A. Status of the Spectacled Eider - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

At the same time, the Service should continue to limit collecting eiders or their eggs for
scientific, educational, and avicultural use. In addition, recommendations for avoiding
adverse impacts (Appendix IV) from development activities have been drafted and used in
Section 7 consultations since 1993. These measures should be refined and continued, with
cumulative impacts from all biological and industrial activities tracked.
The Service also should continue to cooperate in the development of captive flocks of
Spectacled Eiders. Although the Spectacled Eider has not yet declined to the point where
captive-breeding for reintroduction is necessary, prudence dictates that preliminary efforts
in this direction be initiated. Thevalue of captive flocks transcends the need to be
prepared for last-ditch reintroductions. For example, studies of captive birds can provide
important data about the species’ basic biology. Such information may illuminate avenues
of research, increase our ability to evaluate hypotheses, and directly aid in practical
recovery efforts.
Traditional law enforcement activities (e.g., hunter contacts, citations) can be important
tools for maintaining or restoring wildlife populations. in the absence of an understanding
among the resource users of the eider population problems and the benefits of reduced
harvest, however, such actions are unlikely to contribute significantly to a reduction in
Spectacled Eider mortality. In fact, an enforcement policy which specifically targets the
harvest of Spectacled Eiders would almost certainly reduce the reporting rate of surveyed
hunters and engender resentment among potential partners in. recovery. Therefore, an
increase in traditional law enforcement activity is not recommended until law enforcement
and other harvest reduction tools are addressed through increased communication, perhaps
including Memoranda of Understanding. Existing law enforcement levels under the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act will continue.
b. Abundance and Distribution--Much remains to be learned about the distribution of
Spectacled Eiders in space and time. The broad outlines of distribution are best known for
the breeding season. Even then, geographic variation in abundance is poorly understood
for the NS and AR. Such spatial heterogeneity can seriously compromise monitoring
efforts, and surveys that are being developed to monitor these populations should be
improved and continued. Away from the breeding grounds, there are few data on
distribution and abundance. Recent satellite telemetry and fall aerial surveys have
suggested spatial and temporal patterns for migration routes, staging areas, and wintering
sites of the three breeding populations, but additional aerial surveys and studies using
longer-lasting transmitters will be required to confirm these patterns. These sites should be
visited to determine seasonal patterns of abundance and habitat use by different age and sex
classes. Either aerial or ship-based surveys may be appropriate.
For evaluating the status ofa population, trend data may be as important as are estimates
ofabundance. Long-term trend data exist only for the YKD breeding population of
Spectacled Eiders. Several independent data sets from that area demonstrate striking
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