Project Information

Title: Surveys to Monitor Marine Bird Abundance in PWS During Winter and Summer 2004 040159

Project Year and Number: 2004: 040159

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2010: 10100751, 2008: 080751, 2007: 070751, 2005: 050751, 2002: 02159, 2001: 01159, 2000: 00159, 1999: 99159, 1998: 98159, 1997: 97159-CLO, 1996: 96159, 1994: 94159, 1993: 93045

Principal Investigator (PI): David Irons (DOI )

Managing Agency: USFWS

Assisting Personnel: None

Research Location: Prince William Sound, Alaska

Restoration Category: Monitoring

Injured Resources Addressed: Bald Eagles, Black Oystercatchers, Common Loons, Common Murres, Cormorants, Harlequin Ducks, Kittlitz's Murrelets, Marbled Murrelets, Pigeon Guillemot, Sea Otters

Abstract: We propose to conduct small boat surveys to monitor abundance of marine birds and sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in Prince William Sound, Alaska during March and July 2004. Seven previous surveys have monitored population trends for >65 bird and 8 marine mammal species in Prince William Sound after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. We will use data collected in 2004 to examine trends from summer 1989-2004 and from winter 1990-2004 by determining whether populations in the oiled zone changed at the same rate as those in the unoiled zone. We will also examine overall population trends for the Sound from 1989-2004. Due to the lack of data prior to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, continued monitoring of marine birds and sea otters is needed to determine whether populations injured by the spill are recovering. Data collected in 2000 indicated that bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are increasing in winter and summer throughout Prince William Sound, harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) are increasing in the oiled area in winter, and black oystercatchers are increasing throughout Prince William Sound in summer. Numbers of all other injured species are either not changing or are declining in the oiled area. Common loons (Gavia immer), cormorants (Phalacrocorax spp.), and common murres (Uria aalgae) are showing no trend in the oiled area; pigeon guillemots (Cepphus columba) and marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) are declining in the oiled areas of Prince William Sound and Kittlitz’s Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) is declining throughout Prince William Sound. Results of these surveys up through 1998 have been published by Irons et al. (2000) and Lance et al. 2001). Analyses of these survey data are the only ongoing means to evaluate the recovery of most of these injured species. A final report will be written upon completion of the project that will address population status of species observed during the survey.


Proposal: View (326 KB)

Reports:
Annual Report FY04: View (29 KB)
Final Report: See Project 050751

Publications from this Project: None Available