ACAP Latest News

Read about recent developments and findings in procellariiform science and conservation relevant to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels in ACAP Latest News.

Contact the ACAP Communications Advisor if you wish to have your news featured.

Draft Environmental Assessment to rid Midway of its albatross-attacking mice by aerial baiting released for comment

Since 2015 introduced House Mice Mus musculus have been attacking breeding Black-footed Phoebastria nigripes and Laysan P. immutabilis Albatrosses (both globally Near Threatened) on Midway Atoll in the North Pacific, causing widespread injury, nest abandonment and death (click here).

Mouse attacks on Midway albatrosses during the 2015/16 breeding season, photographs by US Fish & Wildlife Service and Robert Taylor

In response the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has this week released a draft environmental assessment to protect the seabirds of Midway Atoll’s Sand Island from mice for public comment.

The document’s overview of the proposed action follows:

“The proposed action is to eradicate house mice from Sand Island in Midway Atoll, by delivering a lethal dose of a rodenticide to every rodent. This will involve the aerial and hand broadcast of Broadifacoum-25D Conservation, a pelleted rodenticide bait intended for conservation purposes for the control or eradication of invasive rodents on islands or vessels.

The proposed action would take place during the summer dry season, when mouse food sources are scarce and their population is typically declining. This will maximize the opportunity for mice to ingest the rodenticide.

The proposed action also includes protective measures that will help avoid or minimize any impacts to non-target species. For example, conducting the operation during the summer will minimize the risk of rain or wind washing bait pellets containing rodenticide into the ocean. Bait will not be aerially broadcast near the beaches or marine environment on Sand Island, minimizing the chance that it enters into the ocean or impacts marine species. Additionally, Broadifacoum-25D Conservation breaks down quickly in the marine environment.

Summer is also the time of year when relatively few migratory and shore birds are present – lessening the chance that they will be adversely impacted by the project. Seabirds eat at sea, not by foraging on the island and are not likely to be impacted by the treatment. However, the proposed action would take place once seabird nesting season has concluded, chicks have fledged, and before breeding season begins, minimizing the disturbance from the project to the colony.”

The draft document and information on how to submit comments (deadline 20 April 2018) can be accessed here.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 22 March 2018

Two New Large Marine Protected Areas in the South Atlantic declared by Brazil

President Michel Temer of Brazil has this month designated two Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the Trindade and Martin (Martim) Vaz and the St Peter and St Paul (São Pedro and São Paulo) Archipelagos in the South Atlantic, covering approximately 900 000 square kilometres. The declaration of the MPAs followed on from an active online campaign and a period of public comment.

“These two MPAs will increase the percentage of protection of the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone from the present 1.5 percent to near 24 percent.  Near 12 percent of these new areas (111 thousand square kilometres) will receive protection from industrial fishing, mining and other detrimental activities.”  In the surrounding multiple-use zones fishing would be strictly regulated.

The islands support globally Vulnerable Trindade Petrels Pterodroma arminjoniana and Audubon's Shearwaters Puffinus lherminieri (Least Concern), the only procellariiform species that breed within Brazilian Territory.

 

Audubon's Shearwater at sea

Read more here.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 21 March 2018

Abstract submissions for the 14th International Seabird Group Conference close next week

The deadline for abstract submission for the 14th International Seabird Group Conference to be held in Liverpool, UK over 3-6 September 2018 by the (UK) Seabird Group has been extended to 29 March.

Submit your abstract through the conference website. Conference registration is available at early-bird rates (UK£150) until 30 April 30, after which it will rise to UK£225. You can also book accommodation through the conference website, which is located opposite the conference venue.

Read an earlier posting on the conference here.

Northern or Arctic Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 20 March 2018

Kaena Point’s Laysan Albatrosses are doing well, as translocation plans are made for two more tubenose species in the Hawaiian islands

Pacific Rim Conservation reports on its Facebook page that a record 106 Near Threatened Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis pairs commenced breeding within the predator-proof fence at the Kaena Point Natural Area Reserve on the Hawaiian island of Oahu this year. A total of 89 chicks has hatched out of which 68 “are still going strong”.

Laysan Albatross gather at Kaena Point, photograph by Lindsay Young

Meanwhile the Hawaiian NGO aims to add two more species to its translocation efforts: Bonin Petrels Pterodroma hypoleuca (Least Concern) and Near Threatened Tristram's Storm Petrels Hydrobates tristrami are planned to be translocated from low-lying Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals to higher ground on Oahu later this year (click here).  ACAP Latest News will report!

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 19 March 2018

Help conserve threatened seabirds on a World Heritage site: employment opportunities on Gough Island

The UK’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is once again advertising three field assistant positions to work on World Heritage Gough Island in the central South Atlantic Ocean for 13 months over 2018/19, with a training period prior to departure.

The three contract positions are designed to conduct annual monitoring of breeding seabirds (including five albatross and petrel species listed by ACAP) and to control the invasive plant Procumbent Pearlwort Sagina procumbens for which rope access training will be given. The field assistants will also give support to the House Mouse eradication operation planned to take place next year as part of the Gough Island Restoration Programme.

The seabird monitoring positions are responsible for annual monitoring of breeding success, survival, population counts, and other field work for 14 breeding species. The Sagina position is responsible for work eradicating Sagina on the coastal cliffs adjacent to the South African weather station on Gough Island.

The candidates will be joining and living with the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) over-wintering team of usually six people, and will also be required to work within the requirements of SANAP’s over-wintering teams, contributing to domestic duties, etc..

Critically Endangered Tristan Albatrosses on Gough Island are at risk to attacks on their chicks by House Mice, photograph by Kalinka Rexer-Huber

Read details of the vacancies and how to apply for the senior field assistant and field assistant posts.

The deadline for submissions is 6 April 2018.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 16 March 2018

The Agreement on the
Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels

ACAP is a multilateral agreement which seeks to conserve listed albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters by coordinating international activity to mitigate known threats to their populations.

About ACAP

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Tel: +61 3 6165 6674