Estimates of adult survival rate for three colonies of Sooty Shearwater<i>(Puffinus griseus)</i>in New Zealand

Clucas, Rosemary; Fletcher, David; Møller, Henrik

doi:10.1071/mu07069

Cited by 16 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Determining future scenarios for Sooty Shearwater abundance depends on ascertaining the extent to which these processes are impacting survival and reproduction of Sooty Shearwaters. Survival of adults is extremely high, on average (Clucas et al 2008), but is subject to periodic catastrophes (Hamilton and Moller 1995), which this study suggests are linked to climate-driven changes in ocean ecosystems. Sooty Shearwater reproduction is extremely variable between years (Newman et al 2009) and my study also links this to climate perturbations.…”

Section: Hunt Tally Chick Size and Climatic Variabilitymentioning

confidence: 81%

Long-term population trends of Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) revealed by hunt success

Clucas¹

2011

Ecological Applications

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The annual hunt of Muttonbirds (chicks of the Sooty Shearwater, Puffinus griseus), undertaken by the Rakiura Māori people of southern New Zealand, is economically and socially integral to their cultural identity. Muttonbirders concerned at ensuring that the hunt remains viable for coming generations have provided catch records to help ascertain historic trends in hunt success. Analysis of eight catch diaries for a 67-year period demonstrates considerable consistency across diaries in the variability of hunt success, as measured by annualized mean daily hunt tallies. A conservative estimate of the overall annual decline in hunt success is -1.89% (95% CI: -1.14% to -2.65%). Birders' observations of a changing relationship between chick quality and hunt success was evidenced across diaries. Reduced hunt success from the 1990s indicates that possible adult "knockdowns" and/or sustained substantial reductions in breeding proportions have occurred. Chick size has remained constant, suggesting little change in the provisioning environment. Catch per unit effort data, provided by a single diary, confirms a link between variability in annual hunt success and chick abundance. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) are correlated with hunt success and chick size, respectively. Interannual PDO+ (or PDO-) values are correlated with higher (or lower) tallies, whereas SAM+ (or SAM) values are associated with larger (or smaller) chick size. Uncertainty in the relationship between the breeding Sooty Shearwater population, chick catch, and environmental perturbation in their feeding grounds could be reduced with the inclusion of hunt time in all diary records. Ongoing prolonged decline in a top-trophic-level predator such as the Sooty Shearwater raises serious concern that long-term oceanic changes have been occurring and that long-term sustainability of muttonbirding is in doubt.

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Section: Hunt Tally Chick Size and Climatic Variabilitymentioning

confidence: 81%

Long-term population trends of Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) revealed by hunt success

Clucas¹

2011

Ecological Applications

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“…One of these, sooty shearwaters, was also a casualty of pelagic drift nets, so may have been subjected to high mortality of adults at sea for decades. Perhaps we should not be surprised that population declines are now indicated from falling oceanic counts, reduced burrow density, and declining rates of chick harvest by Rakiura Maori in southern New Zealand (Clucas et al 2008 ). Encouragingly, modifi ed fi shing practices (e.g., Melvin et al 2001 ) and technological innovations have reduced seabird bycatch (Gilman et al 2005 ), particularly within fi sheries overseen by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which is the regional fi sheries management organization for the southern oceans (Donlan and Wilcox 2008a ).…”

Section: Humans As Incidental Predatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Introduced Predators on Seabirds

Towns¹,

Byrd²,

Hp³

et al. 2011

Seabird Islands

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“…Research investigating the sustainability of the tïtï cultural harvest was initiated in 1994 (Möller 1996;Moller et al 2000Moller et al , 2009b. The research programme aimed to predict long-term harvest sustainability by combining population monitoring (mcKechnie et al in press;Clucas et al 2008) and investigations of population parameters (Scofield et al 2001;Jones et al 2003;Clucas et al 2008;, threats (hamilton & moller 1995;lyver et al 1999;Jones 2003;Uhlmann et al 2005) and specific aspects of harvesting practice (Hunter et al 2000a;lyver 2000;Kitson 2002;newman et al 2008) in mathematical models (hamilton & moller 1995;hunter et al 2000b;hunter & Casswell 2005). estimates of the total number of chicks harvested (hereafter termed harvest) and temporal variation in hunter-prey dynamics will be crucial for these sustainability predictions.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An understanding of temporal variation in harvest intensity and population abundance is required to reliably predict long-term harvest impacts, as fluctuations in a wildlife resource makes achieving sustainable harvesting difficult (Lande et al 1995;Engen et al 1997). This may particularly be the case for tītī, as large natural fluctuations in their abundance and chick size are well known and are thought to play an important role in determining the success of the harvesting season (lyver et al 1999;Clucas et al 2008).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in abundance and harvest of sooty shearwaters (Puffinus griseus) by Rakiura Maori on Putauhinu Island, New Zealand

Bragg

McKechnie

Newman

et al. 2009

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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Sooty shearwater (Puffinus griesus, titi) abundance, harvest levels and chick mass were monitored repeatedly on Putauhinu Island, southwest of Rakiura (Stewart Island) between 1997 and 2005. Putauhinu is the second largest of the Titi Islands and has a relatively high density of chicks distributed over most of the island, so it supports what is likely the second-largest population of sooty shearwaters in the Rakiura region (after Taukihepa, Big South Cape Island). Rakiura Maori harvested chicks from five "manu" (family birding areas) that covered 56% of the 128.4 ha of breeding colony of the island. Chick density was lower on the unharvested area in the interior of the island than on harvested areas. Burrow entrance density was higher where there was more ground cover (mainly fern) vegetation, but these areas had lower burrow occupancy, so overall chick density was Z08028; Online publication date

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Estimates of adult survival rate for three colonies of Sooty Shearwater(Puffinus griseus)in New Zealand

Cited by 16 publications

References 47 publications

Long-term population trends of Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) revealed by hunt success

Long-term population trends of Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) revealed by hunt success

Impacts of Introduced Predators on Seabirds

Variation in abundance and harvest of sooty shearwaters (Puffinus griseus) by Rakiura Maori on Putauhinu Island, New Zealand

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