97 Report of Meeting SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON ANTARCTIC RESEARCH WORKING GROUP ON BIOLOGY BIRD BIOLOGY SUBCOMMITTEE MINUTES OF MEETING, 9–13 JUNE 2002, JENA, GERMANY 1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES 3.2 The conservation status of the Southern Ocean islands Members and observers were welcomed to the meeting by the The meeting heard reports from members and observers of Chair, Dr E.J. Woehler. Apologies had been received from Drs improved conservation status for a number of southern islands, J.P. Croxall, G. Robertson and H. Weimerskirch and Lic N. Coria. both through legislation and by successful attempts to remove The Chair noted the resignation of Dr L.S. Davis from the Sub- alien predators. In terms of legislation, it was noted that South committee, and thanked him for his past services. Africa intended to submit the Prince Edward Islands to the World Heritage Convention in 2004 (and that a nomination text had been prepared). A proposal for the Inaccessible Island Nature Reserve 2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA AND APPOINTMENT OF (Tristan da Cunha group) to be included within the Gough Island RAPPORTEURS World Heritage Site was being considered by the UK authorities after receiving the approval of the Tristan da Cunha Government. The draft agenda was adopted (Doc. 1). Attendees are listed in Management plans for South Georgia and Inaccessible Island Annex 1, and the documents tabled in Annex 2. Mr J. Cooper and were adopted and published in 2000 and 2001, respectively. It was Ms D.L. Patterson were appointed rapporteurs. noted that existing management plans were under review for Heard and McDonald Islands (Australia), Gough Island (UK) and the Prince Edward Islands (South Africa). 3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE TOKYO MEETING, 2000 Practical measures to increase island conservation status had been undertaken by Australia (the apparent successful removal of feral The minutes of the previous meeting, held in Tokyo, Japan, in July Domestic Cats Felis catus from Macquarie Island by a number of 2000 had been circulated and published intersessionally (Marine combined measures, with an ensuing return in 2000 of the Grey Ornithology 28: 191–202, 2000, www.marineornithology.org) Petrel Procellaria cinerea as a breeding species for the first time and were adopted (Doc. 2). since the 1890s) and by New Zealand (apparent removal of Nor- wegian or Brown Rats Rattus norvegicus from Campbell Island 3.1 Central Data Bank for Antarctic Bird Banding by the aerial dropping of poisoned bait in 2001, a notable achieve- ment on a 11 000-ha island). Norwegian Rats had been removed Mr J. Cooper reported that the South African Bird Ringing Unit by the hand-broadcasting of poisoned bait from 30-ha Grass (SAFRING) had received the sum of US$ 1000 from SCAR to Island, South Georgia in November 2000 by the Government of manage the Central Data Bank (CDB) for Antarctic Bird Banding South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, with support from for the period 2001–2002. SAFRING had continued to house the the Department of Conservation, New Zealand. Norwegian Rats records of the CDB, but apparently had not made the annual had also been removed by hand-broadcasting poisoned bait from requests for information requested by the Subcommittee at its last four small islands in the Falkland Islands by Falklands Conserva- (and previous) meetings (Doc. 2). Presumably largely as a conse- tion in 2001. Additional islands are planned to be treated in the quence, primary banding data was reported by SAFRING as being future. received only from the United Kingdom (British Antarctic Survey) during the last two years. It was agreed that the CDB was not func- 3.3 Recent publications on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic birds tioning in the way originally envisaged by the Subcommittee. The compilations produced by Ms C.M. Phillips, British Antarc- After discussion, the Subcommittee considered that rather than tic Survey (BAS) Librarian, for 1998 and 1999 were tabled (Docs continuing to sponsor a CDB as such, it should keep a directory 3 & 4). It was noted that these were soon to be published electroni- of contact persons and national offices for each national and/or cally in Marine Ornithology (2001, 29: 97–101, 103–107, Antarctic banding programme from where information could be www.marineornithology.org) and would thereafter be published requested when marked (including colour-marked) birds could not in the paper version of the journal. A draft compilation for 2000 be identified. Such a directory could be a web-based one, possi- by Ms Phillips was tabled (Doc. 5). Members and observers were bly housed at the Australian Antarctic Data Centre. The Chair requested to submit their additions and corrections directly to Ms agreed to explore this option intersessionally. Phillips ([email protected]) as soon as possible, so that the 2000 list could be published in Marine Ornithology in 2002. Dr S Loparev gave a summary of Ukrainian banding efforts in Antarctica over the period 1998 to 2002, and will supply the address of the Ringing Centre in Kiev, Ukraine to the Subcommit- tee after the meeting. Marine Ornithology 30: 97–106 (2002) 98 Meeting report 3.4 Guidelines for approaching Antarctic and sub-Antarctic in 2001 in Rome, Italy had heard reports from member nations on seabirds, including aircraft operations their progress implementing the International Plan of Action for Reducing Seabird Mortality from Longline Fishing (IPOA- The Chair tabled a summary of minimum approach distances to Seabirds). Currently, Japan, New Zealand and the USA had wildlife adopted by the Australian Antarctic Division (Doc. 6). developed their National Plans of Action, with NPOA-Seabirds The Subcommittee noted that several Antarctic research pro- being developed or planned for Australia, Brazil, Falkland Islands grammes, as well as the International Association of Antarctic and South Africa. Tour Operators (IAATO), had developed individual guidelines for approaching wildlife within the Antarctic Treaty (AT) area (e.g. The Subcommittee noted the intention of Australia to submit the by Germany, Doc. 7). The Chair outlined concerns regarding dis- two species of toothfish to Appendix II of CITES (the Convention crepancies between national programmes for minimum approach on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna) distances to wildlife, especially when considering that more than at its November 2002 Conference of Parties (Doc. 10). If adopted, 15 000 tourists are likely to visit the AT area on an annual basis. such a listing would effectively extend CCAMLR’s CDS to a The resulting discussion centred on the need for more long-term much larger group of countries, further controlling pirate fishing demographic data on potential human impacts on wildlife and the and reducing seabird bycatch. The Subcommittee also noted with possibility that due to regional differences in visitation patterns approval that Antarctic tourist vessels were collecting donations and wildlife behaviour, a standardized set of guidelines may not from passengers to fund research into seabird/longline fisheries be applicable. problems, and that first call for fund applications had recently been made to an advisory panel that included two current members of The Subcommittee considered that the broader issue of human– the Subcommittee. wildlife interactions was of great importance within the SCAR area of interest. The Subcommittee thus agreed to continue the consideration of approach distance guidelines for wildlife, with 5. SPECIES COMPILATIONS consideration to locality and prior site management. Tourism, especially on the Antarctic Peninsula, represents the majority of 5.1 Giant petrels Macronectes spp. human presence during the summer breeding season. A revised ms was to be submitted for publication to Marine The Subcommittee decided that a workshop examining the Ornithology by the Chair. The figures would be produced at the broader aspects of human-seabird interactions was appropriate, Australian Antarctic Division. and that topics to be examined would include researcher–wildlife interactions, building from the workshop held on this topic in the 5.2 Storm petrels USA in 1993 (Fraser, W.R. & Trivelpiece, W.Z. (Eds). 1994. Report on [the] Workshop on Researcher–Seabird Interactions. A document summarizing the distribution and abundance of Wil- Washington, D.C.: Office of Polar Programs, NSF). It was decided son’s and Black-bellied Storm Petrels Oceanites oceanicus and to hold this workshop in association with the 3rd International Fregetta tropica was tabled by Drs P. Quillfeldt and H-U. Peter, Conference on Albatrosses and Petrels, and the 5th International who had taken over responsibility for the compilation from Dr M. Penguin Conference, both of which will be held in South America Sallaberry intersessionally (Doc. 11). This document required in late 2004. updating with new data recently received. Members and observ- ers were requested to submit new (including unpublished) infor- mation and methodology used to Drs Quillfeldt and Peter as soon 4. SEABIRD–FISHERIES INTERACTIONS as possible, using the Antarctic Gazetteer for names and co- ordinates of localities, so that the ms could be completed and sub- Mr J. Cooper summarized developments of note in the last two mitted for publication. Both quantitative and non-quantitative years. BirdLife International continued to run its Save the Alba- information was needed. Information would be sent by Drs I. tross Campaign to reduce seabird mortality from longline fishing Chupin and E.J. Woehler. An appeal for information would be (Doc. 8). Two BirdLife partners had held a South American work- made on the Seabird Listserver. shop on the issue in September 2001 in Uruguay (Doc. 9) and a similar workshop had been held in Asia later that year. The Work- Dr W.R. Fraser reported his view that numbers of Wilson’s Storm ing Group on Incidental Mortality Arising from Fishing (WG- Petrels were decreasing in the vicinity of Palmer Station, Anvers IMAF) of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Island, Antarctic Peninsula.