Publications:
Koneff M.D., Zimmerman G.S., Dwyer C.P., Fleming K.K., Padding P.I., Devers P.K., Johnson, F.A. Runge, M.C., and A.J. Roberts. 2017. Evaluation of harvest and information needs for North American sea ducks. PLoS ONE 12(4): e0175411.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175411
Assessment of Harvest Potential of 5 Species of Sea Ducks
Project Number: 139
Year Funded: 2013
Lead Institution(s): US Fish and Wildlife Service
Project Lead: Mark Koneff
Collaborator(s): Chris Dwyer (USFWS), Gutherie Zimmerman (USFWS), Kathy Fleming (USFWS) Paul Padding (USFWS), Patrick Devers (USFWS)
Location: North America
Focal Species: All Sea Ducks, Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus), Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis), Common Eider (Somateria mollissima), King Eider (Somateria spectabilis), Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri), Steller’s Eider (Polysticta stelleri), Common Merganser (Mergus merganser), Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus), Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), Black Scoter (Melanitta americana), Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata), White-winged Scoter (Melanitta delgandi)
Project Description: In 2010, the Sea Duck Joint Venture (SDJV) identified the need for improved science support for harvest and habitat management of North American sea ducks. In order to prioritize monitoring and research needs in support of harvest management, we applied a Prescribed Take Level (PTL) framework to assess the influence of uncertainty about sea duck demographic parameters on comparisons of observed and allowable harvest estimates. We focused on 7 populations of North American sea ducks: the American subspecies of common eider (Somateria mollissima dresseri), the continental populations of long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) and white-winged scoter (Melanitta fusca), and eastern and western populations of black (M. americana) and surf scoter (M. perspicillata).
Project Reports: