International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis fabalis − an Overview of the draft Plan 30.11.2015

International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Taiga Bean Goose

Anser fabalis fabalis −an Overview of the draft Plan

18.04.23© Finnish Wildlife Agency

Arto Marjakangas1

Photo: Markus Varesvuo

Contents of this presentation• Background• Project framework• Framework for Action• Implementation

18.04.23 © Suomen riistakeskus 2Photo: Asko Kettunen

Flyways of Taiga and Tundra Bean Geese

18.04.23 © Suomen riistakeskus 3

Background

A. f. rossicus

Estimated total winter population size of the Taiga Bean Goose in Europe in the 1990s and 2000s


(Fox & Madsen 1999, Delany & Scott 2006, Fox ym. 2010)

Background

Taiga Bean Goose international action planning project 2013‒2015

• 5th Session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP5) to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) in 2012:• Upgading of the North-east Europe/North-west Europe

population of Anser f. fabalis in the AEWA Action Plan (B1 → A3c*, i.e. population numbering around 25 000-100 000 individuals and considered to be at risk as a result of showing significant long-term decline)

• * = hunting may continue on a sustainable use basis within the framework of an international species action plan

• AEWA Technical Committee in 2012 (on Finland’s initiative): International Single Species Action Plan will be prepared for adoption by MOP6 in 2015


Background

Project framework

• Coordinated by the AEWA Secretariat and Finnish Wildlife Agency

• Compilation of the Plan by an international drafting group (seven members)

• The Plan covers the entire sub-species Anser f. fabalis• Russian Federation, Finland, Sweden, Norway,

Denmark, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the United Kindom, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Belarus (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China)

• Bean Goose protected in Norway, the United Kindom and the Netherlands; a quarry species in other range states


Milestones in the production of the Plan• November 2013: stakeholder workshop in Finland

– Problems, threats, knowledge needs, draft Framework for Action

• May−June 2014: 1st draft presented to the workshop participants

• July−October 2014: revision of the draft• November 2014−January 2015: 2nd draft presented for

consultation with the range states• January 2015: 3rd draft to the AEWA Secretariat for

consultation with the AEWA Technical Committee and Standing Committee

• November 2015: adoption of the Plan by MOP6• From 2016 onwards: implementation, coordinated and

guided by an International Working Group18.04.23 © Suomen riistakeskus 7

Project framework

Tentative division into four sub-populations (flyway management units)


Project framework

Goal, Objectives, Results and Activities

• Long-term Goal: to restore and maintain the population at a favourable conservation status (around 165 000−190 000 birds)

• Target population sizes for the next 20 years:– Western: 4 000– Central: 60 000– Eastern 1 & 2: 30 000 birds


Photo: Asko Kettunen

Framework for Action

18.04.23 © Suomen riistakeskus 10Photo: Arto Marjakangas

Objectives:Objectives:1.1.Increase survival rate of adultsIncrease survival rate of adults2.2.Increase reproductive ratesIncrease reproductive rates3.3.Stop ongoing loss, fragmentation and Stop ongoing loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitatsdegradation of habitats

Kivineva fen, Lestijärvi(breeding habitat)


Required results







Excerpts from Activities• Altogether 17 Activities to achieve the required Results• With relevant range states and management units,

priority, timescale and responsible bodies for each Activity


Objectives Results International/Nationalactivities

Relevant range states

Relevant management units

Priority Timescale Responsibility

1. Increase survival rate of adults

1.1. Legal harvest does not jeopardize an increase of adult survival rates

1.1.1. Develop and implement international adaptive harvest management framework

RU, FI, SE, NO, DK, EE, LV, LT, UKR, BY, PL, D, UK, NL

W, C, E 1&2 Essential ImmediateRolling

Relevant national authorities

1.1.2. Develop and implement an international framework for resolving agricultural conflict which includes the Taiga Bean Goose, including the use of non-lethal methods

SE, D W, C Medium Short Relevant national authoritiesBoard of Agriculture

1.1.3. Raise awareness amongst hunters on the need and ways to reduce crippling

RU, FI, SE, NO, DK, EE, LV, LT, UKR, BY, PL, D, NL

W, C, E 1&2 Medium Short Rolling

Hunting organizations


Activities relevant to all range states• Develop and implement

international adaptive harvest management (AHM) framework

• Incorporation of scientific method into a management framework

• Learning process:– Stakeholder involvement– Agreed objectives– Management alternatives– Predictive models– Effective monitoring programmes– Which must all be integrated into

an iterative learning cycle



• AHM used for the management of the Svalbard population of the Pink-footed Goose A. brachyrhynchus

• Raise awareness amonst hunters on the need and ways to reduce crippling– About 50% of adult Taiga Bean Geese carry embedded

shot pellets

– Danish action plan to reduce wounding by shotgun hunting (1997): the wounding rates of Pink-footed Geese decreased by about 60%

• Raise identification skills and awareness of the status of different goose species amonst hunters– Hunting is targeted more to goose species showing

increasing population trends



Estimated level and quality of knowledge concerning the Taiga Bean Goose by management unit


Population, distribution and hunting bag

Management unitWestern Central Eastern 1 Eastern 2

Population size Breeding Poor Poor N/A N/A

Wintering Medium Medium Poor N/A

Population dynamics

Survival N/A Poor N/A N/A

Productivity N/A Poor N/A N/A

Distribution Breeding areas Medium Medium Poor Poor

Moulting areas Poor Poor N/A N/A

Wintering areas Good Medium Poor Poor

Staging areas Good Medium Poor N/A

Hunting bag Annual bag size N/A Medium N/A N/A

Proportions of sub-species in the bag

N/A Poor N/A N/A


Implementation of the Action Plan from 2016 onwards

• The Action Plan provides a general framework, details will be agreed upon during the implementation phase

• To be established: AEWA Taiga Bean Goose International Working Group

• To coordinate, guide and supervise the implementation• Composition (23−25 members):

– Representatives from all range states (14)

– Stakeholder representatives (3)• International conservation organization• International hunting organization• International farming organization

– Taiga Bean Goose experts (5−7)

– AEWA Secretariat (1)18.04.23 © Suomen riistakeskus 18


View over Western Siberian Taiga Bean Goose habitat

18.04.23 © Suomen riistakeskus 19Photo: Sonia Rozenfeld

Thank you!

Documents

International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis fabalis − an Overview of the draft Plan 30.11.2015