished data.

1. 60-foot Rock 2. Simeonof 3. Castle Rock 4. Big Koniuji 5. Hall 6. Haystacks 7. Filler Rock 8. Round Island 9. Attu

In addition to seabird monitoring at annual sites, off-road point count routes for passerines are surveyed as part of a statewide Partners-in-flight program. In 1995 surveys were made at:

1. St. Lazaria 2. Aiktak/Ugamak 3. Kasatochi 4. Buldir 5. St. Paul 6. St. George 8

B. Special Studies by Refuge and Other Fish and Wildlife Service Personnel

Aleutian Canada GooSe.—Two studies were conducted on the refuge in 1995 as follows:

Assessment of Limiting Factors to the Breeding Population in the Semidi Islands

The small population of Aleutian Canada geese (Branta canadensis leucopareia) that breeds exclusively on the Semidi Islands, Alaska, winters near Pacific City, Oregon where it has been protected from hunting for over 10 years. In spite of protection, the population has experienced unexpectedly slow growth. Observations on the wintering area the past 2 winters suggested productivity was low. As a result, we initiated a study in 1995 to try to determine the limiting factors on breeding success at Kiliktagik and Anowik islands, the two known breeding sites. Ground squirrels {Spermophilus spp.) are known to prey on waterfowl eggs, and our working hypothesis was that arctic ground squirrels {Spermophilus parryii) might be reducing reproductive potential by preying on Aleutian Canada goose eggs. This was tested by placing eggs from a closely related race of Canada goose {B. c. taverneri) in simulated Aleutian Canada goose nests distributed throughout dense ground squirrel colonies at Kiliktagik Island. Eggs were injected with rhodamine B dye, and squirrels were trapped near simulated nests to determine if they had been preying on treated eggs. We found no evidence that squirrels were taking eggs. In 1995, we found only 17 Aleutian Canada goose nests; fewer than in 1992 and 1990 when prior surveys were made. The average egg laying date was 6 days later in 1995 than in the latest prior year (1992). Although the average clutch size, 4.5 eggs, was similar to past years, hatching and nesting success were lower than expected. Nearly 10% of the eggs failed to develop and may have been infertile. Nothing unusual was noted regarding nest sites. Due to late nesting phenology and the reduced nesting population, a planned full-scale banding effort was reduced to an incidental effort. Eight geese were banded with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bands, and 5 were also marked with red color plastic tarsal bands in an effort to evaluate survival. (Excerpted from: Beyersdorf, G. S. and L. Pfaff. 1995. Aleutian Canada geese in the Semidi Islands: An assessment of limiting factors. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report. AMNWR 95/07. 26 pp.)

Surveys of Nesting Pairs in a Reestablished Population at Nizki-Alaid

A major goal of the Aleutian Canada goose recovery project is to reestablish self- sustaining breeding populations (i.e.> 50 breeding pairs) of Aleutian Canada geese {Branta canadensis leucopareia) on selected islands where they formerly nested. Geese were extirpated from most of these islands by the 1930s as a result of introductions of arctic fox {Alopex lagopus). Nizki-Alaid Islands were selected for goose restoration and non-native foxes were eradicated in 1976. Release of captive-reared and translocated wild geese from Buldir Island beginning in 1981 resulted in a single pair of geese nesting on Nizki-Alaid in 1987. Subsequent surveys of documented annual increases in numbers of nesting birds and by 1992 the breeding population was approximately 34 pairs. We returned to Nizki-Alaid in 1995 to determine whether the population had continued to increase and if it had become self-sustaining. We also f 9 evaluated habitat used for nesting to determine whether there are obvious limitations for future expansion of the reestablished goose population. In 1995 we found strong evidence that the nesting population of geese on Nizki-Alaid is well on its way to recovery. We found direct evidence of 114 nests and suspected the presence of an additional 10 for a total estimate of 124 nests. This represents a 4-fold increase since 1992. We estimated the total population (breeders, non-breeders, goslings) available for fall migration was 736 geese. As has been found elsewhere, geese continued to favor tall-plant communities for nesting. Geese on Nizki-Alaid nested in tall-grass habitat dominated by Calamagrostis nutkaensis in contrast to goose populations on other islands which primarily nest in Elymus arenarius dominated habitat. The timing of egg laying and the relatively high proportion of small clutches suggest that there is an unusually high proportion of young birds in the population. This is a situation that is expected in a reestablished population that is experiencing rapid population growth due to high rates of recruitment. Overall, it appears that reestablishment of Aleutian Canada geese on Nizki-Alaid Islands has been successful. As long as nesting and wintering areas remain secure, the population is now large enough to have a high probability of long-term survival. It appears there is sufficient nesting and brood-rearing habitat to allow the population to continue to increase. Nizki-Alaid could easily support double the current number of nesting pairs but the final population size will ultimately depend on the extent to which geese will use nesting areas other than tall-plant communities. (Excerpted from: Williams, J. and C. Studds. 1995. Aleutian Canada goose nesting survey and other biological observations at Nizki-Alaid Islands in 1995. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 95/04. 30 pp.)

Endangered Species Surveys.-- Incidental observations were made of short-tailed albatrosses when the M/V Tiglax was underway in the Aleutians and southern Bering Sea. Refuge personnel assisted National Marine Fisheries Service by collecting Steller sea lion scat for analysis of prey.

Apex Barren Islands Project.—This is a cooperative project with a number of other investigators sponsored by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOS). Term Wildlife Biologist Roseneau and Term Biological Technician Kettle conducted the study at East Amatuli, one of the annual monitoring sites on the refuge.

As part of the 1995 APEX seabird - forage fish project, we conducted a pilot study to collect data on common murres {Uria aalge), black-legged kittiwakes {Rissa tridactyla), and tufted puffins {Pratercula cirrhata) at the East Amatuli - Light Rock colony in the Barren Islands. The work was included in the APEX program because some information on these species were already available from the colony, and its offshore location provided opportunities to compare data from oceanic environments with information being collected in Prince William Sound and in other areas of lower Cook Inlet - Kachemak Bay. Also, capelin {Mallotus villosus), an important forage fish species scarce in the northern Gulf of Alaska since the late 1970s, were abundant near the Barren Islands in 1993-1994. The presence of large stocks of these fish and other forage fishes (e.g., sand lance, Ammodytes hexapterus; young walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma) in surrounding waters provided an opportunity to study seabird - forage fish 10 relationships and natural ecological processes that might help explain why populations of some seabird species have not increased in the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill area. During the study, data were collected on nesting chronology, productivity, growth and feeding rates of chicks, time budgets of adults and types and amounts of prey fed to chicks. Although some data are still being analyzed, preliminary results indicate that sufficient types and amounts of information can be collected at this northern Gulf of Alaska colony to help test three APEX project hypotheses: (a) composition and amounts of prey in seabird diets reflect changes in relative abundance and distribution of forage fishes near the nesting colonies; (b) changes in seabird productivity reflect differences in forage fish abundance as measured by amounts of time adult birds spend foraging for food, amounts of food fed to chicks, and provisioning rates of chicks; and (c)seabird productivity is determined by differences in forage fish nutritional quality.

Roseneau, D.G., A.B. Kettle, and G.V. Byrd. 1996. Barren Islands seabird studies, 1995. Unpubl. annual rept. by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Homer, Alaska for the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska (APEX Project 99163J). 34pp.

Using Predatory Fish to Sample Forage Fish Abundance.—An EVOS project designed to use stomachs of sport caught halibut to assess the relative abundance of forage fish (the major prey of kittiwakes, tufted puffins, and murres) in lower Cook Inlet began in 1995. Evaluating the influence of fluctuating prey populations (e.g., forage fishes) is critical to understanding the recovery of seabirds injured by the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill; however, it is expensive to conduct hydroacoustic and trawl surveys to assess forage fish stocks over broad regions. As part of the 1995 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council APEX ecosystem project, we tested the feasibility of using sport-caught halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) to obtain spatial and temporal information on capelin {Mallotus villosus) and Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus), two forage fishes important to piscivorous seabirds. We examined 586 halibut stomachs collected from cooperating vessels in a 150-200 charter boat fleet fishing throughout Cook Inlet waters during late May - early September. Catch locations and dates provided information on geographic and seasonal variation in the incidence of capelin and sand lance in seven eastern inlet subunits between Anchor Point and Shuyak Island. We also obtained data on prey brought to black-legged kittiwake {Rissa tridactyla), common murre {Uria aalge), and tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) chicks at Cook Inlet colonies to help evaluate the sampling technique. At the Barren Islands, capelin were the most numerous fish in halibut stomachs, and they were the most common prey group by weight in puffin chick diets. In the Point Adam area, where samples were collected throughout June - early August, we detected seasonal changes in the relative abundance of sand lance and capelin. Sand lance were most common in June, and capelin increased after early July. Based on our results, we conclude that this relatively simple cost-effective method can supply useful information on forage fish stocks in areas where seabird feeding and charter boat fishing activities overlap.

Roseneau, D.G., and G.V. Byrd. 1996. Using predatory fish to sample forage fishes, 1995. Unpubl. annual rept. by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Homer, Alaska for the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska (APEX Project 95163K). 13pp.

* 11 • w SMMOCI.--A cooperative program designed to describe the nearshore marine ecosystem, near annual seabird mentoring sites (some of which also are used as Steller sea lion study sites by National Marine Fisheries Service) began in 1995. Called "Seabird, Marine Mammal, and Oceanography Coordinated Investigation (SMMOCI)", the project integrated separate but complimentary programs of the refuge, NMFS, the Univ. of Alaska, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Field work was conducted at a site near Unimak Pass in 1995. The following explains the concept of the cooperative program Forage fish comprise the primary prey base for many species of marine birds and mammals breeding in Alaska. Some populations of seabirds and marine mammals have declined over the past 20 years in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, and major shifts in fish stocks have also been noted. Knowledge of ecosystem processes is critical for understanding causal mechanisms. In 1995 National Marine Fisheries Service, the Univ. of Alaska, Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, and the refuge agreed to cooperate in an effort to characterize foraging habitat for seabirds and Steller sea lions {Eumatopias jubata) near Aiktak and Ugamak islands, adjacent to Unimak Pass in the eastern Aleutian Islands. Our objective was to gather information about the ecosystem that ultimately would describe links and provide a basis for predicting responses of upper-level predators to fluctuations in relative abundance of various forage fish. The study sites were selected because ongoing sea lion and seabird studies are providing background information about population trends and food habits. Hydroacoustic data were collected along a series of transects within a 20-km radius of the islands to describe the distribution and biomass of potential prey. Mid-water and bottom trawls were conducted to support the hydroacoustic surveys, and long-line sets were made to help characterize the bottom fish fauna. Marine bird and mammal observations were made during all daylight transects. Preliminary results suggest such studies can adequately describe ecosystem components and may ultimately reveal patterns that demonstrate the response of top-level predators to fluctuations in the prey base.

Response of Vegetation to Removal of Cattle.--ThQ natural ecosystem conditions at Simeonof Island, Alaska was studied to document vegetation recovery following the removal of cattle. To record changes in the vegetation, data were analyzed using photo-documentation, permanent plots, numerical classification, and comparative analysis with undisturbed ecosystems. Nine major community types were distinguished according to species composition using the multivariate methods of the MULVA-5 computing packages. Results show that recovery differs in the various community types. Total plant cover has increased during the past fourteen years in the coastal beach rye {Elymus mollis) community type, which was the most severely impacted site originally, and natural successional processes are stabilizing these areas. A successional shift occurred from the Festuca rubra grassland type to Heracleum lanatum-Epilobium angustifolium forb meadow with corresponding changes in floristic composition. In the previously least-impacted sites ~ the crowberry {Empetrum nigrum) heath and wet Eriophorum angustifolium-Carex lyngbyaei community types ~ little floristic change has occurred. Disturbance caused by cattle overgrazing and by extrapolation other grazing herbivores on other maritime islands in Alaska may also be alleviated through removal of herbivores and subsequent promotion or allowance of natural successional processes.

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Talbot, S. S., S. L. Talbot, J. W. Thomson, and W. B. Schofield. 1997. Lichens of Adak Island, central Aleutian Islands, Alaska. The Bryologist 100 (2): 241-250.

Response of Black Oystercatchers and Pigeon Guillemots to Removal of Introduced Foxes.—Exxon Valdez Restoration Program funded an effort to restore populations of black oystercatchers and pigeon guillemots and other native birds. Surveys of oystercatchers and guillemots were made to provide a basis for evaluating future increases after fox removal. In order to restore black oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) and pigeon guillemots (Cepphus columbd), 2 species injured by the T/VExxon Valdez oil spill, the introduced predator, arctic fox (Alopex lagopus), was removed from 2 islands near the western edge of the trajectory of the oil. In 1994, most of the foxes were removed from Simeonof Island (33 animals) and all foxes were eliminated from Chemabura Island (3 animals). The remaining 5 foxes were removed from Simeonof by July 1995. Surveys indicated that although adequate nesting habitat was available at Simeonof and Chemabura, oystercatchers and guillemot population densities were much lower than at nearby fox-free islands. Elimination of foxes is expected to dramatically increase populations of these injured species as well as other native birds.

G.V. Byrd, E.P. Bailey, and W. H. Stahl. 1995. Introduced predator removal from islands, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Project Final Report (Restoration Project 95041), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska.

Waterfowl Surveys at Shemya /..--The U.S. Air Force funded two waterfowl studies at Erekson Air Force Base Shemya L Julian Fischer began a study of harlequin duck food habits and the possible affects of contaminants on this species and Term Wildlife Biologist Joe Meehan conducted a study of relative abundance of all species of wintering ducks and geese. The Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, through the U.S. Air Force, contracted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to conduct a wildlife monitoring program on Eareckson Air Station at Shemya Island, Alaska. The island is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and is designated as a Man in the Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations. The Aleutian Islands provide critical habitat for millions of seabirds and waterfowl as well as many species of marine mammals. This monitoring program at Shemya 1. was designed to inventory and describe all avian and mammalian species using the island and its nearshore marine environment during the winter of 1994/95. An emphasis was placed on species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and those designated as a "species of concern" by the Service. These data will be used to detect future trends in populations and distribution of species on a local level. When combined with data from other locations, population and distribution trends can be determined throughout the species range and can alert managers to potential problems. The abundance, distribution and habitat preferences were described for species observed at Shemya 1. This information is useful to military managers when planning activities so that they will cause minimal disruption to the species and its habitat. During these surveys, 42 avian and 3 marine mammal species were detected, including 2 threatened species and 4 "species of concern." Waterfowl and seabirds accounted for the majority of avian species observed. Our surveys also investigated certain elements of the winter ecology of several abundant species that met the criteria of the Legacy Program's special management > • 13 concerns, including the emperor goose, harlequin duck, and common eider. Although limited in scope, surveys indicated that the proportion of immature emperor geese in the population and the size of family groups decreased during the winter. This suggested that differential mortality of immature geese occurred on the wintering grounds and that immature geese survived the winter at a rate of only 68% that of adult geese. Additionally, when compared to data from fall staging grounds on the Alaska Peninsula, our surveys indicated that immature geese survived from fall through winter at a rate of only 57 % that of adult geese. Differential mortality has been proposed as one factor preventing the emperor goose population from returning to historic levels. Our surveys indicated that the nearshore environment within 100 m (328 feet) of shore was important feeding habitat for harlequin ducks and common eiders and that most birds fed in small flocks of 1-2 individuals in this area.

J.P. Meehan, M.A. Kron, J.C. Williams, and L. M, Scharf. 1996. Winter wildlife surveys at Eareckson Air Station, Shemya Island, Alaska, winter 1994/1995. Final report for Department of Defense Legacy project number 1279. Prepared for U.S. Air Force, 611th Air Support Group, Civil Engineering Squadron/Environmental Flight, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alas. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 95/11, Adak, Alas. 60pp.

Ground Squirrel Genetic Sampling (UA-Museum).~Arctic ground squirrels were introduced from Kodiak Island and the Alaska Peninsula to some islands south of the Alaska peninsula to provide additional food for introduced foxes. Although today there is no fox ranching on these islands, exotic ground squirrels persist in some cases. As an introduced species, ground squirrels can interfere with native plant and animal communities. Ground squirrels consume eggs and young of nesting birds, and can result in sloughing of vegetation on slopes because of overgrazing. However, not every island population of ground squirrels may be exotic. Some islands may have remnant populations of ground squirrels from when the island was connected, or nearer, to mainland shores. Testing genetic relatedness and variability of individuals may determine endemic/native status from sample populations. Endemic/native status of ground squirrels on refuge islands is very important while considering management options. The University of Alaska Museum maintains a frozen tissue collection as baseline data on genetic variation and for future investigations. During the 1995 field season, twenty-four arctic ground squirrel specimens were collected from islands within the Alaska Peninsula Unit. The staff also is able to do the genetic evaluation, but they give priority to projects with outside funding.

Status of Oil Pollution on Beaches.--In February 1992, oil spots were observed on several emperor geese {Chen canagica) at Shemya Island, Alaska, on the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). A subsequent examination of beaches on Shemya indicated that numerous tar-like spots of oil were present. There was concern that oiling might be a widespread problem, so from 1992-1994 beaches were surveyed at 34 sites throughout the Alaska Maritime NWR. Oil spots were recorded by size class and dead animals encountered were checked for oil on transects centered along the mean high tide line (identified by the row of debris). At selected sites, replicate surveys were made over the period to determine changes in the amount of oil on beaches. Oil samples were collected for "finger printing" to identify the type of oil present.

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Our surveys indicated that oiling was most common in the western Aleutian Islands, particularly at Shemya and nearby Nizki-Alaid and Buldir islands. The incidence of oil diminished, but remained relatively high, through the central Aleutian Islands. We found very little oil elsewhere on the refuge. Most oil deposits were less than 5 cm in diameter. We discovered that most oil spots persisted for at least 18 months, and the amount of oil present increased between 1992 and 1994. Analysis of samples, primarily from the central and western Aleutians, indicated the oil was mostly "bunker C", a heavy residual fuel oil used by large ships. The source of the oil is unknown. A U.S. Air Force base occurs on Shemya Island, and the military has been present in the area since WWII. It is possible that WWII era tanks, which held bunker C, may be leaking. Other possible sources include leaks from sunken ships or bilge pumping by large ships passing the western Aleutians. This latter source seems plausible because many ships traveling between the west coast of the U.S. and the east coast of Asia pass between Buldir and Shemya. Effects of beach oil on wildlife was not measured, but we found oil and live and dead birds of nearly every species that occurs in the nearshore zone. A logical next step might be to evaluate accumulation of oil in intertidal organisms to determine whether hydrocarbons are entering the food web.

Counts of Auklets to Assess Change following Introduced Fox Removal.—¥o\\oWmg the removal of introduced arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) at Segula Island in June 1995, least auklets {Aethia pusilia) and crested auklets (Aethia cristatella) were surveyed to provide a basis for evaluating future changes. Segula, with an estimated 500,000 auklets, has one of three large auklet colonies in the Rat Island group of the Aleutians. Kiska and Semisopochnoi, the other islands with colonies, are limited by introduced predators; Norway rats {Rattus norvegicus) at Kiska and arctic foxes at Semisopochnoi. In contrast, it is now likely that auklet populations at Segula will increase in the future.

Thomson, G. 1995. Counts of least and crested auklets following fox removal at Segula Island, Alaska, in 1995. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 95/05, Homer, AK 29 pp.

Waterbirds Surveys at Adak.--A.s part of the Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program, a study of waterbirds and marine mammals was conducted on the Adak naval Reservation, Adak Island, Alaska. Adak Island lies in the central portion of the Aleutian Islands, a region known to be important for marine birds and mammals. The objective of the study at Adak island was to obtain baseline data on species diversity, seasonal abundance, distribution among habitats, and demography of birds and mammals in coastal areas of the base. This information is valuable for a wide range of management issues. Since Adak Island is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, some prior observations had been made on the Naval Reservation, but the Legacy study expanded the extent of coverage and observation frequency. Approximately 65 surveys were conducted from November 1992 to September 1995 along an established vehicle route which included the following habitats: 1) freshwater lakes and streams, 2) saltwater lagoons and bays, and 3) nearshore marine waters. Observers recorded 81 species of birds and 6 species of marine mammals during the study. Of these, 20 species of birds and 2 species of marine mammals occurred regularly enough for analysis of seasonal abundance and interannual trends. Seaducks > • 15 and other waterfowl comprised the dominant groups seen regularly. Populations of waterfowl peaked in winter.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service surveys in the 1980s were compared with the more recent data to look for trends. None of the commonly occurring species declined between the 1980s and the 1990s. Nevertheless, anecdotal information suggested that populations of common eider {Somateria mollissima), black scoter (Melanitta nigra), and oldsquaw {Clanguia hyematis) may have declined since the 1970s. Of the habitats surveyed, Clam Lagoon was particularly important for waterbirds and marine mammals. The data gathered during this study characterize the waterbird and marine mammal fauna at the Adak Naval Reservation and provide a basis for identifying sensitive ecological areas. Furthermore, surveys were standardized in such a way that future replicates may be used to critically evaluate changes.

Rojek, N.A., J.P. Meehan and J.C. Williams. 1995. Seasonal abundance of waterbirds at Adak Naval Reservation, Alaska, 1992 to 1995. Department of Defense Legacy project number 400 and 1658. U. S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 95/09, 61 pp.

Green-winged Teal Study.—Aleutian green-winged teal {Anas crecca nimia) is an endemic form occurring primarily in the Aleutian Islands, and little is known about its status and biology. From 1993 to 1995, a variety of surveys were conducted on the Adak Naval Reservation on Adak Island, Alaska, to provide basic descriptive information about this duck. Data were compared with results of earlier work at Adak and elsewhere in the Aleutian Islands. Numbers of teal observed on population surveys were similar in all years, with annual peaks of between 77 and 132 birds. A seasonal pattern of abundance, with numbers of teal low during the winter months, peaking in the spring, and remaining comparatively high throughout the summer, suggested that at least some teal migrate away from Adak for the winter or that there is a shift in distribution to areas of the island not covered by our surveys. During the winter months, males comprised 57% of the population. Teal were primarily found at Clam Lagoon during the summer and in freshwater lakes and streams during the winter. They also used nearshore marine waters, especially during winter months when ponds and streams froze. Teal were opportunistic feeders, taking both seeds and marine invertebrates like amphipods. The breeding period for teal was extended, with egg laying beginning as early as April and flightless broods still present well into September. All nests were found within 40 m of water, primarily in tall grasses along freshwater streams and the shores of ponds. The mean hatch date in 1993 and 1994 was 27 June, and the mean clutch size in 1993 was 7.1 eggs. Nesting success varied widely between years (14.3-80%), and 42 of 50 eggs monitored in 1993 were either infertile or inviable. Contaminants analysis of eggs collected in 1993 indicated higher than normal concentrations of several potentially hazardous metals and organochlorine compounds. The mean number of young observed in older broods (Class III) was about 26% lower than in young broods (Class I). Overall productivity in 1993 was 0.29 fledglings per nesting pair (14.3% nesting success and 2.0 young fledged per nest). Only 9 teal were banded in 1993, but band returns from 1,152 teal banded between 1977 and 1981 suggested there was little movement of birds between islands, and that Adak birds were largely resident. However, 2 returns from southern Kamchatka of teal banded as hatching-year birds at Adak indicated either Aleutian green-winged teal are not entirely > 16 sedentary or Eurasian green-winged teal {Anas crecca crecca) occur in the Aleutians. Comparisons of measurements of Aleutian-banded teal with those of Eurasian birds suggested the 2 subspecies may be inseparable on the basis of size. It is possible that A. c. nimia was originally described on the basis of an inadequate sample.

Scharf, L. 1995. Status and biology of Aleutian green-winged teal on the Adak Naval Reservation, Alaska. Department of Defense Legacy Project Numbers 400 and 1658. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 95/10, Adak, Alas. 51pp.

Breeding Passerines at Adak.-BztwQQn 1993 and 1995, a breeding bird monitoring program was implemented on the Adak Naval Reservation at Adak Island, Alaska, to provide baseline data for detecting long-term population trends and describing local fluctuations in abundance, and as a means of alerting managers to environmental concerns. Several methods were employed, including off-road point count surveys, line and beach transect surveys, and the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Thirty-eight bird species were recorded during breeding monitoring at Adak between 1993 and 1995, and an additional 6 species were recorded on the Breeding Bird Survey from 1984-1992. Of these, only 19 species were seen regularly. Lapland longspur {Calcarius lapponicus) was the most abundant species observed on every survey in every year, with the exception of beach surveys in 1993. The numbers of other species varied depending on the survey method, route, and year. Variation in species composition and abundance between survey routes were largely due to differences in habitat. Some species were strongly associated with particular habitat types, while others were found equally in all areas. Lapland longspurs were detected almost equally in all habitat types. In contrast, song sparrows {Melospiza melodia) were found almost exclusively along the coast, and snow buntings {Plactrophenax nivalis), rosy finches (Leucosticta arctoa), and rock sandpipers (Calidris ptilocnemis) were encountered most often at higher elevations, in relatively sparsely vegetated areas. Winter wrens {Troglodytes troglodytes) were found only along the coast and in lowland tundra. On beach transects, song sparrows and winter wrens were most abundant on boulder beaches with a multitude of drift logs or other storm debris. Only the Breeding Bird Survey provided historical data from which to evaluate population trends, but the 2 to 3 years of off-road point count, line transect and beach transect surveys suggested several interesting short-term patterns. For example, Lapland longspur numbers increased dramatically on every survey conducted between 1993 and 1995, but Breeding Bird Survey results suggested that this reflected a recovery in 1995 to historic levels following unusually depressed numbers of longspurs in 1993 and 1994. Numbers of red-breasted mergansers {Margus serrator) and common ravens {Corvus Corax) detected on Breeding Bird Surveys increased slightly between 1994 and 1995, while those of green-winged teal decreased significantly.

Scharf, L., J.P. Meehan, and J.C. Williams. 1996. Monitoring of breeding passerines and other birds on the Adak Naval Reservation, Alaska, 1993-1995. Department of Defense Legacy Project Number 400 and 1658. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 96/03. Adak, Alas. 57pp.

Tufted Puffin Studies at ^^.-Historically, tufted puffin {Fratercula cirrhata) populations have been reduced in Alaska's Aleutian Islands through predation by introduced

> • 17 arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) and entanglement in Japanese high seas salmon drift gillnets. The status of breeding colonies on Adak Island in the central Aleutians provides an important index for evaluating population changes locally and for comparison with changes in western Aleutian populations that were more likely to have been affected by the drift gillnet fishery. From 1993- 1995, we examined tufted puffin burrow persistence, density, and occupancy rates at index plots on offshore islets near Adak, and documented additional nesting colonies around Adak. In spring 1995, twelve artificial nesting chambers were installed at the ends of existing burrows on one plot. Eggs were laid in 3 chambers; 1 of the eggs hatched and the other 2 failed. During the 3 years of our study, an average of 98.7% of all marked tufted puffin burrows persisted from one year to the next. Burrow densities ranged from 0.07 to 0.30 burrows per m2, and increased dramatically at every plot between 1968 and 1995. The mean proportion of burrows occupied fluctuated from 0.29 to 0.58, but the number of occupied burrows generally increased, indicating that populations at Adak were increasing. Although Adak was too far from the area impacted by the drift gillnet fishery for puffin populations to be affected, it appeared that some other factor was limiting puffin use of Adak prior to 1988. A similar but less significant increase was recorded at Buldir Island, in the western Aleutians, where puffin populations might have been affected by the drift gillnet fishery. Burrow densities and occupancy rates were lower at both Adak and Buldir than those reported from other Aleutian Islands. It was not likely that availability of breeding habitat was a limiting factor at either Adak or Buldir, but availability of food could have contributed to the relatively low populations at the 2 islands. Prey items at Adak included walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogmmma), squid (Berryteuthis magister), and sand lance {Ammodytes hexapterus), all 3 of which were commonly taken at Buldir between 1988 and 1991. This contrasted with prey taken at islands with denser concentrations of puffins.

Scharf, L., J.P. Meehan, and J.C. Williams. 1996. Status of tufted puffins on the Adak Naval Reservation, Alaska, 1993-1995. Department of Defense Legacy Project Numbers 400 and 1658. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 96/04. Adak, Alas. 53pp.

Status of Murrelets at Adak.—VJQ examined the distribution, relative abundance, seasonal trends and breeding chronology of marbled murrelets, {Brachyramphus marmoratus) and Kittlitz's murrelets {B. brevirostris) at Adak Island, Alaska from 1993 to 1995. We also examined marbled murrelet breeding behavior, described probable nesting areas during dawn watch surveys, and conducted nest searches for both species. Several population indices were established using shore and boat-based surveys in nearshore waters to create a baseline for monitoring future population trends. Approximately 800-1,000 murrelets used these waters, primarily the shallow bays and lagoons on the north side of the island. Marbled murrelets comprised approximately 80% of those murrelets identified to species and were observed around the entire island, while Kittlitz's murrelets were observed primarily on the northern side. Relatively few marbled murrelets (x=7.3) and no Kittlitz's murrelets were observed during winter months on shore-based surveys. Both species began to appear regularly in early May and numbers remained relatively high through summer. Abundance on shore-based surveys peaked in early June with 291 murrelets in 1993 and 389 in 1995, and again in early to mid- September with 141 murrelets in 1994 and 793 in 1995. Numbers peaked at 532 murrelets on boat-based surveys in Shagak Bay in mid-July. These fluctuations were likely related to nesting activity, shifts in distribution, and in the case of the September peaks, the arrival of juveniles on > • 18 nearshore feeding areas. Murrelets primarily used Clam Lagoon and Shagak Bay in early summer and Kuluk Bay waters in late summer. This change in distribution probably reflected shifts in prey availability. Eighty-four dawn watch surveys were conducted during spring and summer. Murrelets were first detected in May, peak numbers of detections occurred from mid-July to mid-August, and the number of detections diminished by early September. The highest number of detections on a single survey (111) occurred in early August 1995 at Scabbard Bay. Murrelets were detected most frequently (81% of all detections) during the 60 minute period started 45 minutes prior to sunrise and ending 15 minutes after sunrise. Approximately 95% of detections were aural and murrelets were rarely seen on dawn watches indicating that murrelets may have used fog as a visual barrier to predators. Relative numbers of detections on dawn watches suggested that marbled murrelets may have been nesting in the rough mountainous terrain between Finger Bay and Blind Cove on the northeast side of the island. This is several miles southeast of the primary feeding areas. Nevertheless, we were unable to locate nests. There was a significant increase in the number of detections (P=0.008), an increase in detection duration (T>=0.027), and an increase in the time of the last detection (P=0.006) during late summer at Scabbard Bay. We did not detect a seasonal change in the time of the first detection (P=0.314), nor did we detect that the cloud and fog ceiling height affected these parameters (P>0.132).

Meehan, J.P. 1996. Status of marbled and Kittlitz's murrelets at the Adak Naval Reservation, Alaska. Department of Defense Legacy project numbers 400 and 1658. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 96/08. Adak, Alas. 48pp.

Photo-mapping and Seabird Census at St. George Island.—In late July 1995,1 conducted a whole-island census of kittiwakes on St. George Island, Alaska, by photographing cliffs around the entire perimeter of the island and later counting birds directly from negatives with the aid of a dissecting microscope. Raw counts of cliff-photographs were adjusted by observability and miss-classification correction factors for kittiwakes and were then partitioned into red-legged kittiwake and black-legged kittiwake fractions using the relative abundance of the two species determined from observations at 426 land-based plots. Population estimates were 156,902±3,793 (95% CB) red-legged kittiwakes and 45,972±3,780 (95% CB) black-legged kittiwakes. These totals are minimum population estimates because observability correction factors likely underestimate the number of misclassified kittiwakes on the highest elevation photographs and some cliff areas could not be photographed from the water. Whole-island population estimates in 1995 were 60% and 46% of estimates determined in 1976 for red-legged and black-legged kittiwakes, respectively, the only prior estimate. I also conducted a land-based census of kittiwakes on standard U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) plots on St. George Island in 1995 and arrived at population totals of 2,480 red-legged kittiwakes and 694 black- legged kittiwakes. The percent decline in kittiwake numbers on land-based plots between 1976 and 1995 was 70% for red-legged kittiwakes and 77% for black-legged kittiwakes. Census trends on land-based plots over the past 20 years indicate that, after a period of marked decline between 1976 and the early ^SO's, populations of both kittiwake species have stabilized since the mid-late ^SO's. Population declines of both species of kittiwake were less severe for the USFWS trend data than for the whole-island census; however, direct comparisons may be misleading because methods used for the whole-island census differed between years, and did 19 not account for the day-to-day variability in colony attendance. The timing of censuses have tracked recent advances in the breeding phenology of kittiwakes (summarized from: Kildaw, S. D. 1995. A whole-island census of kittiwakes on St. George Island, Alaska. Final Report to Nat. Biol. Serv., IAB, Univ. Alas. Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alas.).

Kittiwake nest-site preference study at St. George Red-legged {Rissa brevirostris) and black-legged {R.. tridactyla) kittiwakes are colonial seabirds that nest interspersed on the cliffs of St. George Island, Alaska, where they may compete for nesting ledges. Red-legged kittiwakes nest on shallower ledges than black-legged kittiwakes and are concentrated at higher-elevation areas: is the nesting distribution of red-legged kittiwakes on St. George Island shaped by competitive displacement by larger-bodied black-legged kittiwakes? I attached deep and shallow artificial nesting platforms to cliffs within low- and high-elevation areas of the island and determined the habitat preferences of both species of kittiwakes in the absence of interspecific competition by observing the initial colonization of artificial ledges by kittiwakes. Overlap between species in nest-site characteristics was no greater for artificial than for natural ledges: if anything, characteristics of artificial ledges selected by each species were more divergent than for natural ledges. Thus, I concluded that interspecific competition does not control the distribution of kittiwakes on St. George Island, rather, red-legged kittiwakes prefer the narrow, high-elevation ledges that they are observed to use (summarized from: Kildaw, S. D. 1995. Interspecific competition and nest site preferences of kittiwakes on St. George Island, Alaska. Final Report to Nat. Biol. Serv., IAB, Univ. Alas. Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alas.).

C. Support of Outside Research on the Refuge

In 1995, the refuge staff coordinated with and supported to various degrees the following researchers working on the refuge:

Research projects conducted on Alaska Maritime NWR in 1995.

Researcher Affiliation Subject George Hunt Univ. of California, Irvine Feeding ecology of auklets Fiona Hunter Cambridge Univ., England Sperm competition in seabirds Ian Jones Simon Frazier Univ., Canada Behavior of Auklets Doug Siegal-Causey National Science Foundation Cormorant systematics Richard Merrick National Marine Fish. Serv. Steller sea lion ecology Don Calkins Alaska Dept. Fish and Game Steller sea lion ecology John Piatt U.S.G.S/Bio. Resources Div. Seabird ecology Ed Murphy Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks Kittiwake and Murre ecology

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Researcher Affiliation Subject Karen Holder Queen's Univ., Canada Rock Ptarmigan systematics Vicki Friesen Queen's Univ., Canada Murre genetics Jim Lovvom Univ. of Wyoming Seabirds energetics Julian Fischer Univ. of Mass Harlequin duck feeding Jim Estes U.S.G.S./Bio. Resources Div. Sea otter ecology Stephen Loring Smithsonian Inst. Archaeology Brenda Norcross Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks Marine fish ecology Alan Springer Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks Seabird prey Dean Kildaw Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks Red-legged Kittiwake Robert Rausch Univ. of Washington Pribilof Shrew Dan Gibson Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks Birds of Shumagins Lauri Jamison Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks Harbor Seals

D. Technical Assistance, Presentations, and Publications

Assignments to Technical Committees.—Sttff members served on various committees as follows:

Wildlife Biologist Steve Ebbert served as Chairman of the Region 7 Bear and Firearms Policy Committee during 1995. WB Art Sowls served on the Pribilof Working Group (PWG) - A USCG lead group addressing concerns of marine safety and environmental issues for the Pribilof Islands. It includes Pribilof government, industry, NMFS, ADF&G, EPA, Pribilof Stewardship Program, and Alaska Pilot's Association. Art Sowls participated and provided information related to wildlife in regard to oil spills, aircraft disturbance, threat of rodent introductions, and other issues.

Technical Workshops.—staff participated in the following workshops in 1995.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council workshop— Term wildlife biologists Dave Roseneau and Arthur Kettle, and SWB Vernon Byrd presented papers on EVOS funded work on the refuge (Barren Island seabird studies) and otherwise participated in the annual technical workshop in Anchorage.

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Minerals Management Service technical review—Term WB Roseneau participated in an Arctic Synthesis Information Transfer meeting sponsored by Minerals Management Service to review information gathered for MMS to evaluate oil lease sales in the Axctic Ocean.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Seabird Restoration Workshop-SWB Byrd and WB Roseneau participated in a workshop in September 1995 in Girdwood, Alaska, held by the Pacific Seabird Group to discuss the science of seabird restoration and to produce a publication with policy and research recommendations to the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council.

Aleutian Canada Goose Recovery Team Meeting.—SWB Byrd planned and led a meeting of the Aleutian Canada Goose Recovery Team in Newport, Oregon.

Steller Sea Lion Recovery Team Meeting.—SWB Byrd participated in a recovery team meeting in Seattle, Washington.

Presentations--The, refuge biological staff presented papers at the following technical meetings in 1995.

Pacific Seabird Group Annual Meeting—Titles of papers presented by staff members at the annual meeting in San Diego in January 1995 follow. Abstracts are published in Pacific Seabirds. 1995. 22: 22-47.

Bailey, E.P. Introductions of foxes to Alaskan Islands—History, effects on avifauna, and eradication. Byrd, G.V. Monitoring seabirds on the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge: A proposed long-term approach. Mendenhall, V.M., D. Dragoo, A. Sowls, A. Fowler, L. Haggblom, E. Murphy, M.Nishimoto, and B. Sharp. Monitoring of seabird populations and productivity in western Alaska 1989-1991. Sowls, A.L. Alaska's rat introduction prevention program. Sowls, A.L. and G.V. Byrd. Rats: Past damage and present threats to Alaska seabirds.

Publications.-SWQ Byrd submitted a manuscript entitled, "Monitoring activities during restoration" and WB Roseneau was a coauthor of a manuscript on "Common Murres" for publication in Pacific Seabird Group Technical Publication No. 1.

WB Roseneau wrote a paper for the Minerals Management Service Arctic Synthesis Proceedings entitled, "Population studies of murres and kittiwakes at Cape Lisbume and Cape Thompson" Pages 161-171 in Newberry, T. (Ed.) Proceedings of the 1995 Arctic Synthesis Meeting. OCS Study MMS 95-0065.

Other publications are cited below:

Carter, H. R., A. L. Sowls, M. S. Rodway, U. W. Wilson, R. W. Lowe, G. J. McChesney, F. Gress, and D. W. Anderson. 1995. Population size, trends, and conservation problems

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of the double-crested cormorant on the Pacific coast of North America. Colonial Waterbirds 18 (Special Publication 1):189-215. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Homer, Alaska.

Dragoo, D. E., G. V. Byrd, D. G. Roseneau, D. A. Dewhurst, J. A. Cooper, and J. H. McCarthy. 1995. Population levels and reproductive performance of murres based on observations at breeding colonies four years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill State/Federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment Final Report (Restoration Study Number 11), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Homer, Alaska.

Roseneau, D. G., A. B. Kettle, and G. V. Byrd. 1995. Common murre restoration monitoring in the Barren Islands, Alaska, 1993, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Project Final Report (Restoration Project Number 93049), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Homer, Alaska.

Schmidt, K., E. P. Bailey, and G. V. Byrd. 1995. Introduced predator removal from islands, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Project Annual Report (Restoration Project Number 94041), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska.

2. HABITAT RESTORATION

A. Restoration of Maritime Tundra for Native Birds by Removing Introduced Foxes

In 1995, the ongoing introduced fox removal program continued. This program includes rechecking islands from which foxes have been removed in the recent past to insure that complete eradication had been accomplished, and starting new islands. We developed a partnership with U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Damage Control (ADC) this year and used their personnel along with ours to conduct fox eradication projects. A summary of the results for each island follow:

Rechecks of Islands Where Prior Removal Efforts Occurred. —Chugul, Herbert, Kagamil, Little Koniuji, Little Tanaga, Simeonof, Umak, and Chemabura for signs of foxes that might have survived previous eradication efforts. Eradication efforts began on Little Koniuji in 1985, Little Tanaga in 1989, Umak in 1991, Herbert in 1993, Kagamil in 1994, Simeonof in 1994, and Chemabura in 1994. Arctic foxes were reportedly introduced on Chugul in 1922. It was uncertain whether foxes died out naturally on Chugul after we detected their presence there in 1980. Except for Simeonof, no sign was detected, and we declared these islands fox free in 1995. Apparently, only four foxes survived the 1994-5 winter on Simeonof and all were captured in 1995. The Exxon Valdez Restoration Program funded the removal of foxes from Simeonof and Chemabura.

Bailey, E. P. 1993. Eradication of arctic foxes on Ugamak Island. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report, AMNWR 93/24. Homer, AK. 15pp. Bailey, E. P. 1994. Eradication of arctic foxes on Simeonof and Chemabura islands, and a

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recheck of Little Koniuji Island, Shumagin Islands. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report, AMNWR 94/15, Homer, AK. 24pp. Ebbert, S. 1995. Recheck of islands for foxes during the 1995 field season: Simeonof, Little Koniuji, Chemabura, Ukolnoi, Kagamil, Herbert, Chugul, Little Tanaga, and Umak. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Memorandum to Files, November 24, 1995. 8pp. Fischer, J. B. and A. G. Palmer. 1993. Survey and removal of introduced arctic fox at Little Tanaga, Umak, and Igitkin islands - June - September, 1992. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report AMNWR 93/04. Adak, AK. 27pp. Thomson, G. 1993. Eradication of arctic foxes on Herbert Island in 1993. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report, AMNWR 93/35. Adak, AK. 14pp. Thomson, G. 1994. Eradication of arctic foxes on Kagamil Island, Alaska and additional biological observations in 1994. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report, AMNWR 94/13., Adak, AK. 33pp.

Fox Removal—Ukolnoi /..--Introduced red foxes were removed to enhance seabird populations at Ukolnoi Island. Red foxes were introduced on Ukolnoi Island by at least 1913. During the summer of 1995, four fox trappers lived in one camp on Ukolnoi Island for thirty days (May 22 to June 20, 1995). They captured and killed a total of thirty-three adult foxes using foothold traps and by denning, calling and shooting. Two foxes were suspected to be still alive when trappers left Ukolnoi at the end of the season. Alaska Maritime NWR staff revisited Ukolnoi twice during 1995, and found recent fox tracks only on the first revisit.

Ebbert, S and E. Bailey. 1997. Eradication of arctic foxes on Ukolnoi Island, Alaska. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report AMNWR 97/05, Homer, AK. 10pp.

Fox Removal—Segula /.--Foxes also were removed in 1995 from Segula Island. Additionally, trappers monitored remnant populations of least and crested auklets. In addition to removing foxes, we gathered information on biodiversity, mapped potential Aleutian Canada goose nesting habitat, surveyed beaches for evidence of oil pollution, and delineated cultural sites. We killed 48 foxes on Segula in 1995, and it appeared the island was fox-free when we departed in late July. Over 90% of the foxes were taken near a large breeding colony of least (Aethia pusilla) and crested auklets (A. cristatella), species that were able to maintain substantial populations in spite of fox predation because many of their breeding sites, deep within rock crevices, are safe from foxes. At least 21 species of birds, mostly other species of crevice-nesting seabirds and dispersed terrestrial nesters, also have maintained remnant populations. We recorded 20 additional species of birds at Segula that were not nesting in 1995. Some of these species may reestablish populations following fox removal.

Thomson, G. 1995. Eradication of arctic foxes on Segula Island, Alaska in 1996. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report AMNWR 95/06. Homer, AK. 35pp.

Cleanup of Abandoned Fencing Wire at Simeonof (cooperative with National Park Service).—Refuge personnel inventoried fence materials remaining at a defunct ranch on Simeonof Island. Simeonof is a National Natural Landmark besides being within the Alaska 24

Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The staff documented approximately 1600 fence posts and one mile of fence wire.

Byrd, V. 1995. Inventory of fencelines at Simeonof Ranch, 6/28/95. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Letter to Mark Schroeder, NFS, Sept. 6, 1995. 2p.

4. FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

B. Disease Monitoring and Treatment

We received reports of dead wildlife (mostly bald eagles and sea otters) throughout the year. In most cases, we salvaged specimens to distribute to education, research or government entities. These included the National Wildlife Health Research Center (NWHRC), Law Enforcement (and subsequently, the Bald Eagle Repository), and the Marine Mammals Management office.

Injured live bald eagles were evaluated by a local veterinarian, and then either euthanized or sent to "The Learning Center," a rehabilitation facility in Anchorage, or rehabilitated briefly in Homer by a veterinary health clinician and released.

WB Slater completed necropsies of 2 sea otters for Marine Mammals Management. Necropsies were completed locally on a trial basis to evaluate its cost-effectiveness with regard to the handling time involved in preparing and shipping carcasses otherwise.

C. Reintroductions

Translocation of wild Aleutian Canada geese {Branta canadensis leucopareia) has been a major component of the Aleutian Canada goose recovery plan. The Aleutian Canada goose was downlisted from endangered to threatened status, due in large part to these previous translocation efforts. Most translocation work has been concentrated in the Near Is. Group (Nizki-Alaid and Agattu Is.) at the western end of the Aleutian Is. chain where bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are absent. To the east of Buldir I., bald eagles have proven to be a serious deterrent to the reestablishment of geese on Little Kiska and Amchitka Is. Historically, there have been 3 separate populations of Aleutian Canada geese. These 3 populations, referred to as the western, central, and eastern populations, have had their centers of distribution located at Buldir, Chagulak, and Kililtagik Is., respectively. These populations were once considered separate breeding segments for management purposes. Recent work on the central population at Chagulak I. indicated the population was not increasing in numbers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that the western and central populations were similar enough that birds could be translocated from Buldir 1. (western population) to Yunaska 1. (central population) to help bolster that population. In 1994, personnel of the Aleutian Is. Unit of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge translocated Aleutian Canada geese from Buldir 1. to Skagul 1. (an alternate release site) and Yunaska 1. Resightings of these translocated geese on the wintering grounds were relatively high and the recovery team recommended translocating more geese in 1995 to further strengthen the population. 25

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel successfully translocated 173 wild geese from Buldir I. to Yunaska I. (91 birds) and Skagul 1. (82 birds) in August 1995. Females comprised 64% and 60% of the goslings translocated to Yunaska I. and Skagul I., respectively. No geese died during translocation capture and handling activities. As in 1994, gale-force winds developed while en route to Yunaska L, the primary release site, forcing us to release geese once again at the alternate site of Skagul I. We documented the mortality of at least 8 translocated geese after release (5 at Yunakska I. and 1 at Skagul L). No geese translocated in 1994 were reobserved at Yunaska I. in 1995. Prior to the translocation we monitored clutch size and timing of nesting events at Buldir I. Mean clutch size was 4.9 eggs nest"1 for a sample (n = 20) at Buldir I. Nesting chronology was slightly later than in 1994 and most nests had hatched by 25 June. Two previously-banded geese were observed in the Aleutian Is. in 1995.

Williams, J.C., C. Studds, and L. Olson. 1995. Banding, translocation, and monitoring of Aleutian Canada geese in 1995. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep. AMNWR 95/08. Adak, Alas. 33 pp.

D. Provide Nest Structures

Artificial nest boxes for storm-petrels and rhinoceros auklets at St. Lazaria Island were constructed under a Challenge Cost Share program with the Sitka School District coordinated by WB Slater. WB Slater and DRM Boone installed the boxes at St. Lazaria.

E. Predator and Exotic Control

During 1995 activities continued on two fronts related to keeping new exotic rodent species (primarily Norway rats) from becoming established on AMNWR lands and attempts to lessen the number of rats on ships were begun.

Rat Prevention.-Tony DeGange and Laurie Fairchild of Ecological Services, and WB Art Sowls of the AMNWR completed "A strategic plan to protect island ecosystems in Alaska from the introduction of rodents". Rodenticide certification and rat control classes were given in Homer to FWS employees, to industry personnel in Dutch Harbor, and to Pribilovians at St. Paul and St. George.

Rat Removal—The U.S. Air Force Legacy program funded a project to evaluate the potential and possibly remove the rats from Shemya Island, home of Erekson Air Force Base. Rowley Taylor, a contractor from New Zealand, and Joe Brooks, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Denver Wildlife Research Center, did a survey of Shemya Island to explore the possibilities of removing rats from the island. They.did not find any live rats or fresh sign. They concluded that the island probably never had Norway rats, but instead had a population of roof rats. At this high latitude they believed roof rats were dependent of human presence to survive. With the dramatic reduction of the size of the military base on Shemya the roof rats apparently disappeared.

Rat Predation on -Rowland Taylor, Joe Brooks, and Ian Jones made a brief visit to Sirius Point on Kiska Island in July 1995. They found sign of rats killing auklets and

> 26 concluded that rats may pose a grave threat to the long-term survival of the colony. Research is now needed to see if rats are having a long-term effect on the numbers of auklets at this huge seabird colony of over a million birds.

Pribilof Harbor Defenses.-During 1995, Pribilof harbor defenses continued improvement in design and numbers of stations. At the St. Paul City dock, half a bag of poison and peanut butter bait off the snap trap had been eaten. Examining the tooth marks on the poison bag and the plastic wrap for the snap trap bait indicated a rat was the likely cause. The poison does not take immediate effect so a carcass would not be expected to be in the station even though a lethal dose had been eaten.

Shipwreck Response Preparedness.—Work began on assembling shipwreck response kits for quick deployment in case a rat-infested ship went aground. The kits contain traps, poison, bait stations and other supplies which might be needed..

Publicity.—Tke Anchorage Daily News did a 10 page Sunday supplement article on the threat of rats introductions to Alaska. The Dutch Harbor Fisherman also did a newspaper article on the rat issue.

5. COORDINATION ACTIVITIES

A. Interagency Coordination

Pribilof Working Group (PWG) —This group was formed to address a growing number of marine safety and environmental threats at the Pribilof Islands as a result of very rapid expansion of commercial fisheries in the area. The USCG has taken the lead for the group which includes Pribilof government, industry, NMFS, ADF&G, EPA, Pribilof Stewardship Program, and Alaska Pilot's Association. WB Art Sowls participated and provided information related to wildlife in regard to oil spills, aircraft disturbance, threat of rodent introductions, and other issues.

St. Paul Community Plan.—WQ Art Sowls reviewed and made recommendations during the community planning process of the City of Saint Paul community plan.

Seabird, Marine Mammal, Oceanography Coordinated Investigations (SMMOCI).-This is a cooperative study with National Marine Fisheries Service, National Biological Service, and the University of Alaska, Institute of Marine Sciences.

The AIU office at Adak provided specimens ~ two ravens and one adult bald eagle ~ to the new APLIC (Alaska Public Lands Information Center) in Ketchikan. 27

6. RESOURCES PROTECTION

A. Law Enforcement

WB Meehan referred three Navy personnel to Dutch Harbor Fish and Wildlife State Troopers for citations for salmon fishing violations at Finger Bay stream,.

C. Manage Permits and Economic Uses

Activities occurring or proposed to occur on the refuge were reviewed by biologists.

D. Contaminant Investigation and Cleanup

Adak site.—A number of contaminated sites have been identified on the Navy withdrawal land, and this area has been designated a "Super Fund Site." The Navy is currently conducting investigations and taking some remedial actions. Relevant to the imminent Adak base closure, a major cleanup of hazardous materials will probably be required.

Seguam Island oil spill—Th.Q beach and sea lion rookery near Saddleridge Point were inspected on 30 July 1995. No evidence of oil was seen on the beach or on any of the sea lions present.

Amchitka Island.—FWS representatives accompanied contractors to Amchitka for survey and sample work.

Great Sitkin Island.—Corps of Engineers personnel sampled at Great Sitkin Island in the autumn.

Contractor Dames & Moore conducted contaminants sampling work at Kiska and Semisopochnoi islands.

8. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RECREATION

A. Visitor Services

Proposed Visitor Center and Refuge Headquarters.—The environmental assessment process for the proposed visitor center and refuge headquarters was completed in May with the signing of the Finding of No Significant Impact. The final decision called for a 15,000 sq. ft. visitor center, 12,800 sq. ft. office, and 26,000 sq. ft. in support buildings: bunkhouse, warehouse and shop. The controversial seabird aquarium proposed in the Environmental Assessment published in 1994 was deleted from the final plan.

This brought to a close a long and contentious NEPA process centered mainly on the aquarium. By the time the comment period closed in early January, 139 comments had been received; an additional 200 plus comments were received from Humane Society members after the close of 28 # w the comment period. To no avail, Homer's mayor convened a citizens group early in the year to try and "save" the aquarium in the face of opposition from the Humane Society and environmental groups.

The remaining unobligated planning money ($1.1 million) was rescinded by Congress as part of a nation-wide recision bill, putting this project on hold. About 10% of the office/visitor center design and 85% of the support facilities design had already been completed.

ORP Benson applied for and received $300,000 in State Marine Recreation Money (Exxon Valdez spill funds) to construct a trail on the property acquired for the proposed headquarters. This money was pooled with the $180,000 the city was granted in Federal Highway funds (ISTEA) for a joint trail around Beluga Slough.

Homer Visitor Center .—This was not the best year for the refuge visitor center. Park Ranger Denise Witte was gone for training in the spring and then left in August for a Park Service position and was not replaced. Seasonal Park Ranger Willy Dunne took over running the center on Witte's departure for which he received an award. However, the visitor center had to be closed for the winter for the first time as soon as the seasonal staff departed. Witte had been stationed in the visitor center which is across town from the headquarters.

Visitation dropped 18% to 12,922. This drop may be due in part to the shortened season but also to declining "rubber tire" traffic since the peak travel generated by the Alaska Highway 50th celebration in 1993 with spill-over effects in 1994.

In spite of the difficulties in the center, outreach from the center improved due to a slightly larger and very capable seasonal staff. Chief Naturalist Willy Dunne, intermittent Park Ranger Patti Brown, Biological Aid Naya Brangenburg and new volunteers Claire Seymour, Kate Bankart and John Bertrand and returning volunteer Heather Dickenson made up the seasonal crew. Beach walks or bird walks were given daily, Dunne presented a shipboard program on a Navy destroyer and six children's programs were given at the State Park or in the visitor center for a total of 1080 participants, up 14% from 1994.

Adak Visitor Center.—Along with downsizing of the Navy population on Adak, the FWS staff has decreased as well due to positions being cut and vacant. There is no longer a FWS staff (ORP) designated for education and ANHA duties. As a result, many times the Visitor Center must be closed as there are not enough staff to keep the center open on a regular basis. This certainly affects our visitor services, information outreach programs and ANHA sales. Nearly 1,500 visitors came to the Adak Fish and Wildlife Center, and 300 persons attended orientation talks for new arrivals on Adak.

Clam Lagoon informational panels were manufactured in the spring and installed in September. This marks the culmination of a $70,000 multiple year project resulting in high quality (Aleutian weather resistant!) porcelain enamel interpretive displays with artwork by Lisa Scharf, design and layout by Patti Gallagher, and text by Laura Greffenius and Bev Grafel. The cooperating partners for this project included FWS Challenge Grant, Dept. of Defense Legacy Resource 29 • M Management Program, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and Ducks Unlimited. The nine signs are along the roadside and on viewing platforms around Clam Lagoon.

The Adak ANHA outlet continued to provide retail sales of educational materials and provide informational services at the Adak Fish and Wildlife Center. Revenue for FY 95 totaled $15,188. As was expected, sales decreased during the past fiscal year due to the decrease in Adak's population. The Visitor Center and ANHA sales outlet continue to be popular for residents and for the many short-term workers employed on the island. Information and education services comprised the majority of expenses for ANHA during FY 95. Part-time ANHA employees kept the Visitor Center open weekend afternoons and were available to answer questions.

ANHA.—This was a good year for the Homer branch of the Alaska Natural History Association (ANHA) as sales remained level at $22,971, in spite of the 18% drop in visitors. Dollar per visitor sales rose 26% to $1.78 per visitor. This was Witte's second year running the outlet and her increasing expertise showed in a greatly expanded product line and better displays. ANHA funds were used to support the Shorebird Festival - speaker travel, advertising and speaker reception; the Shorebird Sister Schools Program - AOL internet access costs for refuge and some participating schools; and the ferry program - lending library acquisitions.

Nome Interpretive Wayside.—The Alaska Department of Fish and Game proposed an interpretive wayside funded by Federal Highway monies (ISTEA) for refuge lands on Safety Sound near Nome. The site was adjacent to a road, visited by tourists mainly birders, and afforded good views of Safety Sound. After a site visit by RM Martin, the refuge agreed in concept but an amendment to the existing Comprehensive Conservation Plan was necessary to reclassify the land from minimal management to intensive management.

The RO planning staff prepared the amendment and solicited public comment through mailings. ORP Benson held a public meeting in Nome in July and met with local officials to solicit further comments. The plan was amended and the signed we completed but the project was significantly altered when the refuge could not come to an agreement with the state Department of Transportation (DOT) over future maintenance of the proposed boardwalk and signs. The Safety Sound area is far from our operations and had never before been visited by refuge staff. Oversight of a public use facility would have been difficult. DOT elected to put the signs up within their right-of-way to avoid maintenance and permitting issues.

B. Outreach

Environmental Education.-The, environmental education program also declined significantly due to Witte's training schedule and departure. A total of 1,596 students were served, down 24%. Programs were given on nearly every school day in May. Seabird, shorebird and wetland programs were the most popular. Highlights of the year were SO Kevin Bell's Aleutians programs, an elderhostel, and shipboard environmental education for Kodiak schools traveling on the M/V Tustemena. This last program was provided by Orville Lind of the Alaska Peninsula Refuge as both Witte and the seasonal staff were gone by October when the trip occurred. 30 • M It was a good year for teacher training. Four inservice training sessions were conducted reaching a total of 30 teachers. Three were about the newly published seabird curriculum. Benson and Witte did one each in Kodiak and Witte also held one in Homer. A fourth inservice conducted by seasonal Park Ranger Patti Brown at the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival on shorebird education attracted 18 teachers. In addition, Witte and BT Arthur Kettle participated in a tour operator's training session on sea otters at the Pratt Museum. Twenty people attended the two day event.

Shorebird Sister Schools Program.—Seventeen schools along the Pacific Flyway participated in tracking the shorebird migration and communicating with the other sister schools on America On-Line during this second year of the program. Field trips, on-line chats with scientists, regular student reports on the migration over KBBI radio, and a new draft curriculum were the highlights. Lydia Wren was contracted to run the program and prepare the curriculum under PR Witte's guidance. A volunteer Homer committee continued to be active in recruiting schools and scientists and in curriculum revision.

Homer schools expressed even more interest than in previous years, an Anchorage school became involved, and Mud Bay field trips were popular. However, computer problems, the newness of the internet, and the difficulty of motivating schools far away remained an issue.

Benson prepared a paper on this and other internet-based environmental education projects which she gave at the National Association of Interpreters annual conference in Orlando, Florida. The audience of 50 was very interested in the project.

After Witte's departure, the refuge could no longer handle this project and take it to the larger audience it needed. ORP Benson and RM Martin traveled to Anchorage to sell the RO on taking over Shorebird Sister Schools since it is a flyway-based education project. By year's end RO environmental education specialist Heather Johnson had been assigned the project and met with the Homer committee to ease the transition.

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival—This is the third year for the Festival which is now widely recognized as a success. ORP Benson was asked to speak on the festival as a model for others on two different occasions. In February she spoke before the Public Lands Tourism Forum in Anchorage. In April, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources brought her to Missouri to speak on the festival to chamber and tourism industry representatives and to participate in a video on watchable wildlife and tourism.

Combat birding weather, our first big name keynoter, Pete Dunne, and the biggest crowds yet characterized this year's festival. Guided shorebird stations, bird walks and pelagic birding trips suffered from the gale force winds and rain. Hard core birders hunkered down among the beach logs unwilling to yield the field to the elements. All indoor activities including seminars, a teacher training, dedication of the sperm whale skeleton at the high school, art gallery migration, the keynote brunch and book signing were well attended. 31 • w PR Willy Dunne again managed the refuge's efforts which included planning and managing all the talks and birding events. Dunne and ORP Benson participated in planning sessions with the Chamber all year long. Dorle Sholtz was hired by the Chamber for festival director.

Pribilof Stewardship Camps.—This was the fourth year for this nature day camp for the mainly Aleut children of St. Paul and St. George islands in the Pribilof Island group. The camp is the result of a challenge cost share agreement with the cities of St. Paul and St. George; the Native Corporations, Tanaq and Tanadgusix; St. Paul Traditional Council; St. George IRA Council; the Pribilof School District and the Nature Conservancy. The Fish and Wildlife Service is the principle hinder at $22,000 with the school district next at $12,000. Other funds came from National Marine Fisheries Service, a high school employment program and fundraising.

ORP Benson again handled the grant administration and made a monitoring trip in mid-summer to the islands. The school district handled the day to day administration including hiring most of the employees. Aquilina Bourdukofsky headed up the St. Paul camp again aided by the dynamic duo of Carmen and Conrad Field and by elder Mary Bourdukofsky. Judy Getting and Judy Sherburne were the St. George instructors.

The camps ran for seven weeks on St. Paul and four weeks on St. George with several overnight camping trips. About 70 kids participated in the camps over the course of the summer. Fur seals, seabirds, invertebrates, flowers, native culture including foods and crafts, outdoor skills and the seal harvest were the principle topics covered in camp. Special projects in St. Paul this year were the articulation of a sea lion skeleton and painting of a wall-sized Aleut mural. The St. George camp constructed a topographical model of St. George and created an undersea environment for their final village-wide potluck.

Carmen and Conrad Field made two other trips to St. Paul during the school year as part of the camp. They presented environmental education programs to the school during Aleut week in the spring and took kids on a fall retreat in October.

State Ferry Naturalist.—This program is a challenge cost share agreement between the refuge and the Marine Highway Program which provides passage, room and board for the refuge naturalist. PR Emilie Otis was hired as the ferry naturalist for the trips from Homer to Kodiak and the week long trips from Homer to Dutch Harbor. Volunteer Kate Bankhart handled the shorter, one day trips to Seldovia.

The refuge naturalists present interpretive programs including slide shows, videos and demonstrations, spot and identify marine wildlife, provide roving interpretation and maintain a lending library onboard. The ferry passes through refuge waters, past refuge islands and past four other refuges. Three ports also host refuge headquarters.

This was not the best year for the ferry program. Due to ferry breakdowns and tardy reservations on our part, two of the Dutch Harbor trips were missed. On the one" July trip we made, PR Dunne accompanied Otis for training. 32 Mariner Park Overlook. —ORP Benson received a challenge cost share agreement to construct interpretive signs for a viewing platform adjacent to Mariner Park Slough. Lighthouse Village, a private development, contributed its viewing platform to provide the match. The Pratt Museum was contracted to provide the artwork and text.

FWS provided newspaper articles and radio announcements through local Navy information services. National Wildlife Week packets were distributed to teachers in Aleutian schools, including Atka and Unalaska.

9. PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION

C. Training

The following refuge personnel participated in training for pesticide applicator certification for the use of M-44s for arctic fox eradication on refuge islands and for rodenticides for rat control and prevention on refuge islands: SWB Byrd, WB Ebbert, WB Sowls, BT D. Dragoo, BT Paragi, BT Thomson, Lab. Wraley, Vol, McCargo.

D. General Administration

Adak's Navy drawdown in military personnel brings about a dispute in Navy policy as it affects FWS staff. Adak FWS office questions Navy's policy of no dependents (spouses) imposed on FWS staff. FWS contends spouses can be here based on availability of our own housing. Navy maintains only those who are employed may be on island.

Since Navy personnel no longer have dependents on Adak, it has been more difficult to hire and retain FWS personnel. MW Profit departed the end of September, and AT Cole was terminated in October.

All Navy dependents departed in June, 1994; however, there continues to be speculation about reuse of the facilities after closure of the base. Interested Aleutian entities, including the State of Alaska, Navy officials, FWS and The Aleut Corporation, are looking at ways to incorporate Adak as a functioning community.

BT Meehan attended the Department of Defense Fish and Wildlife Training Workshop on military resource management programs. He presented a slide show/talk on the history of the Adak caribou herd, its introduction and the current management situation on military lands.

Facilities Maintenance.--¥WS and Corps of Engineers personnel conducted an environmental audit of Adak's facilities in June. An action plan was developed for follow-up to ensure compliance with regulatory findings. M/V Tiglax Engineer Nelson provided facilities maintenance assistance in February, working on heating units and outboards. M/V Tiglax Deckhand Ward came for a month in November to do facilities maintenance due to the vacant 33 • ^ MW position. The laborer position was filled to assist the MW with pre-field season preparations and to prepare for an Environmental Compliance inspection.

Navy contractors installed new above-ground fuel tanks at headquarters building and at the bunkhouse as part of the base-wide cleanup operations. The old underground tanks were removed as they are no longer satisfactory for environmental compliance.

Maintenance Worker Profit and seasonal MW Brown attended 40 hours of training in Hazardous Response and Material/Waste Management. Maintenance volunteer Eric Kopf worked the month of September as an assistant to MW Profit. He was instrumental in providing valuable assistance to get the Clam Lagoon interpretive displays installed.

Due to the closure of the Naval Security Group Activity, FWS was able to acquire five used vehicles as excess property.

2. Personnel

PERMANENT FULL-TIME: Susie Alexander Auto Ofc. Clerk GS-4 08/08/94-11/12/95 Edgar Bailey Wildlife Biologist GS-11 10/01/81-pres Kevin Bell Ship Operator WS-10 07/08/87-pres Laurie Benson Outdoor Rec. Planner GS-11 07/17/88-pres Daniel L. Boone Assistant Refuge Manager GS-12 06/24/94-pres G. Vernon Byrd Superv. Wildl. Biologist GS-12 09/23/92-pres Julia Cole Administrative Technician GS-5 12/12/94-10/6/95 Trina Fellows Accounting Technician GS-5 11/28/83-pres Laura Greffenius Refuge Ops. Specialist GS-11 12/01/91-pres Carol Hagglund Budget Assistant GS-7 08/21/83-pres John Martin Refuge Manager GM-13 12/21/81-pres Gary Montoya Deputy Refuge Manager GS-12 12/27/92-pres Eric Nelson Marine Machine Mech. WG-10 02/21/89-pres Scott Profit Maintenance Worker WG-8 07/25/95-09/30/95 B. Leslie Slater Wildlife Biologist GS-11 11/16/92-pres Katherine Smith Ofc Auto Clerk GS-4 06/01/92-pres Arthur Sowls Wildlife Biologist GS-11 09/28/86-pres Jeff Williams Wildlife Biologist GS-11 05/08/90-pres PERMANENT INTERMITTENT: Ivan Davies Marine Machinery Mech. WG-10 03/25/90-pres Don Dragoo Biological Technician GS-7 05/27/87-pres Marcia Macone Cook/Deckhand WG-8 08/08/88-pres Gregory Snedgen Deckhand WG-5 06/01/89-pres Robert Ward Cook (Deckhand) WG-8 04/19/92-pres Denise Witte Park Ranger GS-5 06/22/93-08/05/95

TERM: Arthur Kettle Biological Technician GS-6 05/16/93-pres Joseph Meehan Biological Technician GS-7 07/23/95-pres David Roseneau Wildlife Biologist GS-11 01/10/93-pres Lisa Scharf Biological Technician GS-5 05/01/94-pres

TEMPORARY:

Geoff Beyersdorff Biological Technician GS-7 05/01/95-09/30/95 Barbara Blackie Biological Technician GS-5 05/22/95-09/15/95 Margi Blanding Biological Technician GS-5 05/15/95-08/19/95 Naya Brangenberg Biological Science Aid GS-3 05/15/95-08/19/95 Amie Brown Maintenance Worker WG-5 04/03/95- /07/95 Patricia Brown Park Ranger GS-5 07/23/95-09/27/95 Joel Cooper Biological Technician GS-5 05/17/92-pres Emily Cover Park Ranger GS-5 05/15/95-09/30/95 Belinda Dragoo Biological Technician GS-6 04/29/89-pres William Dunne Park Ranger GS-7 05/20/91-pres Carmen Field Training Instructor GS-5 04/15/93-pres John Jamieson Deckhand WG-5 05/04/91-pres Mary Portner Biological Technician GS-7 05/15/95-10/28/95 Bill Stahl Biological Technician GS-5 05/30/95-09/30/95 Chris Thorsrud OAC GS-4 10/15/95-12/17/95 Jessica Wachtel Biological Technician GS-5 05/15/95-09/19/95 Jeffrey Wraley Laborer WG-2 05/19/91-pres VOLUNTEERS AND STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION (SCA):

Josh Adams Moss Landing, CA Semidis Ed Bailey Homer, AK Ukolnoi Kate Bankart England Homer Visitor Center John Bertrand Long Beach, CA Homer Visitor Center Laurie Beyersdorff McKinleyville, CA Semidis Andrew Byrd Homer, AK Shumagins Terry Cart en Branford, CT Homer Visitor Center Peter Chance Brookeville, MD Cape Lisbume Mary Cody Anchorage, AK St. Lazaria Heather Dickinson Vermont Homer Visitor Center Nina Faust Homer, AK Ukolnoi Rose Faust Homer, AK Homer Visitor Center Conrad Field Homer, AK Homer Visitor Center Dan Gibson Fairbanks, AK Shumagins Mia Grifalconi Sitka, AK St. Lazaria Kent Hall Sitka, AK St. Lazaria Brad Kriekhaus Sitka, AK St. Lazaria David Kuehn Grand Rapids, MN Ukolnoi Larry Kuznar Milford, PA Ukolnoi Bev Minn Sitka, AK St. Lazaria Ed Murphy Fairbanks, AK Bluff Sean Murphy Fairbanks, AK Bluff Hannah Nevins Moss Landing, CA Semidis Mary Ortworth New Mexico Homer Visitor Center Susan Roberts Sitka, AK St. Lazaria Jim Schneeweis Grand Rapids, MN Buldir/Y unaska/Skagul Claire Seymour England Homer Visitor Center Michael Shephard Sitka, AK St. Lazaria Rowley Taylor Nelson, New Zealand Shemya/Kiska George West Homer, AK Homer Visitor Center 36 • Table 1. Staffing Pattern, Fiscal Years 1991 to 1995

Permanent Total

Full-Time Part-Time/ Temporary FTP Intel inittent FY 95 19 8.5 9.7 37.2 FY 94 19.4 5.6 9.9 34.9 FY 93 14 7 13 21.80 FY 92 13 7 9 19.10 FY 91 15 6 15 28.88

5. Funding

Table 2. Alaska Maritime Refuge Funding FY 1991 to FY 1995 (thousands).

FY 95 FY 94 FY 93 FY 92 FY 91 1260 2,101.7 2,130.1 1,979.1 2,087.0 1,715.7 1113 110.0 126.0 114.0 206.0 206.0 8610 42.6 52.0 45.3 14.0 1971 602.5 215.9 341.4 14.7 181.0

9821 148.6 333.9 — 14.3

__ 4960 .58 .58 ~

1115 2.0 — ~

4650 103.4 206.0 ~

6320/30 10.0 45.0 —

• 8381 182.5 ~ TOTAL 3005.98 2860.48 2,775.7 2,558.7 2,131.0 37

E. M/V Tiglax Operations.—In January a draft field season schedule was prepared by RM Martin and Supervisory Biologist Byrd. The schedule was sent out for review to all user groups.

Chief Mate Bell ordered navigation charts, publications, and deck supplies. Chief Engineer Nelson ordered spare engine parts and supplies. Engineer Nelson made shipboard repairs and conducted maintenance on refuge vehicles and outboards. Chief Mate Bell worked with Fire Control Systems and Bay Safety conducting annual fire and emergency equipment inspections. All emersion suits were tested for leakage and repairs were made as necessary.

On March 5 Chief Mate Bell was promoted to Ship Operator Supervisor. This was followed with paperwork to refill the Mate's position. In March Captain Bell worked on fuel, drug, and food orders. A diver was hired to replace zincs on the keel coolers, and a contract was completed for a new bottom trawl system to be fabricated and welded onboard the ship. This system included an A- Frame and a longline winch, with new hydraulic lines tapped into existing hydraulic system.

In April a new Mate was hired and the entire ship's crew was assembled to conduct maintenance and ship repairs. The ship was loaded with stores, fuel, cargo, equipment, and all items were stored and secured for sea. A safety and crew meeting was conducted by Captain Bell, and on the last day of April the Tiglax got underway for Seward.

On May 1, the Tiglax arrived and departed Seward with Bureau of Indian Affairs personnel onboard to survey Archaeological sights in Prince William Sound. After returning in May from the PWS trip, the ship's crew continued preparations for the main field season. Chief Mate Pepper purchased commercial longline fishing gear including hooks, ganons, snaps, anchors, and groundline. The Mate and two Deckhands assembled the longline gear for the upcoming field season.

Chief Engineer Nelson along with Deckhands Snedgen and Jamieson worked with a plumbing contractor to move and reroute exhaust piping on the ship's boiler. The Deckhands worked overtime to get the boiler job completed before the Tiglax got underway. The ship's crew and field personnel completed loading island field camps on May 15. Field crews moved aboard the following day, and a safety meeting was conducted by Chief Mate Pepper.

The Tiglax departed Homer for the Aleutian Islands on May 17 and returned October 6, completing the longest field season to date. The ship spent 144 days underway traveling 17,781 miles across Alaska. Ship's crew and field personnel setup 13 field camps and conducted research on 59 islands. Many new and ongoing projects were completed for a successful year.