Birds
Surf Scoter Declines
Hunting May be Responsible for Scoter Declines. The Salish Sea is home to some of North America’s most amazing bird life including one of the world’s largest wintering populations of scoters. Unfortunately in Puget Sound scoters have declined by over 50% in the last 25 years representing the largest loss of marine bird biomass in Puget Sound.
Bald Eagle De-Listing
On June 28, 2007, the bald eagle was removed from the U.S. list of threatened and endangered species. After nearly disappearing from most of the United States decades ago, wildlife enthusiasts are celebrating the eagle’s recovery. Now that this keystone predator has been restored to historical levels, it will be important to monitor the eagle’s impact on marine birds.
Feeding Habitat for Western Sandpipers
You may have seen – and smelled! – a big marine mud flat when the tide is out, and been less than favorably impressed. It may not be readily apparent, but those mucky expanses provide critical habitat to migratory birds. Recently completed work studying the fattening rates of Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri) is now helping improve our ability to identify and conserve important habitat for migratory shorebirds.
Seabird Workshop
In addition to killer whales, rockfish, and other well-known marine mammals and fish of the Puget Sound region, dozens of bird species depend on our saltwater ecosystem. Some of these birds, like the Western Grebe, winter here and fly farther north to nest in the summer. Others, like the Rhinoceros Auklet, summer here and then move to the open ocean for the winter. And then there are species like the Black Oystercatcher that call this area home year-round.
Species of Concern
How do we judge the health of our marine environment?
Fish and wildlife populations are the ultimate indicators for the health of the entire Puget Sound Georgia Basin marine ecosystem. The recent biennial SeaDoc Society Species of Concern report shows that the number of species listed as threatened or endangered is increasing and unless efforts are stepped up, the “silent slow motion crisis” will continue to out pace the ability to stabilize and restore populations.
MPA-related Research
The SeaDoc Society is ensuring the health of marine wildlife populations and their ecosystems by funding critical research, providing scientific support and bringing stakeholders together. Thanks to the support of numerous private investors, the SeaDoc Society recently solicited and funded four new research projects to be conducted in 2004. Like the projects we have funded before, these studies are designed to provide useful information that will enable us to better manage our living marine resources. Last year, the SeaDoc Society reported that over 60 marine species in our region have declined enough to warrant their listing or proposed listing as threatened or endangered. The new research we are supporting this year is examining marine protected areas (MPAs) as a tool to help recover declining populations of wildlife like rockfish, herring, and scoters.
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