News/Reports

Southern Vancouver Island Marine Waters and Seabird Islands Important bird Areas Conservation Plan

Posted September 15, 2002 | Categories : 94,Human Disturbance,Marine Reserves |

Barry Booth , Community Conservation Planner Canadian Nature Federation , Federation of BC Naturalists, Wild Bird Trust of BC , IBA program.

The issue

The east coast of southern Vancouver Island and associated Gulf Islands represent extremely important habitat for a wide variety of birds, during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. Recently, several Important Bird Areas were designated in this area. These include two seabird colonies (Chain Islets and Great Chain Island and Snake Island) and three marine areas (Porlier Pass, Active Pass, and Sidney Channel). Despite the variety of habitats represented here, there is at least one conservation concern in common for all five of these sites: human disturbance. Disturbance can affect seabirds in a variety of ways including physiological stress, egg and nestling mortality, premature fledging, and colony abandonment. While this is a common concern in all five IBAs, there is no formal mechanism to address this issue.

Summary

This conservation plan provides an overview of the birds present within these five IBAs, the issues that may affect these birds and the habitats that they use. It also introduces and highlights ways in which disturbance could be addressed. This plan was written in conjunction with the federal and provincial governments, as well as a number of action-oriented non-government organizations active in the region. It is intended to lay the groundwork for a strategy to address this conservation concern.

Availability of report:

This report is available in digital format from the Important Bird Areas web page: www.ibacanada.com.

 

Executive Summary

The purpose of this conservation plan is to: 1) describe the wildlife values of the IBAs in the waters around southern Vancouver Island and associated Gulf Islands, 2) discuss the issues that may affect these values, 3) introduce and highlight the initiatives that will be required to address some of these issues and, 4) to focus and direct future initiatives that could further address identified concerns.

What is an Important Bird Area (IBA)?

An Important Bird Area (IBA) is a site providing essential habitat for one or more species of breeding or non-breeding birds. These sites may contain threatened species, endemic species, species representative of a biome, or highly exceptional concentrations of birds.

The goals of the Canadian IBA program are to: 1) identify a network of sites that conserve the natural diversity of Canadian bird species; and 2) ensure the conservation of sites through partnerships of local stakeholders who develop and implement appropriate on-the-ground conservation plans

The IBAs of Southern Vancouver Island

The marine areas along the east coast of southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands represent one of the most fertile areas for seabirds in BC. The marine coastline in this area provides a wide variety of habitats that attract birds year round. Five Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been designated in the marine waters that include Nanaimo, the Gulf Islands, the Saanich Peninsula, and the small islands immediately off the shores of Victoria. They include two seabird colonies (Chain and Great Chain Islets, and Snake Island) and three marine areas (Porlier Pass, Active Pass and Sidney Channel). This area is also one of the fastest growing areas in Canada, and is experiencing a growth in tourism related activities.

There are a number of conservation concerns that may affect these IBAs. They include eagle predation and disturbance, human disturbance, water pollution, and commercial fishing. Human disturbance is common to all IBAs and is of concern because it can result in physiological stress, egg and nestling mortality, premature fledging, and colony abandonment. While this is a common concern in all five IBAs, there is no formal mechanism to address this issue.

Current Conservation Activities

Some of the IBAs in this area are ecological reserves (Chain Islets) while others are parts or provincial parks (Sidney Channel); others are destined to become national parks in the near future (Active Pass). Despite these protective measures, birds in this area continue to come under pressure from the recreational public.

Conservation Goals and objectives

This conservation plan provides an overview of the birds present within these five IBAs, the issues that may affect these birds and the habitats that they use. It also introduces and highlights ways in which disturbance could be addressed. The desired conservation goals and objectives for southern Vancouver Island are relevant to many other areas in BC. At present, two broad categories of conservation activities are being considered: broad scale promotion of the area as places of significance for seabirds, and ways in which to mitigate disturbance at these sites.

Broad scale promotion of wildlife values/resources on southern Vancouver Island

Certain branches of both provincial and local governments, as well as local citizens, are in many ways unaware of the significance of the wildlife resources that are present in their areas of jurisdiction and backyards. Without this recognition, there is a tendency for these sites to be visited, treated, and

managed without due care and attention. It is hoped that making the importance of these areas known to the public will help protect them in the long-term. The promotion of these sites as extremely valuable areas can be done by through the following initiatives: interpretive programs, static displays, and the mapping of sensitive areas.

Mitigating disturbance

Disturbance at these sites will likely increase as both the population of the region grows, and as the popularity of wildlife viewing increases. It is therefore important that the public be made aware of how disturbance affects wildlife, and of how to share the waters with wildlife without causing undue disturbance. There are ongoing initiatives that address wildlife viewing, particularly marine mammals, but there are no specific programs geared towards seabirds. BC Parks in Victoria has produced a general set of guidelines that are intended specifically for the wildlife-viewing public. It is important, however, to develop a system and a strategy to develop and disseminate information pertaining specifically to seabirds. It will be important to develop a multi-faceted approach that targets a wide range of users that also includes these users in program development. There are a number of different ways to address the issue of disturbance. These include: an active outreach program, the development of appropriate material, development of signage at selected sites, and the development of viewing guidelines for seabirds.

Contact information

Barry Booth
BC IBA Program
Canadian Nature Federation Federation of BC Naturalists Wild Bird Trust of BC
1323 Connaught Dr
Prince George, V2L 3X7 Ph. 250-564-1997 barryb@direct.ca

Trudy Chatwin
Rare and Endangered Species Biologist Ministry of Water, Air, and Land Protection 2080 Labieux Road,
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 6R1
trudy.chatwin@gems1.gov.bc.ca

Louise Blight/Tracy Flemming: Capital Regional District Parks 490 Atkins Ave.,
Victoria, V9B 2Z8 lblight@crd.bc.ca

Ph. 250-478-3344

tfleming@crd.bc.ca

Ken Morgan
Canadian Wildlife Service
c/o Institute of Ocean Sciences P.O. Box 6000,
Sidney, B.C. V8L 4B2 morgank@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Kelly Francis
Integrated Management Co-ordinator, Georgia Basin, Fisheries and Oceans Canada 4166 Departure Bay Rd. Nanaimo, BC V9T 4B7
Ph 250-756-7095
Fx. 250-756-7349

morgank@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

Habitat Acquisition Trust Bruce Whittington Executive Director
PO Box 8552

Victoria, BC
V8W 3S2
Ph. 250-995-2428 hatmail@home.com http://www.hat.bc.ca

Stephen Connolly,
Min. of Sustainable Resource Mgt. 5th Floor,
1405 Douglas St.,

 

Table of Contents

Foreword……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………ii The issue ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..ii Summary ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..ii Availability of report:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….ii

Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………iii Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..v List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..vii List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………vii

  1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1
  2. The IBA program…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2
  3. IBA Site Descriptions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 33.1 Snake Island………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3 3.1.1 Location and General Description of site…………………………………………………………………………………3 3.1.2 Bird species found within the bounds of the IBA ……………………………………………………………………..3 3.2.3 Additional wildlife values …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 3.1.4 Conservation measures taken, in progress, or proposed……………………………………………………………..4

    3.2 Active Pass………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5 3.2.1 Location and General Description of site…………………………………………………………………………………5 3.2.2 Bird species found within the bounds of the IBA ……………………………………………………………………..5 3.2.3 Additional wildlife values …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 3.2.4 Conservation measures taken, in progress, or proposed……………………………………………………………..6

    3.3 Porlier Pass………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6 3.3.1 Location and General Description of site…………………………………………………………………………………6 3.3.2 Bird species found within the bounds of the IBA ……………………………………………………………………..6 3.3.3 Additional wildlife values …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7 3.3.4 Conservation measures taken, in progress, or proposed……………………………………………………………..7

    3.4 Chain Islets and Great Chain Island………………………………………………………………………………………………8 3.4.1 Location and General Description of site…………………………………………………………………………………8 3.4.2 Bird species found within the bounds of the IBA ……………………………………………………………………..8 3.4.3 Additional wildlife/habitat values ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 3.4.4 Conservation measures taken, in progress, or proposed……………………………………………………………..9

    3.5 Sidney Channel …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9 3.5.1 Location and General Description of site…………………………………………………………………………………9 3.5.2 Bird species found within the bounds of the IBA ……………………………………………………………………..9 3.5.3 Additional wildlife values …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10 3.5.4 Conservation measures taken, in progress, or proposed……………………………………………………………11

  4. Other areas of significance………………………………………………………………………………………………………………114.1 Five Finger Island and Hudson Rocks ………………………………………………………………………………………… 11 4.1.1 Location and General Description of site……………………………………………………………………………….11 4.1.2 Species present ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11
  5. Species Accounts ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 5.1 Pigeon Guillemot …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 5.2 Black Oystercatcher …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12 5.3 Pacific Loon…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12 5.4 Pelagic Cormorant…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….13
  1. 5.5  Brandt’s Cormorants…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13
  2. 5.6  Double-crested Cormorant…………………………………………………………………………………………………………14
  3. 5.7  Brant……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14
  4. 5.8  Bonaparte’s Gulls……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15
  5. 5.9  Mew Gull ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15

5.10 Glaucous-winged Gull …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….15

  1. Conservation concerns: factors that may influence bird abundance, distribution, and productivity……………166.2 Human disturbance: people visiting colonies………………………………………………………………………………..17 6.2.1 Egg and Nestling Mortality …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 17 6.2.2 Premature fledging or colony abandonment……………………………………………………………………………17 6.2.3 Increased stress responses …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 18

    6.3 Human disturbance: boater traffic……………………………………………………………………………………………….18 6.4 Water pollution: oil spills and discharge from boats………………………………………………………………………19 6.5 Commercial fishing…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..19

  2. Conservation Options …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….217.1 Broad scale promotion of wildlife values/resources on southern Vancouver Island. ………………………….22 7.1.1 Interpretive programs …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 22 7.1.2 Static displays…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….22 7.1.3 Mapping of IBAs on nautical charts or some similar medium…………………………………………………..22

    7.2 Mitigating disturbance ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………22 7.2.1 Active outreach program……………………………………………………………………………………………………..23 7.2.2 Educational material (e.g., brochure, magazine articles) for distribution to various user groups …… 23 7.2.3 Development of signage at strategic locations ……………………………………………………………………….. 23 7.2.4 Development of guidelines…………………………………………………………………………………………………..24 7.2.5 Dog walking community……………………………………………………………………………………………………..24

    7.3 Water quality issues: sound management of marinas …………………………………………………………………….25

  3. Groups active in the areas that encompass the IBA(s)…………………………………………………………………………25
  4. Opportunities ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..25

10. Evaluating success ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 25 11. Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………26 12. Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 27

12.1 Personal communications (pers. comm.) …………………………………………………………………………………… 27

12.2 Literature cited ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 27 Appendix 1: IBA Canada Partners………………………………………………………………………………………………………33

Victoria, V8W 9W1
Ph. 250-356-1474

 

 

List of Figures

Figure 1. Locations of five IBAs in Southern Vancouver Island ………………………………………………….. 1 Figure 2. Location of Snake Island IBA and Five Finger Island and Hudson Rocks……………………….. 4 Figure 3. Location of Active Pass IBA …………………………………………………………………………………….. 5 Figure 4. Location of Porlier Pass IBA …………………………………………………………………………………….. 7 Figure 5. Location of Chain Islets and Great Chain Island IBA …………………………………………………… 8 Figure 6. Location of Sidney Channel IBA ……………………………………………………………………………… 10

List of Tables

Table 1: IBAs in the marine area of southeastern Vancouver Island …………………………………………… 2

Table 2. Table 2. Population Growth in Vancouver Island Regional Districts discussed in
this document ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2

Table 3. IBA species, the time at which they are present in the area, the approximate
percentage of the population, the significance at the global (G), continental (C) or
national (N) level, and the provincial status for the Snake Island IBA. …………………………… 4

Table 4 IBA species, the time at which they are present in the area, the approximate
percentage of the population, the significance at the global (G), continental (C) or
national (N) level, and the provincial status for the Active Pass IBA……………………………… 5

Table 5 IBA species, the time at which they are present in the area, the approximate
percentage of the population, the significance at the global (G), continental (C) or
national (N) level, and the provincial status for the Porlier Pass IBA …………………………….. 6

Table 6 IBA species, the time at which they are present in the area, the approximate
percentage of the population, the significance at the global (G), continental (C) or
national (N) level, and the provincial status for the Chain and Great Chain Islets
IBA. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

Table 7. IBA species, the time at which they are present in the area, the approximate
percentage of the population, the significance at the global (G), continental (C) or
national (N) level, and the provincial status for the Sidney Channel IBA ……………………… 11

Table 8. Numbers of active Pelagic Cormorant nests at selected colonies along south east
Vancouver Island 1955-2000 ………………………………………………………………………………….. 13

Table 9. Numbers of active Pelagic Cormorant nests at selected colonies along south east
Vancouver Island 1955-2000 ………………………………………………………………………………….. 15

Table 10. Threats to birds in IBAs in the southern Vancouver Island area …………………………………. 16

Table 11. Individuals and organizations that should be a part of a strategy designed to
address disturbance at nesting seabird islands, and marine areas. ………………………………… 23

Suggested citation: Booth, B.P. 2001. Southern Vancouver Island Marine Waters and Seabird Islands Important Bird Areas Conservation Plan. Can.Nature Fed., Bird Studies Can., Fed. of BC Naturalists, Wild Bird Trust BC. 34 pp

SEE the  COMPLETE 34 page PDF at: 30. dblcorm-bcsouthernvancouverisland