american oystercatcher recovery initiative 2012 working group update

American Oystercatcher Recovery Initiative

2012 Working group update

Business plan

• Objective:– 30% population increase in 10 years– ~ 0.5 chicks/pair/year– Coordinated long-term management and

conservation• Scale:

– 10M over 10 years in matching support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)

– Encompasses the range of the American Oystercatcher in North America

Vital signs• Population size

– New population estimate from upcoming winter survey• Productivity (Chicks/pair)

– 0.5 needed for 30% pop increase in 10 years– Average of 0.53 since start of initiative– Up from 0.3 (declining) before initative

• Coordinated Management– Good communication/Rapid transfer of information– Development and implementation of BMPs

• Coordinated Monitoring– Common metrics, survey standards, and reporting

• Habitat managed– 800 miles of coastline managed

• Participation and support– AMOY Working Group continues to grow– Partners in every Atlantic and Gulf Coast state– Federal, State, and private support for the initative

Annual AMOY productivity

AMOY Recovery initiative

Average 0.53 chicks/pair per year after start of initiative

2012 field season

  Pairs Chicks Pairs w/productivity Productivity Adults banded Chicks banded

ME 6          

NH 0

MA 200 84 175 0.48

RI

CT 62 22 62 0.35 5

NY 24 32 24 1.33 5

NJ 107 55 103 0.53 13 19

DE 14 4 14 0.29 0 2

MD

VA 360 260 360 0.72 0 5

NC 173 88 172 0.51 4 40

SC

GA 95 16 71 0.17 4 16

FL Atlantic coast 32 7 23 0.30 3 5

FL Gulf coast 219 8 53 0.15 11 8

AL

MS

LA

TX 127 24 101 0.24 54 13

1419 600 1158 0.52 99 108