BULLETIN

Volume 16 Humber Z

PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP
BULLETIN

Volume 16

1989

Number 2

The Chairs Page

Pacific Seabird Group News

Results of Straw Poll on Publication of a Journal

1989 Annual Meeting

Regional Reports

Alaska

Northeast Region

Report from the Marbled Murrelet Technical Committee

Seabird News

Conservation News

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Nongame Bird Strategies

Second International Conference on Marine Debris

The Exxon Valdez Spill

Application Requirements for Research/Scientific Collection in Mexico

New Publications

Bibl iographies

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,81

.81

.82

.83

.83

.86

.91

.93

.95

.97

103

107

109

111

112

77

i?

'i.

THE CHAIR'S PAGE

This has been a very busy year for seabirds and seabird biologists in
the Pacific. The field season of most PSG members in Alaska was severely
modified in the wake of the unparalled environmental disaster, the wreck of
the tanker "Exxon Valdez". Over the course of the spring and summer more
than 35,000 dead birds were collected from beaches along the Gulf of Alaska,
and the cleanup, assessment and documentation of environmental damage has
consumed nearly every waking hour of both the State of Alaska and the US Fish
and Wildlife Service biologists. I've written a synopsis of the spill
elsewhere in this Bulletin.

In spite of the Spill, the world has moved along, not always ahead, but
generally in an identifable direction. PSG made recommendations to several
National Forests with regard to management concerns over Marbled Murrelets,
and the cascade of Environmental Impact reports and Management Guides which
arrived on my desk in response was astounding--no wonder the trees are in
danger of being consumed, the paper trail is overwhelming. The bottom line
in forest management appears to be deliberately murky, I hope some dedicated
individuals will keep on top of the issues in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and
California to insure some Marbled Murrelet habitat is conserved.

This year also saw the genesis of a program in the US Fish and Wildlife
Service to developing a Plan for management of Non-game Wildlife Species,,
including the non-edible (non-waterfowl) seabirds. Several of us reviewed
the plan and collectively made suggestions through PSG (review reprinted in
this Bulletin). The status of this plan, as with most current Federal
programs, is budget (and budget deficit) driven, meaning that whatever can be
done without spending money the Service will consider. Suddenly, when the
polls show the Environment to be of increasing importance to voters, the
taxpayers representatives have decided the US is the poorest country around.
We still manage to consume and squander energy and other natural resources at
an alarming pace, but we can't afford to clean up the toxics or protect and
improve the quality of bird habitats. I hope the fallout from the Exxon
Valdez makes some impact on our government and its priorities. Judging from
the flyers from conservation organizations, they are not going to let us
forget about the spill. Good for them.

Within PSG this year there has been some interesting action as well.
There has been talk, recurring after a several year quiet, of PSG publishing
or collaborating in publishing a Marine Orni thol ogy/Waterbi rd/Seabi rd
Journal. A straw poll sent with your dues notices showed members to be
enthusiastic over the idea of a journal, and the majority clearly would like
to work with the Colonial Waterbird Society to produce a first-rate
publication. I will continue to pursue this with the Executive Council and
with the Colonial Waterbird Society, and I hope that the in-comming Chair,
Doug Siegel -Causey will work with the Executive Council and continue the
dialog. I hope to have more information for the membership at the next
Annual Meeting.

Which brings me to the topic of the Annual Meeting, to be held in
Victoria, British Columbia, February 21-24, 1990. Kees Veermer and Alan
Burger are organizing a very strong program which will include a symposium
entitled "The Status, Ecology, and Conservation of Marine Birds of the
Temperate North Pacific", a very timely topic this year. I hope we have lots

79

of individually submitted papers as well, especially on
to keep the recent flurry of MAMU research in the news
see individual papers on aspects of the Exxon
permitted to see the light of day
law suit.

Spill,
pending our nation'

Marbled Murrelets -
and I would like to
if such information is
s largest environmental

— u as ™ ss

Thanks.

D. Michael Fry

80

PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP NEWS

RESULTS OF STRAW POLL ON PUBLICATION OF A JOURNAL

Our Treasurer Ellen Chu has mailed me the informal ballots which I
included at the bottom of the PSG dues notice last spring. The poll is not
complete, as it lacks the response from most Life Members, but the results
are definitely worth serious discussion by the Executive Committee.

182 members returned their straw polls, and only 12 were unmarked. The
vast majority (81%) would like to see PSG participate in a Journal. The
tabulated results are listed below, along with unsolicited comments and
testimonials volunteered by respondents:

1) TOTAL RESPONDING:

182

100%

2) DISAPPROVE OF PUBLISHING A JOURNAL:
COMMENTS OF THOSE DISAPPROVING:

23

13%

A) SHOULD PUBLISH IN COLONIAL WATERBIRDS:

7

30%*

B) WOULD COST TOO MUCH:

5

22%.

C) TOO MANY JOURNALS ALREADY:

8

35%

D) NEED A REVIEW JOURNAL INSTEAD:

1

<

E) TOO MUCH WORK FOR PSG:

4

17%

3) APPROVE OF PUBLISHING A JOURNAL:

147

81%

A) PSG SHOULD PUBLISH WITH CWBS:

76

*

5 2%

WITH OTHER SOCIETIES ALSO

6

8%

WITH NAME CHANGE OF C.W.:

5

7%*

B) PSG SHOULD PUBLISH ON ITS OWN:

46

31%*

C) NO OPINION AS TO ALONE OR JOINTLY:

25

17%

4) RESPONDENTS WITH RESERVATIONS AS TO COST

OF PUBLISHING A JOURNAL:

11

6%

A) WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY HIGHER DUES:

2

1%*

B) WOULD QUIT THE GROUP IF COSTS INCREASED:

2

1%

*: Percent of subgroup responding with this comment.

While comments were not specifically requested in the straw poll, the
results and the comments are clearly important. The comments do not add up
to 100% because many respondents made several different comments, and some
made none at all. A small number of people thought we should conduct a real
poll after doing homework on the issue. I see the straw poll as a starting
place for homework, and quite illustrative of the mood of the Group.

As part of the analysis of this poll, I separated the responses of about
70 very active and/or long-term members, and tabulated them separately as a
second look of the "active" membership. I was gratified that the results
were similar to the membership as a whole, with 23% (compared to 13%)

81

of S the r olld n ti m p^ h compared to 81% ) approving, and 1% with no opinion. More
t the old-tmers have reservations about publishing, but, at the same timp

/fim 9her H Pe h Cen Ih 9e Wa L. nts to publish with the Colonial Waterbird Society

Ualtlbirdt are n c 51 bined h with i th PPr ° Ve h’ bUt W3nt peop1e to publish in Colonial

Colonaial Zlrltd KM £55^

r^^rSurn^rs: espondents (5) — ^

l 1 tbink } he number of respondents is good, although the number of Life
Members is under-represented, and the results are pretty clear: Tembers want

with a nther Pab % 1 - n J )Ub ^ Sb l n g a J° urna i > and most want to work with CWBS (and
fo G hav Ul d b h e ' i9 "- f * ' 31 “ dues 1 went * up^Ind^fhe^clearl^desi^

concentrate on issue, rather than on publication I hope «e could do bit*.

with t^r 1 ! ] - k ? P u G Executive Council to authorize a committee to meet
"e“oSl, 1™?t,o,l. er ? l d S “ C , i8ty 2 nd * he Editor of Colonial IfaS^lo
Journal I belil^L^ C ° StS and structure of Joint publication of
financial ItSrturp nf h » ve concerns over the name of the Journal, of

GrouSs hut *1 h^no „ f . or 9 a mzations, and of independence of

Groups, but I hope none of these issues will prove to be insurmountable.

- D. Michael Fry
October 15, 1989

a
the
the

1989 ANNUAL MEETING

d • Paci H c Seab1rd Group will hold its 1989 annual meetino at the Rnvai
British Columbia Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, from 21 to 25 fSbrSary
In addition to contributed papers and posters, the meeting wm

Tp m S n y pTtJ U M ° n t , tbe S . tatus > Ecolo 9y a nd Conservation of Marine Bird
Temperate North Pacific. The meeting is sponsored by the Roval

Canadian riHrf ^ Wl . ldlife Bra nch (Province of British Columbia)
Institntp Ca nf d n 3n Wl c dllfe Service. Local organizers are Dr. Kees Vermeer
St % f 0cea " Seizes, Sidney, B.C., Canada V8L 4B2 (604-356-7537) and
387-3544) BUr96r ’ R ° ya Britisb Columbia Museum, Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X4 (604-

1990.
include
of the
British
and the

82

REGIONAL REPORTS

ALASKA, JOEL HUBBARD

With the release of more than 11 million gallons of crude oil following the
grounding of the tanker Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound yet another
superlative was added to the lexicon of Alaskana, but it is not likely we
shall speak of the March 24th incident in such glowing terms. Among all of
the uncertainties associated with this event, it is certain that 1989 will be
remembered as the year of The Great Alaska Oil spill. By the end of March
many kilometers of shoreline in western Prince William Sound were heavily
oiled, slicks covered much of the open water, and a substantial proportion of
the oil had escaped from the sound and was moving west in the Alaska Coastal
Current. By mid-April oil had contacted offshore islands and headlands along
the entire southern Kenai Peninsula, moved north into Lower Cook Inlet, and
surrounded the Barren Islands, a major seabird colony area at the mouth of
the inlet. By late April winds had driven oil into bays and fjords of the
Kenai Peninsula and mousse (oil -in-water emulsion) was reported to the
southwest along the length of Katmai National Park on the Alaska Peninsula.
Over the next several weeks mousse was reported along the peninsula southwest
of the park as well as in Shelikof Strait and the west coasts of most islands
in the Kodiak Archipelago, over 700 kilometers from the original spill site.
Later in May, small amounts of mousse and oil sheen were reported as far
southwest as the Shumagin Islands.

Initial surveys in Prince William Sound, conducted immediately following the
spill, indicated bird numbers and species similar to those found on
historical surveys in the area impacted, with an overwintering population in
excess of 40,000, mainly seaducks, gulls, cormorants, murres, grebes, loons
and murrelets. Proportionately more carcasses of oiled loons, grebes,
cormorants, murres, murrelets and eagles were retrieved. Likewise,
proportionately greater numbers of diving species' carcasses were retrieved
from most areas surveyed southwest of the sound than were observed prior to
oil contact or expected on the basis of historical information. Along the
Kenai Peninsula murres and procellarids (mainly shearwaters) were over-
represented among cataloged specimens while there was a decrease in most
other groups. Tens of thousands of puffins breed in this area but
fortunately had not arrived at the colonies by the time of oil contact. In
the Barren Islands, where an estimated 650,000 birds are present during the
breeding season, murres were especially hard hit. Several lines of evidence
suggest that a substantial proportion of carcasses recovered from Alaska
Peninsula and other southern sites originated in the Barren Islands, some
drifting 240 kilometers before beaching.

Approximately 25,000 marine bird carcasses, of at least 74 species, 2had been
recovered and identified by mid-June. This represents an unknown fraction of
the total kill, but could be in the range of 10-30% based on experimental
results reported in the literature. The extreme length, intricacy and
isolation of coastline in the region impacted precluded a thorough search,
and together with the fact that a substantial proportion of carcasses are
likely to sink or drift out to sea and thus not be recovered suggests that
this number represents a relatively small proportion of the total. The
impact of this mortality will be under study for some time to come, and
although statewide effects may not be significant for most species, it
appears likely that some local populations will require several decades to

83

recover to pre-spill levels. The above information was made available
through the efforts of Cal Lensink and John Piatt (USFWS, Alaska Fish and
Wildlife Research Center), and a small army of professional and amateur
volunteers.

Although problems associated with the oilspill are preoccupying some
researchers, many of the this summer's marine bird projects are proceeding as
anticipated.

COLONY STUDIES

The Fish and Wildlife Service and Minerals Management Service continue to
jointly fund colony monitoring studies in the Bering Sea. This year's effort
will determine population changes for cormorants, kittiwakes and murres
through repeated counts on plots on the Pribilof Islands (Art Sowls with Don
Dragoo, Alaska Maritime NWR, will head this team), Cape Peirce in northern
Bristol Bay (Lisa Haggblom, Togiak NWR) and at Bluff on Norton Sound (Ed
Murphy, Univ. of Alaska). Productivity plots also will be monitored for
nesting chronology and breeding success. Vivian Mendenhall (USFWS) is the
principal investigator for this project. Vern Byrd (Alaska Maritime NWR) is
monitoring population trends and productivity of cormorants, kittiwakes and
murres on Agattu, Buldir, Amukta, Bogoslof and Aiktak Islands in the western
and eastern Aleutians. Vern also is investigating the possibility of using
diurnal activity patterns to develop an index for use in monitoring horned
puffin population trends at Buldir, and investigating trends in populations
and productivity of tufted puffins in western Aleutian areas where the gill
net salmon fishery, stopped in 1988, was responsible for killing thousands of
puffins each year. Mike Nishimoto (Alaska Maritime NWR) will continue
monitoring cormorant and kittiwake population trends and productivity in
Kachemak Bay.

Scott Hatch, Bay Roberts and Brian Fadely (Alaska Fish & Wildlife Research
Center) are investigating adult kittiwake survival, and weight dynamics as it
relates to energetics of breeding success, on Middleton Island in the Gulf of
Alaska. Dave Irons (USFWS) will continue studying the relation of food
availability, foraging distance and predation to kittiwake reproductive
success in Prince William Sound.

PELAGIC AND COASTAL STUDIES

John Piatt, with the assistance of Scott Hatch, Brian Fadely and Alan
Springer (Univ. of Alaska), is continuing his study of temporal and spatial
associations between seabirds and their prey in relation to oceanographic
conditions using hydroacoustic instrumentation on the MV Eagl e-Ti gl ax .
Information concerning seabird diets also is being gathered. George Hunt and
Beth Flint (Univ. Calif, at Irvine) will continue their bioacoustic study of
prey distribution and seabird use of prey concentrations near the Pribilof
Islands, as well as relationships between murres and shearwaters. Dirk
Derksen, Dave Ward and Bob Stehn (Alaska Fish and Wildlife Research Center)
will radio tag Pacific brant in Canada, Russia and Alaska to monitor their
distribution at staging, migration and wintering areas on the Alaska
Peninsula and Pacific coast. Vern Byrd will search several of the Aleutian
Islands for Aleutian Canada geese to determine if they have recently become
re-established. Minerals Management Service will fund aerial surveys to
determine the distribution, habitat utilization and densities of waterfowl

84

and seabirds in Kasegeluk Lagoon (northwest Alaska) and lagoons in the
Beaufort Sea.

OILSPILL STUDIES

Several types of studies have been initiated, principally by USFWS personnel,
or are anticipated shortly in response to the need for assessing impacts of
the spill on marine bird populations. Beached bird surveys will be carried
out in Prince William Sound (PWS) and elsewhere as personnel availability
dictates. Recensus of PWS seabird colonies will be coordinated by Dave

Nysewander (Alaska Maritime NWR) . Fortunately all PWS colonies were censused
recently. Seasonal distribution of seabirds in PWS will be accomplished by
both aerial and boat surveys. A preliminary carcass drift experiment has
been done by John Piatt; further release experiments may be tried to
determine recovery rates and origin of beached carcasses. Effect of the
oil spill on reproductive success for black-legged kittiwake, glaucous-winged
gull, marbled murrelet, and pigeon guillemot in PWS and fork-tailed storm
petrel on the Barren Islands will be assessed by Dave Irons, Sam Patten
(Alaska Dept, of Fish and Game), Kathy Kuletz (USFWS), Karen Oakley (USFWS)
and Mike Nishimoto, respectively. These studies will include determination
of population losses where historical data is sufficiently accurate, numbers
of adults, eggs and chicks oiled, mortality, foraging patterns, chick feeding
rates, and collection of tissue samples for histopathological and contaminant
analyses. Comparison will be made between control and oiled areas.

Though we tend to dwell on the negative aspects of the spill, and there
certainly are those in abundance, something positive could arise from the

muck on the beaches, the tainted fish, the thousands of garbage bags full of
oiled birds and mammals, the unknown thousands that disappeared without
trace, and those still living that were cleaned and pampered hour after hour,
only to finally succumb. And it is this. The time has come to admit that
the oilspill contingency plans so carefully formulated to deal with all

theoretical aspects of a spill, and the equipment and personnel upon which
they depend for success, are almost completely inadequate to deal with a
large spill under even the most benign marine conditions. Based on the
deficiencies in equipment and trained personnel availability, lack of
organization and coordination among regulatory agencies and the oil industry,
and lack of expeditious response apparent in the Exxon Valdez spill,

obviously it is time first to commit major funding to the development of

equipment and techniques for responding adequately to a spill under at-sea
conditions, and secondly, to make certain that adequate equipment, supplies
and trained personnel always are available within a short timeframe to back
up an oilspill contingency plan for any area where the probability of
spilling large amounts of oil and/or impacting major biological resources is
high.

85

northeast region, mark tasker

WESTERN ATLANTIC

D a vid Nettle'-hip writes to inform of the following
undertaken by the Canadian Wildlife Service:

major projects being

l‘ r t ^assessment ? f the status of hi gh Arctic Thick-billed Murres: CaDe Hav
& Graham Moore, Bylot Island, NWT - this project is counting long-established
monitoring plots in order to follow changes in number. estaonshed

?: S«?!i n9 r the w effe S t . s , ° f hunting on Thick-billed Murre populations breeding
in eastern Canada and West Greenland - development of a simulation model that

"I 11 *-*. 1 ®!. (a) P redic tions of future population size to be made IM
°i f th e relative importance of parameters in the model (through
hinh«+ Vlty H analysis ) and therefore indicative where research needs are
strategies " d C *" assessment of the effectiveness of potential management

studv^lnt^PctaM^h 5 f ' At i 1 o£o tiC Puffin - a continuation of monitoring in
study plots established in 1968 on Great Island, Witless Bay, Newfoundland.

r' an ^MKA C Puffin reintroduction study: Newfoundland/Maine - a long-term
Island 7 and c ° ns , ervatl °" effort to reintroduce the Atlantic Puffin to S

fuSsTn d New aS EngTand 99 R0Ck ’ b0th fon “ rl * important breedi " g «”« loi

Brun P °»|'i , * , cl!nad , a °t“ g I lrngL^Vtudy of^osY fl

6. Canadian Wildlife Service Seabird Colony Registry - a new
seabird colony survey/census data for the whole of Canada

being upgraded and improved, a process expected to be
1 989 .

database for all
This database is
complete at the end of

^ C i 0l J e9e ° f the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609) informs that
his plans include a census of terns, gulls and Double-crested Cormorants in
mid-coastal Maine. In this area, Glen Mittelhausen found 450 Harlequin Ducks

■ Th,S ,s known

on Petit Manan f J a h i r^' groups Wl11 be studying terns and puffins

island ^ ^ eal I ? 1and > Matimcus Rock, Eastern Egg Rock and Stratton
Island. Jane Arbucle is studying terns in southern Maine. Diane Evans is

1^l n V\l nS T^ th .? t terns return t0 a traditional nesting site at the
Isles of Shoals in New Hampshire. Scott Melvin is co-ordinatina the

on V the P MaiJe°Mast! an ^ management of terns ( defens e against Herring Gulls)

Ruud van Halewyn (Adelaarhof 14, 3514 11 Utrecht, Netherlands) is continuina
his conservation oriented work on Aruba in the southern Caribbean where
eight land species breed. He is experiencing difficulties in pre’ventina

ESS ke,S *”* 5 ' 000 pa "' s ° f S “ 6,rdS

86

EASTERN ATLANTIC

Rob Barrett writes from Norway with a summary of seabird work being carried
out by various institutions there. Projects based from the University of
Tromso include a study on a Barents Sea seabird colony before and after a
collapse in Capelin stocks; a study of population changes, seasonal
dispersal, food and breeding success of the North Atlantic Gannet in North
Norway; monitoring numbers and breeding success of seabird populations in
North Norway; studies of biometrics of Norwegian seabirds; monitoring levels
of persistent organochlorines and heavy metals in eggs and feathers of North
Norwegian seabirds; community structure of internal parasites in Black-
legged Kittiwake and Atlantic Puffin chicks at Bleiksoy Vesteralen; ;pelagic
distribution of seabirds in the Barents Sea in relation to marine biological
factors; population ecology, egg parasitism and brood behavior in the Common
Eider; effects of bird predation on an intertidal and sublittoral hard-
bottom community; mitochondrial DNA studies in Norwegian Alcidae;
reproduction and feeding biology of fish-eating seabirds and spring migration
patterns of sea ducks and divers in North Norway. These many projects are
not all being carried out by Rob, but he will pass any letters on to the
relevant people (University of Tromso, Tromso Museum, 9000 Tromso, Norway).
Contacts are also improving with Russian seabird ornithologists and several
collaborative projects are planned.

Bill Bourne (3 Contlaw Place, Milltimber, Aberdeen, AB1 ODS, Scotland)
continues to conduct observations from a fleet support ship from various
waters of the world, and reports recent visits to the Gulf of Iran and the
waters off NW Europe. In his time off, the second Medmarvis conference in
Mallorca proved to be a good meeting, due especially to accounts of work in
progress in the Black Sea.

Lance Tickell (Department of Zoology, University of Bristol, woodland Road,
Bristol, BS8 1UG, England) has been carrying out work on Waved Albatrosses,
particularly reporting on possibly the last pair on Isla de la Plata,
Ecuador, this colony has only bee known for a few years, and appears to have
suffered from its close proximity to mainland Ecuador. Lance has also been
examining egg rolling behavior by Waved Albatrosses on Galapagos. This
behavior appears to be a hazard to successful breeding of some birds, and is
possibly exacerbated by tourist disturbance at the tourist site on Espanola
Island where the birds breed.

Mike Harris and Sarah Wanless (Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Brathens,
Banchory, Kincardineshire, Scotland) continue their long-term studies on
Common Murre, Razorbill and Atlantic Puffin biology and breeding success on
the Isle of May. In addition, they have been radio-tracking Shags in order
to examine feeding biology and its relation to breeding performance. The
results will be compared to work to be carried out during winter 1989/90 on
Blue-eyed Shags around South Georgia.

Mark Tasker continues studies of all aspects of seabird conservation around
the British Isles. Mark spent part of winter 1988/89 at Palmer Station,
Antarctica helping Zoe Eppley with her work on Charadri iform phylogeny.

Clare Lloyd has completed work on establishing the British Seabird Colony
Register, and has written a book (co-authored) with Mark Tasker) on the
results of a total census of Britain and Ireland in the mid-1980's.

87

The British Seabirds at Sea Team, which includes Nancy Harrison, have
completed fieldwork on waters to the west of Scotland and in the Irish Sea,
and are no writing up. This summers work included an evaluation of the
feeding grounds for seabirds around the vast colonies on St. Kilda. The Team
hopes to continue work in the English Channel and southwestern approaches to
the UK starting in 1990, funding permitting.

Several aspects of work related to the failure of surface-feeding seabirds to
breed successfully in Shetland in recent years are under way in the UK.

Martin Heubeck continues to monitor numbers and performance in Shetland,
while a Nature Conservancy Council (NCC)/(British) Seabird Group scheme
covers the remainder of the UK and some of Ireland. This scheme is being
organized by Paul Walsh of NCC. Pat Monaghan (University of Glasgow) has
been researching tern breeding performance in relation to food supply with
funding from NCC and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. She has
also recently been granted for a wider project on seabird breeding success
and sandeel availability in Shetland waters. All above researcher can be
contacted via Mark Tasker, NCC, 17 Rubislaw Terrace, Aberdeen, AB1 1XE,
Scotland.

Finally, if you work in the Northeastern region, and your work is not
mentioned here, why not write to Mark Tasker so that it can be included in
the next regional report.

88

REPORT FROM THE MARBLED MURRELET TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

MARBLED MURRELET NEST SITE SAMPLING PROTOCOL
Dan Varoujean and Harry Carter

c -- - — — finished the final draft of thp Pari-e-i^

were ir s P nt r0 t P o S 1989 Marbled Murrelet Nest Site Sampling Protocol Letters
murrelets^ * gencies encou raging research and inventories of marbled

REGIONAL REPORTS
Cal i form' a

Harry Carter, USFWS, Davis, CA. Marbled murrelet at-sea census of the entire

S^ nia H COaSt a ! s . P®*. of an u P date of the California Seabird Cow
Catalog. Harry replicated earlier surveys bv Sowls pt ai anH fmmH y

statewide distribution of marbled murrelets as Sowls found 10 years 6 aoo 6
There are 2 populations of marbled murrelets in California. 9

C.J. Ralph and Peter Paton, Range
Areata, CA. Marbled murrelet at-sea

nnnn iS V°t a grid of transect s parallel to shore at
3000m distances. The transects

and Forest Experiment Station, USFS,
surveys in Northern California. Surveys
400m, 800m, 1400m, 2000m,

surveying so.e „c„„ areas fro. TheJ

Intensive surveys at inland sites - Looking at behavior

n5 a ?h e$ i H° US !l 0Ut the year and tr ^ in 9 to locate nests. Plan
of the land and sea surveys all year.

differences and
to monitor some

Peter and C.J. experimented with catching marbled
nets in the forest canopy. Mist nets were placed
Canopy along a travel corridor used by marbled
strung cable across the corridor and mist
cable. Nets were raised and lowered

by

nets
pulleys.

murrelets with mist
140 feet high in the Forest
murrelets. Tree climbers
were then clipped to the

They caught 3 murrelets and fitted them with transmitters The birds

sSl-ei s, s ,c ra. the bot "fn-sr v.i si

C.J experimented with spot-lighting marbled
succeeded and caught 1 bird with a salmon dip net!

murrelets at night. He

Nancy Nasi und, Steve Singer, Stephanie Singer, Gary Strachan and Robert
.IT 0 "?’ Santa C™ 2 marbled murrelet research team, Univ of Ca.’, Santa Cruz
CA Two marbled murrelet nests were found 8.5 km inland in the Santa Cruz

?eWn S - The ne f tS Were less than L6 km a P a rt. A video camera on a meade
inrfi S - 7 °=+ 3 Was , set approximately 65m from the nest. Flight patterns
They ais^^H incuba rt° n . and chick rearing were studied at those nests’
Inawl r d * d h S T- e i fl . min 9 at ni ght with night-viewing equipment The
f 1S not com P le ted, but they have documented multiple

feedings during the day, and incubation exchanges at dawn. P

rm h„ the ' lrst nest ’ the e 99 and possibly the incubating adult were preyed
on by a raven The raven visited the nest on several occasions but the

the U nP^t n snH d n -th Uf + f h d the predation attempts. The raven was observed on
the nest and neither the egg or adult were observed again.

89

The 2 - 8 day old chick in the second nest was preyed on by a stellers
jay. The stellers jay visited the nest several times and jumped on the adult
at least twice before predating on the chick.

Nancy and Steve are developing a ground search technique that they can
share with other researchers.

Oregon

Kim Nelson, Oregon Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Corvallis, OR. Kim's
project is the Distribution of Marbled Murrelets in Western Oregon. Surveys
were conducted on 137 transects throughout the coast range. There were
marbled murrelets heard or seen along 77 (56%) of those transects as of July
20, 1989. There were no marbled murrelets detected in the coast range north
of Tillamook. The farthest north transect with birds was in Kilchetz County
Park. Marbled murrelets were also missing from Eugene and Roseburg BLM lands
(east crest of coast range). The Central coast, Siuslaw National Forest
seems to have largest numbers.

The greatest distance inland for marbled murrelets in Oregon was 55 km
west of the town of Pedee on Salem BLM land. The old record was 47 km
inland.

Marbled Murrelets were detected until 1124 AM at Cape Meares State Park.

Dan Varoujean, MARZET, North Bend, OR. Dan caught 1 marbled murrelet and
attached a radio transmitter. The bird foraged along the coast but never
went inland. The radio transmitter remained operable for at least a month.

Washington

Lora Leschner and Eric Cummins, Washington Department of Wildlife, Mill Creek
and Olympia, WA. A poster about the mystery of the marbled murrelet was
produced. Fred Sharpe was the artist and the text explained why biologists
are interested in this seabird. Inland observations and volunteers for
surveys are solicited.

Department of Wildlife biologists and volunteers surveyed areas in the
Cascade mountains and on the Olympic Peninsula. Several new areas were
discovered. Two of these sites near Darrington, Goodman Creek and Deer
Creek, are 52 km from Puget Sound. This is farther east into the Cascade
than earlier records.

Jean Cross, Volunteer for WDW, surveyed areas in the Cascades and found
marbled murrelets in several creek drainages that flow into the S. Fork of
the Stillaguamish River. She continues to work eastward in the hope of
finding marbled murrelets even farther from Puget Sound. Jean has recorded
activity at 1 site for the past two years. She uses that area as a control
for activity comparisons to new areas that she discovers.

Ron Barnes, volunteer for WDW, surveyed areas in the Olympics. In one area,
the Hamma Hamma River, he compared numbers of marbled murrelets detected in
the forest to at-sea counts from shore at the mouth of the river. Ron also
surveyed sites near Willi pa Bay and Grays Harbor.

90

Steve Speich and Tracy Fleming, NCASI, Olympia WA. Attachment design and
transmitter testing.

Phyllis Reed, USFS, Darrington WA. and Ron Tresseler, Envirosphere, Bellevue
WA. Phyllis and Ron found a dead chick in Helena Creek Southeast of
Darrington. Chris Wood, Burke Museum, confirmed that the chick was a marbled
murrelet. Phyllis and Ron are preparing a site description.

Ann Lettenberger, Washington Department of Wildlife, found an egg shell
fragment on a later visit to the site. The fragment was on the ground 1.5 m
from the location of the chick. Chris Wood identified it as part of a
marbled murrelet egg.

A spotted owl team survey team detected marbled murrelets in the Boulder
River Wilderness.

Jim Adkinson, USFWS, Willipa National Wildlife Refuge, WA, Steve Manlow,
Grays Harbor County Planning Dept, Aberdeen, WA, and Daren Manlow, USFWS,
Will apa , WA. Daren found a marbled murrelet egg when he was trapping small
mammals on Long Island in Willipa Bay. Chris Wood, Burke Museum, confirmed
the identification.

They are monitoring an old growth stand between the middle and north
forks of the Nemah River. They estimate that there is at least 20 pair of
marbled murrelets in the stand.

British Columbia

Jean Pierre Savard, Canadian Wildlife Service, Delta BC. Jean and other
researchers have conducted inland surveys in a few areas near Vancouver, on
Vancouver Island, and in the Queen Charlotte Islands for Marbled Murrelets.
The timber industry has become interested in this species and there may be
funding for research next year.

Alaska

Kathy Kuletz, USFWS, Homer, AK. Kathy is continuing the at-sea surveys in
Katchemak Bay. This is the second year of the survey effort. She is
comparing the surveys to shore surveys on land. In addition, she is
monitoring a forested area where marbled murrelets have been detected.

Kathy is assessing the impacts of the oil spill on marbled murrelet
populations in Prince Will iam Sound. She conducted surveys several years ago
and is now repeating those survey routes to determine any changes in numbers.

Vivian Mendenhall reports that there were many marbled murrelets found in the
oil spill, especially in Prince William Sound. It was probably the second or
third in terms of carcasses recovered. The number of marbled murrelets was
probably underestimated because small birds are difficult to find in the oily
debris.

91

MARBLED MURRELET MEETING AT THE NEXT PSG MEETING

We are planning a marbled murrelet meeting in conjunction with PSG in
February. It will be an informal opportunity to share research results and
exchange ideas.

- Lora L. Leschner
August, 1989

THAI ~ HE-^RyJ L W a, v/5 l A S t a/ SOOW'T,..

92

SEABIRD NEWS

MEDITERRANEAN MARINE BIRD ASSOCIATION (MEDMARVIS), CALVIA SYMPOSIUM

M a rrh The iq S flq COnd se | b V? W " siu * was he1d in Calvia, Mallorca, in

arch, 1989. The title of the meeting was Status and conservation of

seabirds: ecogeography and Mediterranean Action Plan. About 70 seabird
researchers, largely from the eastern Mediterranean, but with the notable
addition of one representative from Bulgaria and one from the Ukrainian SSR
The symposium included more than 40 papers and 15 posters. There were four
sessions dealing with the status and distribution of breeding populations,
post-nuptial distribution, recent ecological research and habitat
conservation, and the Mediterranean Action Plan. The conference produced the
Declaration, known as the Calvia Action Plan for Medi terranean Island

psr Rim S It]n E M°I y i S i ;emS ii, ThlS ha j been discussed in an earlier issue of the
in ammu fJ 6 ’ l The proceedings of the symposium are planned to appear

w \,1 S Wln + ter ' u T 5 e third MEDMARVIS symposium is tentatively planned

for 1992 in the eastern Mediterranean.

93

CONSERVATION NEWS

HAWAIIAN POPULATION OF BAND-RUMPED PETREL PETITIONED FOR ENDANGERED STATUS

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service was recently petitioned to add the
Hawaiian population of the Band-rumped (Harcourt's) Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma
castro cryptoleucura ) to the Federal list of endangered species. In the
Pacific there are populations of this species in Japan, Hawaii, and the
Galapagos. Depending on the taxonomist, these populations have been
described as being either distinct subspecies, or as all belonging to a
single subspecies. In the September 21, 1989 Federal Register, the Service
announced a status review for the Band-rumped. The Service is soliciting

information on the petrel and would appreciate any data, comments, and
suggestions from interested parties. Of particular interest is information
that would verify the validity of the subspecific status, or would otherwise
indicate genetic isolation of the Hawaiian population. Responses can be sent
to Join Engbring, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.0. Box 50167, Honolulu,
Hawaii 56850.

NOTE: The Hawaiian population was apparently common before the Polynesian

colonization of the archipelago, but these colonists ate many of the birds.
Their bones are common in middens. At present there may be less than 300 of
these petrels that breed in Hawaii.

- Craig Harrison

OCEAN SHORES OIL SPILL: AFFECTS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Over 2,000 dead birds washed ashore on Vancouver Island as the direct
result of oiling during the Ocean Shores Oil Spill off of the Washington

coast. (In Washington, 8,200 dead birds were found.) Fewer than 100 live
oiled birds were treated in British Columbia. Common Murres, Red-necked and
Horned Grebes, White-winged Scoters, Pacific and Common Loons, and Glaucous-
winged Gulls were the dominant species treated.

- from Langelier's article in Wildlife Veterinary Report, summarized by Tony
DeGange

MEDITERRANEAN STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN

The European Commission launched the Mediterranean Strategy and
Action Plan last November (1988). This is an ambitious ten-year program for
environmental conservation in the Mediterranean. The projects will be

financed under existing European Commission procedures and must meet the
following criteria: specific to the Mediterranean, of common interest to
several countries, and requiring urgent action. Priorities for the first
five years will concentrate on: conservation of endangered fauna and flora,
management and rehabilitation of fragile ecosystems, freshwater supply
problems in islands, waste disposal, and recycling of agricultural waste,
information of the public at large about environmental priorities, training
of staff in national parks and reserves, and creation and use of data banks.

- News from Medmarvis

95

PRO ESTEROS

At the Pacific Seabird Group 1988 annual meeting, the executive council
voted to endorse Pro Esteros, the new organization dedicated to the
conservation of coastal wetlands in the Sea of Cortez. During its first year
the organization has concentrated its efforts on two large esteros: at Punta
Banda and San Quintin. The first shorebird counts of the two estuaries were
conducted in April as part of the Point Reyes Bird Obseratory's "BC to BC"
census, extending from British Columbia through Baja California. At Punta
Band, the Koster Group (the resort developers of the Baja Beach and Tennis
Club) has applied for a permit to dig a deepwater channel and marina. As yet
no dredging permit has been issued. Pro Esteros has begun the process of
applying for reserve status of the Estero de Punta Banda and San Quintin.

CHEYENNE BOTTOMS

Cheyenne Bottoms, Colorado, is believed to be the most important inland
stopover for shorebirds in the interior U.S. It is visited by up to 50% of
all shorebirds migrating east of the Rockies. In April, 1989, during the
spring migration, these wetlands dried up, and many birds left the area
without putting on enough fat for completing their northward flight to the
breeding grounds. It is unknown how this may have affected the number of
birds reaching their breeding areas, their breeding success or even their
survival.

- Network News

WESTERN HEMISPHERE SHOREBIRD RESERVE NETWORK

Through the efforts of Point Reyes Bird Observatory, we know that over
800,000 shorebirds in the spring and over 375,000 in the fall use the bay
area. San Francisco Bay recently joined the Western Hemisphere Shorebird
Reserve Network as a Hemisphere Reserve.

- Network News

THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE'S NONGAME BIRD STRATEGIES

Th e U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has traditionally concentrated its
efforts on game birds and those that are either endangered or threatened,
and has generally ignored other species. In 1988, the USFWS attempted to
rectify the situation when it produced a draft strategy for nongame birds,
acknowledging responsibility for nongame birds. This first draft was
weak in many areas, and various U. S. ornithological groups have commented
on the draft. The USFWS is presently revising the draft, responding to the
comments received. The Comments of the Pacific Seabird Group are listed
below.

THE PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP'S COMMENTS
I General Comments

This document is important as a first attempt by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service to define its national approach to management and
conservation of species of migratory birds that are not included in the
definition of game birds, or endangered species. We appreciate the
opportunity to comment on the document. The scope of the document is
excellent. The overall goal appears to include the necessary research and
management needed to develop an overall strategy for assessing and
maintaining species not already protected.

The usefulness of the document, however, is limited because it is
restricted to programs that are already in progress or those that have been
planned for the next five years. The scope deals only with those
activities that can be covered by present finances. Instead, the document
should include a wider scope and a long-term perspective, outlining an
agenda for research, management, and conservation without regard to present
budgetary constraints. It should include the scope of areas that would be
considered and the programs that would be undertaken if funding were
available. This would present a better idea of the directions that the
Service feels are important.

The development and implementation of the program will not rest solely
with the USFWS. It will require a cooperative effort among federal, state,
private, and international agencies. It will be important that the service
initiate and support communication and cooperation among these many groups.

The position that fiscal constraints have limited the service's
nongame program and delayed the initial funding and implementation of the
Conservation Act of 1980 is misleading. Rather it has been due to fiscal
pn ori ti es . In the past, the service has largely ignored the non-
consumptive users of our natural resources and has traditionally favored
the exploiters. The non-consumers should be considered in developing the
nongame program. The non-consumptive users form a large and growing
political community, and are a vast pool within which funding mechanism can
be developed.

97

II Specific comments on Objectives and Strategies

Objective 1. Service coordination is very necessary regardless of the
magnitude of available funds.

Strategy 1. A brief description of the additional nongame actions which
would be conducted by the USFWS if funding becomes available would be very
useful in order to provide arguments to procure additional funding.
Delineating specific subject areas would be helpful.

Task 1.1. The provision of additional manpower dedicated to nongame
functions is very important. One individual for each region is less than
is needed, however, and this should be stated clearly regardless of funding
available. These positions should be given specific descriptions to ensure
that the efforts of the individuals are not diverted to unrelated
activities.

Task 1.2. A brief list of the types of permits reviewed would be helpful
to readers who are not familiar with the specific Acts mentioned. Permit
review should include nongame birds or urban wildlife species.

Task 1.4. The coordination, documentation and dissemination of information
will be useful. What form will it take and who will receive them?

Task 1.5. Contaminant assessment is viewed by many as one of the most
important functions of the Service and of EPA. Coordination of the data
and interpretation of results is critical and requires additional
personnel, either within the Service, or as hired consultants from
Universities and private organizations. The concept of indicator species
is excellent and should be expanded as widely as possible to monitor each
diverse segment of the environment.

Task 1.6. It is unclear how considerations of nongame birds will be
integrated into the USFWS planning and budgeting. This should be explained
in more detail .

Task 1.7. In addition to reviewing legislation, nongame staff should
recomend legislation related to nongame birds issues. The professional
staff of the USFWS are in the best position to assess the need for
legislation in their areas of expertise. A specific coordinator should be
identified and included in the budget to act as a liaison between the
research and management sections and the legislative branch of the USFWS.

Objective 1/Strategy 2.

Task 2.2. The USFWS should deal more aggressively with the effects of
deforestation in the tropics on North American nongame birds. This section
should be dealt with as a major problem.

Task 2.3. This is an extremely important task. An explanation of how the
emphasis on nongame birds will be increased in the management of Federal
1 ands .

98

The Minerals Management Service should be included in the list of

Federal Agencies with whom the USFWS should develop a formal mechanisms for
c o o r din a 1 i o n on nongame birds issues, especially with regard to seabirds.
The MMS does not manage offshore water in the same way as the other

agencies manage Federal lands, but the policies and sales of offshore

leaseholding directly affect many nongame birds. The impact of a lease
sale on management of seabirds and marine mammals should be reflected bv

/ un . d i n 9 for additional personnel to monitor and manage the

wildlife at risk from oil operations.

99

The open ocean is an important habitat for seabirds and other species.
It is important to clarify which Federal agency {the USFWS or NOAA) is in
charge of seabirds and other nongame birds beyond the three-mile
territorial line and within the 200-mile fisheries management zone.

Objective 2. Assessing the status of nongame bird populations is probably
the most important objective listed. Monitoring populations of non-
threatened species and accurately assessing population trends cannot be
overemphasized. The strategies and subtasks are well organized.

Task 1.1. Five years is probably a good time interval for assessing
populations, if fluctuations in numbers due to major natural weather
fluctuations can be evaluated.

Subtask 3.1.2. Colonial waterbird surveys. Many of the surveys mentioned
are primarily concerned with seabirds. Most of the ornithological
community does not automatically associate the term colonial waterbird with
seabird . Perhaps inclusion of both terms would clarify the scope of the
surveys.

Why are regions outside the Pacific not given priority? Why are
wading birds not given priority?

Subtasks 3.2.2, 3.2.3, 3.2.4, 3.2.5, and 3.2.6. Each of these surveys and
projects is an important contribution to our knowledge of nongame bird
populations. The USFWS should attempt to coordinate and fund the
publishing of these results and the publishing of breeding bird atlases.
Active USFWS participation in these projects would probably improve them,
stimulate interest by private volunteers, and help to maintain a standard
format which would be of greater utility for long-term data. This is an
area where the Service should actively contribute funding and seek
additional funding. The reorganization of hawk migration surveys should be
undertaken at high priority, with standardization of survey techniques and
overlap of new and original techniques for several years to be able to
interpret old and new data sets. Seabird and colonial waterbird surveys on
lands other than Federal lands should be coordinated by the USFWS for
standardization. All of these items require money, and should be addressed
specifically in future budgets.

Subtask 3.2.6. The Colonial Waterbird Register at Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology is now defunct. It should be reconstituted and brought up to
date.

Strategy 4. The development and improvement of techniques to monitor
populations of birds for which there is inadequate data is of great
importance. Raptors, especially forest species, and seabirds are at risk
from several sources and must be adequately assessed.

Objective 3. This objective is the most difficult to complete.
Identification of causes of population changes will require intensive
research, much of which should be conducted in cooperation with
universities and State Agencies. It is very likely that causative agents
will not be discovered for all trends, and, therefore, interim management

100

plans will need to be developed during the research period
have to be conducted in controlled field and laboratory set’ti
money not now allocated. This should be emphasized.

Research will
ngs, requiring

Strategy 3. Much of the document is si nql e-soeci es oriented

Srobfpmf of" ° f habit h a ! : , is extremely important. Many of the conservation
protHems of nongame birds have been due to loss of appropriate habitat
affecting more than just a single species.

There
community,
developed and

has been a large amount of research on nongame birds that is
super-organism oriented. These approaches should be further
incorporated.

H ° w u wi ]] the Service approach be related to the Nature Conservancy and
Natural Heritage programs?

Objective 4/Strategy 1. Encouraging scientific study is laudable, but
developing an adequate funding mechanism to assist in the study of nongame

Qhnniw W h 1 be ei ltlCa1 J 0 3 successful program. Service administered funds
should be sought specifically to assist in these activities. As a part of
this, we suggest that the USFWS initiate a competitive grants program to
attract and recruit the help from the large body of expertise outside the
service as other government agencies do. This will also increase the

andindividu^s communication between the USFWS and outside organizations

101

SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MARINE DEBRIS

During the week of April 2, 1989, approximately 250 people convened in
Honolulu, Hawaii to hear papers and participate in working groups dealing
with the mounting problem of marine debris. Organized by the National Marine
Fisheries Service and Chaired by Richard Shomura, the conference presented 91
papers on a variety of topics. The eight topic areas (included overviews,
distribution, abundance and sources, entanglement and ghost fishing,
ingestion, economic impacts, solutions through technology, law and education.

Underlying the conference were the facts that 1. marine debris is an
increasing problem primarily due to the recent proliferation of persistent
non-organic debris, especially plastics and other synthetics, 2. marine
debris is not inert in the marine environment and impacts the surface feeding
guilds especially seabirds, turtles and cetaceans, and 3. marine debris is an
international problem whose solution will require efforts on a variety of
fronts .

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF DEBRIS

Approximately 60% of the papers dealt with the topics of distribution
and abundance, entaglement, and ingestion. The 22 papers dealing with

amounts, types, distribution and sources presented a variety of data from all
the major oceans. Of interest is the fact that floating plastics are
accumulating pelagically as well as in-shore and not surprisingly are
concentrating along frontal zones where mixing of different water bodies
occur. These zones of mixing also attract a diversity of marine life leading
to an unfortunate concentration of hazardous materials in areas with high
biological activity.

Several papers presented data on the accumulation of plastic along
shorelines. Data from the Gulf of Maine reported non-random patterns of
deposition along shores. rocky shores and fringing marshes entrap plastic
whereas bold or sandy shores appear to export plastic. Data from Alaska

showed that deposition of plastic along shores does not mean that risks to
wildlife diminishes . In fact, shoreline accumulation can lead directly to
entanglement of, and ingestion by, seals, seal ions and birds. Also, tagging
of debris showed that storms and high tides can re-suspend persistent
materials over and over again and transport them considerable distances.
This, of course, means that individual objects can impact many locations over
long periods of time.

It was also reported during this session that the majority of
plastics put into the sea may actually be denser than water and thus sink and
accumulate on the sea floor. This would mean that what we see floating at
the surface or stranded on shores may only be the ti p-of-the-iceberg . The
quantity and possible significance of this sunken debris was only just
touched upon.

ENTANGLEMENT

Aside from the obvious aesthetic implications of debris on shores and at
sea, the papers dealing with entanglement and ingestion were the most
compelling. Thirteen of the 16 papers in this session dealt with
entanglement of pinnipeds. Plastic strapping material and lost fish nets

103

appear to be the most threatening objects to these populations. Recent
entanglements of the rare Hawaiian monk seal were reported, the increase
in mortality due to entanglement of this highly endangered species will
certainly slow and perhaps hamper its recovery. Several papers presented
data on the a devastating impact of lost gill and drift nets in both the
Atlantic and Pacific. In addition to continuing to ghost-fish these nets
cause significant mortality due to drowning of diving sea birds, sea turtles
and cetaceans.

INGESTION

Equally insidious to entaglement is the ingestion of floating plastic by
various marine organisms especially seabirds and turtles. Six of 14 paper4s
in this session dealt with ingestion by seabirds, four by turtles, two by
fish and two by cetaceans. Among seabirds the major threats are small
fragments of plastic and foamed polystyrene (styrofoam) as well as pelatized
plastic, for sea turtles sheet plastic, balloons and plastic fragments are
the major culprits.

The surface feeding seabirds, especially the Procell ari i formes, appear
to be the most at risk. Up until this century these ancient birds
encountered only organic materials at sea. However, the recent proliferation
of non-organic debris at sea, much of which is brightly colored, is resulting
in ingestion, presumably by mistaking plastic for food items.

One result of ingestion appears to be accumulation of plastic in the gut
tract, especially in the proventriculus, of seabird. A paper presented by
Paul Sievert, Louis Sileo and Stewart Fefer on the prevalence and
characteristics of plastic ingested by Hawaiian seabirds included several
photographs of the plastic load regurgitated by individual Laysan albatross.
The quantity and diversity of plastic objects found entrapped in the gut of
both adult and fledgling albatrosses was to me astounding. The long term
implications of pseudo-satiation on the viability of this and other seabird
populations would reward further study.

THE SOLUTION

The solution to the marine debris problem requires controlling debris,
especially the most noxious materials, at their source. A three-pronged
effort focused on technology, law and education was presented at the
conference. Regarding technology, papers on degradability of plastic were
presented. Degradabil ity of plastic that can cause entaglement such as
strapping and fish nests was encouraged. However, it was the consensus that
the broad application of biodegradability should be approached cautiously and
preceded by a thorough understand of the ecology fate of the products of
degradation. The technological challenges and economic incentives to
recovering and recycling plastic was covered and various alternatives to
jettisoning plastic at sea, including shipboard compaction and burning were
discussed.

On the legal front the discussion centered on a variety of international
conventions, most notably Annex V of MARPOL 73/78 which among other things
requires shore-side facilities for disposal of waste. The legal conventions
coupled with education programs focused on the key polluters hold the most
promise for decreasing the rate of input of marine debris.

104

DISCUSSION

The fishing industry is responsible for some of the most hazardous
debris from the standpoint of birds, mammals and fish. Yet there are no laws
holding fishermen responsible for accounting or their nets and other
potentially hazardous gear the way hunters and trappers must account for guns
and traps. It is illegal for hunters to leave loaded weapons and live
ammunition in the woods and for trappers to abandon set traps, yet we allow
the fishing industry to deploy and apparently lose large volumes of lethal
gear without consequence. Perhaps if gill and drift nets were licensed and
had to be accounted for like the weapons they truly are the fishing industry
would be encouraged to remove them from the sea. Perhaps rigging fishing
nets with signals generating beacons would facilitate location and subsequent
removal of lost gear before the carnage can begin. The point is, some
fishing gear must be treated as weapons and the fishing industry must reduce
the impact of this gear on non-target species or be faced with regulations
and enforcement sanctions imposed upon them.

For the roughly 30 species already threatened or endangered seabirds
what will be the long-term life history implications of yet another source of
mortality and failed reproduction? Highly endangered pelagic seabird species
such as the New Amsterdam albatross, the short-tailed albatross, the Bermuda
petrel and the Hawaiian petrel (to name a few) will all be lucky to make it
to the next millennium in the absence of any new sources of mortality.

We may never know how many seabirds die due to ingesting foreign objects
or by being caught and drowned in derelict fishing gear, or the thousands of
tons of fish lost to ghost fishing, but even in the absence of these data we
would be wise to stay informed on this topic and to share any pertinent
observations.

For further information on this conference and to receive the
proceedings contact Dr. Richard Shomura, c/o National Marine Fisheries
Service, 2570 Dole Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822-2396

- Richard H. Podolsky, The Island Institute

105

THE EXXON VALDEZ SPILL

Early on the morning of Good Friday, March 24, 1989, exactly 25 years
after the town of Valdez had been destroyed by the 1964 earthquake, a
moderately huge oil tanker named for the town sailed from the Alaska Pipeline
Terminal, missed a turn, and spilled 11,000,000 gallons of crude oil into
Prince William Sound. Some of the equipment to clean up the spill was
broken, some was never purchased, and the dispersants the oil industry wanted
to use were not stockpiled. As a result, in perfectly calm weather the oil
was allowed to spread for several days while the cleanup effort floundered
amid name-calling and finger-pointing. The wind took the initiative and blew
the oil all over the western part of the Sound, then out of the Sound into
the Gulf of Alaska, oiling rocky capes below colonies of hundreds of
thousands of seabirds along the Kenai Penninsula, then eventually oil moved
through the Barren Islands, past Kodiak Island, and onto the Alaska
Penninsula.

The North Slope Crude started out as a free-flowing, black liquid,
somewhat less viscous than motor oil, which spread 4-12 inches deep into the
fijords and bays of major islands in the Sound. The tides in Prince William
Sound average about 15 feet, and as the tide went out, the oil penetrated
deeply into the cobblestone beaches. The surface was black and oily, but
many beaches were saturated to depths of several feet. Exxon crews,
numbering several thousand people, washed beaches, wiped individual stones,
and skimmed floating oil from the surface, but the magnitude of the spill was
almost unfathomable. At each high tide cycle, the incomming water would
float much of the oil up through the rocks to re-oil the beach and produce
streamers of oily sheen which drifted back into the bays and passages between
islands. The amount of coastline fouled was equal to the entire length of
Cal ifornia coastline.

The birds, sea otters, and seals in the path of the oil were trapped in
the fijords. Many thousands were coated and asphyxiated. Most of the birds
in Prince William Sound were wintering waterfowl and loons, along with
resident cormorants, Pigeon Gulillemots, Marbled Murrelets, and gulls. The
number of birds which were present is very difficult to estimate. What
proportion were recovered on beaches is but one of the tasks of assessing the
damage.

The spill occurred in late March, and the bulk of the oil was out of the
Sound into the Gulf of Alaska during early April. Luckily, the Puffins and
Kittiwakes had not returned to their colonies when the oil initially floated
past. As weeks passed, the weathering process changed the physical
consistency of the oil into a sticky brown emulsion through evaporative loss
of the gasoline components and the mixing of water droplets into the goo. By
the time the oil hit the Barren Islands, Murres were present in large
numbers, as were auklets, guillemots, and cormorants. The amount of oil
still floating on the ocean was immense, and at the Barrens and Kodiak there
was siginificant bird loss. The oil "mousse" continued into Cook Inlet and
down Shelikoff Straight oiling both Kodiak island and the Alaska Penninsula.

107

With thousands of square miles of sea having streaks of floating oil,
and with almost none but a borrowed Russian seagoing oil skimmer to clean it
up, most of the oil eventually mixed with sediments in the water and sank. I
have seen estimates that as much as 13% of the oil has been recovered,
leaving just 87% on (and in) the beaches, and on the sea floor.

The Federal government decided to become involved in the logistics of
the clean-up effort several weeks after the spill, when it became apparent
that the task was too large for the oil industry to manage. C-5A aircraft
were enlisted to fly cargo to Anchorage. The Coast Guard, NOAA, the US Fish
and Wildlfe Service, EPA, and the US Forest Service all became involved, both
in the environmental response and in the continuing damage assessment.

Never have I seen such acrimony between volunteers, industry, and the
government. Hearings were held by Congressmen in Valdez and in Washington in
which oil industry managers attempted to explain away their unpreparedness
and lack of environmental sympathy. Damage containment experts, both for oil
damage, and media damage, arrived in Valdez from Houston. The little town of
Valdez mushroomed from 2,500 to 12,000 population overnight and thousands
upon thousands of phone lines and fax machines were installed in control
centers. More than $250,000 worth of phone equipment was installed in town
from April to June. Thousands of cleanup personnel worked on beaches, most
small fishing boats were contracted to help with the spill, and large
incinerators were taken up from the lower 48 to burn the mountains of waste
rags and cleanup generated trash.

The buzzword for this spill is "bioremediation" which is EPA's medium
tech, solution to oiled beaches: fertilize the beaches so that bacteria will
proliferate and degrade the oil. Exxon adopted this approach, and by
September nearly 1000 miles of beaches were "treated" by "cleanup" crews.

With the situation under control, and the beaches under cleaned, Exxon
evacuated Valdez by September 15 (right on schedule), and left the little
boom town bust for the fourth time this century (first gold and copper, then
earthquake, then pipeline construction, then the spill).

Environmental damage is still being assessed. Many sea otters (probably
more than 1000) were killed. The spill occurred just prior to sea otter and
seal pupping, and the loss of near term fetuses and pups can only be
estimated through careful evaluation of surviving populations. Similarly,
loss of waterfowl, seabirds, shorebirds, and scavenging Bald Eagles and
Peregrines must be documented this year and next. Thirty five thousand dead
birds have been saved in freezers as evidence, how many more were killed has
not yet been estimated. The loss to fishing, both economic loss and the loss
of Herring and Pink Salmon spawn, also requires careful data collection and
extrapol ation.

The aftermath of this spill will continue for years, and will include
major changes in environmental law, changes in cleanup contengency plans,
altered regulations on oil platforms and tanker transport, and emense public
skeptacism of the oil industry's environmental ethic. Perhaps there will be
a silver lining to this disaster, but only if Washington and the oil industry
take seriously their environmental responsibilities.

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APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR RESEARCH AND/OR SCIENTIFIC COLLECTION IN MEXICO

The Mexican government has revised its permitting procedures foreiqn
scientists. The present requirements are described below:

Every applicant shall remit, with no exception, all application
matenals to his/her country's embassy in Mexico, which in turn shall process
the documentation for diplomatic certification and send the materials to:

Dra. Graciela Garcia de la Garza
Direccion General de Conservacion Ecologica
de los Recursos Natural es
Rio Elba # 20 - 80 . Piso
Colonia Cuauhtemoc.

06500 Mexico, D. F.

The applicant shall send the following documents to his/her embassy in Mexico

1. A letter of support for your project from the university or aqency which
currently employs you.

2. A letter of agreement stating the intention to cover the expenses of a
Mexican technician during the field work period.

3. A letter of support from a Mexican institution or investigator.

4. Curriculum vitae of investigator and two passport-size photographs.

5 A copy of the proposed project, justifying and defining the purpose(s) for
collection.

6 . A copy of the project proposal including:

- common and scientific names of each species, as well as the number of
specimens to be collected

specify methods of collection and transportation if any organisms are
to be banded or marked, including a listing with number or serials

- locations where the research and/or collection will take place

- Period or duration of research and/or collection

- Port and dates of exportation of collected materials

- Calendar of activities

7. International money order made to Tesoreria de la Federacion for the sum

of 931,000.00 pesos payable at any of the banking institutions in Mexico
City.

The fulfillment of these requirements does not necessarily imply the
approval of your application.

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If the permit for research and/or collection of wildlife for scientific
purposes is granted, the investigator will be committed to:

1. Depositing the collected specimens in any of the institutions dictated by
the Direccion General de Conservacion Ecologica de Los Recursos Naturales.

2. After all materials have been catalogued, the Direccion General de
Conservacion Ecologica de Los Recursos Naturales will issue the corresponding
exportation permit(s).

3. When the study of the specimens has been complete, the investigator will
return the temporarily exported specimens to the Direccion General de
Conservacion Ecologica de Los Recursos Naturales.

4. The investigator shall submit, within 30 days after completion of the
research, a copy of the results according to the proposed project. Copies of
any publications derived from this work should be sent in time.

Important

All the requirements, including diplomatic certification, should be
received by the Direccion General de Conservacion Ecologica de Los Recursos
Naturales at least 30 days in advance of the proposed research and/or
collection. Otherwise a delay in the issuance of the permit(s) should be
expected.

Applicants for permits are advised to start the application process at
least six months in advance of their field work. Long delays may occur at
the applicants' embassies in Mexico.

no

NEW PUBLICATIONS

Halpert, M. S., and C. F. Ropelewski. 1989. Atlas of Tropical Sea Surface
Temperature and Surface Winds. NOAA Atlas No. 8.

This atlas contains a nice compilation of data on sea surface
temperatures and surface winds over the global tropical oceans from 30°N to
30°S during the years 1950 through 1979. It also includes composite analyses
for the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) episodes occurring during this
time. It is unfortunate that it does not include the strong 1983/83 ENSO,
but that may come out in a future volume. This will be useful for
researchers of tropical seabirds. The volume is available from the Climate
Analysis Center, W/NMC52, 5200 Auth Road, Washington, D. C. 20233.

- Malcolm C. Coulter

Jennings, M.C., ed. 1988. The Phoenix, Volume 5.

This volume contains 20 pages of data and reports related to the Atlas
of Breeding Birds of Arabia including seabird species. The Phoenix contains
a wealth of bird data and book reports concerning the Saudi Arabian
peninsula. Available at ABBA, Moonraker Cottage, 1 Eastcourt, Burbage,
Wiltshire SN8 3AG, England

- News from Medmarvis

Montague, K., and B. Bruun, eds. 1987. Biological Diversity in North Africa,
the Middle East and SN Asia: a Directory of Organizations and Institutions .
Holy Land Conservation Fund. 134 pp. (free of charge).

This publication lists, according to country, the addresses of various
governmental (e.g. Ministry of Environment; Directorate of Fisheries),
universities, research centers, and non-governmental organizations dealing
with natural history and environmental conservation.

The HLCF also published the Sinai Newsletter covering all the regions of
the Middle East. This includes such information as the declaration of Lake
Manzala (NE Egypt) as a protected area, and the availability for tourism
development of several islands with seabird breeding populations off Hurghada
in the Red Sea Hurghada. These two publications are available at the HLCF,
969 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10028.

- News from Medmarvis

Vermeer, K., and R. W. Butler. 1989. The ecology and status of marine and
shoreline birds in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. Spec. Publ . Can.
Wild!. Serv. Ottawa.

This is the proceedings of a symposium of the same title held in Sidney,
British Columbia, on 11 December, 1987. This is a nice compilation of
studies in the Strait of Georgia. It should be combined with the proceedings
of a previous symposium (Parsons, T. R. 1983. Symposium on the Fisheries and
Oceanography of the Strait of Georgia. Can J. Fish. Aquat. Sci . 40:1025) for
a larger overview of this marine system. The volume is divided into six
sections: Physical and biological environment and prey organisms , Feeding

ill

ecology of marine and shoreline birds, Populations and breeding ecology of
marine birds, Populations and breeding ecology of shoreline birds,
Populations and ecology of wintering birds, and history and conservation of
birds, twenty-six researchers contributed to the 24 papers. Many of the
articles are short. They concentrate on how the birds are using the Strait
of Georgia rather than dealing with their general biology. The volume may be
obtained from Kees Vermeer, Canadian Wildlife Service, c/o Institute of Ocean
Sciences, P.0. Box 6000, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 4B2, Canada.

- Malcolm C. Coulter

BIBLIOGRAPHIES

The French seabird group G.l.S. Oiseaux Marins edits and regularly up-
dates a bibliography including any published paper and academic work devoted
to the seabirds of France, including overseas territories, or related to
studies undertaken by French seabird biologists abroad. These are produced
yearly. The first three issues, covering the years 1986-1988 may be obtained
by writing to Pierre Yesou, Vice Secretary, G.l.S. Oiseaux Marins, 101, rue
du 8 Mai, 85340 Olonne-sur-Mer, France.

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