US Fish and Wildlife Service Grant: Maintaining Captive Flocks of Alaska-Origin Stellers and Spectacled Eiders

PURPOSE

The Alaska breeding population of Stellers eiders was listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act, ESA in 1997. The Service, the Eider Recovery Team and the Alaska SeaLife Center have been working together since 2005 to establish a captive reservoir flock of Alaska breeding Stellers eiders, develop propagation techniques and evaluate the potential risks and rewards of implementing a reintroduction program to areas from which they have been extirpated. The Center also maintains a captive flock of spectacled eiders, a related species, on which research is conducted to understand more about breeding ecology and propagation of eiders. The Service is currently in the first phase of a three phased structured process to determine whether to use reintroduction as a recovery too. We intend to cross the first decision point by the end of the 2012 calendar year, with a subsequent decision point projected for winter 2014 and the first experimental reintroductions projected for summer 2016. The purpose of this grant agreement is to provide assistance to the Alaska SeaLife Center for the continued maintenance of their Alaska origin captive flock of Stellers eiders and spectacled eiders through this decision process and the preliminary stages of reintroduction, if it is determined reintroduction methods are the best approach towards recovery of this ESA listed population.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this agreement are to provide support and assistance to the Alaska SeaLife Center for the maintenance of the captive flock of Alaska origin Stellers eiders and spectacled eiders. Continuing research will assist in determining if reintroduction efforts will continue. It is important to ensure the maintenance and care of the captive flock at a high level of biosecurity and health during this decision process and experimental phase so that the Service maintains the capacity to implement reintroduction if necessary.

REASON FOR SINGLE SOURCE

Continuation, The activity to be funded is necessary to the continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity. The Alaska SeaLife Center has the only captive bred population of Stellers eiders, and is conducting husbandry, genetic, and other research to support potential reintroduction of this ESA listed species into the wild, such reintroduction is needed to meet recovery criteria. The ASLC also has a captive population of ESA listed spectacled eiders, and conducts research necessary to effectively manage and protect this species.

Unique Qualifications, The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location in Alaska close to the natural ranges of the species, state of the art facilities uniquely appropriate to these sea ducks that require aquatic habitat, and technical expertise on eider research and husbandry superior to any other facility in the country.
For additional infromation, please contact Kate Martin, Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office, 907-456-0215.