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Falklands Conservation |
The potential impacts on wildlife from hydrocarbon related activities in waters around the Falklands have long been a concern of many people, not least those of us within Falklands Conservation. Much of this concern relates to the problem of not being able to predict any impacts because we simply do not have sufficient information on 'what is out there' to be impacted.
Thankfully, and thanks to generous financial support from the Falklands Operators Sharing Arrangement (FOSA), and some logistical support from the Falkland Islands Government, Falklands Conservation have recently been able to launch two major initiatives to fill in some of the gaps in our understanding of the Falkland's offshore ecosystem.
The first, is to begin surveying the at sea distribution and abundance of seabirds and sea mammals in Falklands waters. Information of this nature is increasingly regarded as critical in planning hydrocarbon related developments in other parts of the world, and not least in the waters surrounding the UK where much valuable experience has been gained in both carrying out the surveys and using the information as part of the planning process. The major 'player' in carrying out this work has been the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) of the UK who have amassed over 20 years experience and wide ranging expertise in this type of work. Falklands Conservation have been fortunate to engage JNCC as partners in the work around the Falklands.
Richard White, a member of JNCC's staff in Aberdeen, arrived in the Falklands in early February to begin the process of data collection and to establish a base for the longer term team. Within days of arriving Richard had sailed aboard the Fishery Protection Vessel MV Cordella for his first trip which included some time spent in the vicinity of the tranches licensed to the north of the Falklands. This was closely followed by a trip aboard the MVL' espoir which is on charter to FOSA and on this occasion was engaged in a programme of benthic sampling in the vicinity of the proposed wells. These initial voyages have had a number of benefits apart from the value of the data collected. The methods used in other areas of the world have been found to be appropriate for Falklands waters and considerable experience has been gained in identification of unfamiliar species.
The project has been further strengthened by the recent arrival of Andy Black as a team member. Andy is no stranger to the Islands or their wildlife having previously worked for Consolidated Fisheries Ltd. and spending much of his time at sea. By the end of May of this year it is hoped that a three person team will be well established in the Falklands, with the aim initially of gathering 12 months of data as a basis for future work.
The seas around the Falklands cover a vast area and data collected for one part of that area needs to be considered in its regional context. This first phase of the work will concentrate on the area of the northern tranches as this is where the project's sponsors have their interests. In the longer term however it is critical that other areas receive equal attention. This is particularly true of the Joint Co-operation Area where the collection of such data over a twelve month period should precede any issuing of licences for further exploration to ensure that the environmental sensitivities of any tranches offered have been properly evaluated.
The second project, smaller but no less important, is a pilot project to track the movements at sea of Magellanic and Rockhopper penguins over the next year. A small number of devices paid for by the Antarctic Research Trust will also be deployed on Rockhoppers at the same time. Whereas the Seabirds at Sea Survey relies on the relatively low tech equipment comprising binoculars and warm clothing, this project will utilise the very latest in satellite tracking technology. Satellite transmitters, which are smaller in size than two matchboxes, along with a small antenna, are attached to the base of a penguins back and will periodically transmit the animals position via a satellite to a receiving station which will then pass the data to ourselves. It is hoped that data can be collected for the whole period when the birds are away from colonies in the winter, and the devices recovered when they return in the spring.
To begin this project for us we have been fortunate to engage the services of Dr Klemens Putz who has had considerable experience of this type of work in the Antarctic regions and also at Volunteer Point, East Falkland, where he has spent two summer seasons working with Magellanic and King Penguins. Klemens and Becky Ingham (our Field Science Officer) travelled to Seal Bay on the north coast of East Falkland at the end of March to attach the devices following the moulting of the birds and prior to their departure for the winter. Klemens will now return home to Germany but will hopefully return in the Spring to deploy new devices during the summer and to begin writing up the results of the winter work.
Falklands Conservation gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Falklands Operators Sharing Agreement (FOSA) who are Shell Exploration and Production South West Atlantic B. V., Amerada Hess (Falklands Islands Limited), LASMO International Limited and IPC Falklands Limited for funding the Seabird at Sea Survey, FIG for provision of space for observers aboard Fishery Protection Vessels during the course of this work, FOSA, the Antarctic Research Trust (ART) for supporting the Penguin Tagging Project, and to Pete and Melanie Gilding of Port Louis for permission to use Seal Bay as our study site.
A new charitable trust, The Antarctic Research Trust (RT) has recently been registered in the Falklands. The Trust has been set up by a number of persons who were passengers aboard MV World Discoverer during an Antarctic cruise in 1996/97. Also aboard at the time was Dr Klemens Putz, a name familiar to many in the Islands from his work at Volunteer Point, and he has been appointed as an ART Trustee. In the first instance ART has sought to raise funds from amongst passengers aboard recent cruises of World Discoverer with a view to using money collected to support penguin research currently being undertaken by Falklands Conservation. This has so far proven very successful and funds have been raised to purchase a number of satellite tags for deployment on Rockhopper penguins. These will be additional to those deployed as part of the Penguin Tagging Programme funded by the Oil Operators (FOSA).
BirdLife International has just published the first detailed account* of the world's Endemic Bird Areas. Over 25% of all birds (2,561 species) have restricted ranges, being confined to areas of less than 50,000km2. These small areas overlap to form what are called Endemic Birds Areas such that the majority of restricted range species (93%) of them are encompassed by 218 EBAs on only 5% of the earth's land surface.
The Falkland Islands form part of a large EBA at the southernmost tip of South America, which coincides with the distribution of the Patagonian grasslands (see map below). The status awarded to this area and its recognition as a special area for birds confirms the high importance of the Islands for wildlife. Ten bird species are entirely restricted to the Southern Patagonia EBA, at least during the breeding season. Two of these (the Falkland Steamer Duck Tachyeres brachypterus and Cobb's Wren Troglodytes cobbi) are restricted and endemic to the Falklands, whilst two others(Tussac bird Cinclodes antarcticus and Black-throated Finch Melanodera melanodera) are endemic sub species in the Islands. The particular importance of the Falklands for seabirds, with a wider distribution outside the EBA, is also recognised.
Two species are singled out for conservation concern and categorised as 'Near Threatened'. The Ruddy-headed Goose Chloephaga rubidiceps, which has declined dramatically on the mainland and Tierra del Fuego in recent years, now finds its remaining stronghold in the Falklands. The Striated Caracara Phalcoboenus australis, much reduced in numbers over a longer period, has a small and vulnerable population in the Islands. Work currently being undertaken by Falklands Conservation should shed more light on the status of this species.
There is a broad overlap between endemic birds and other fauna and flora, and it is emphasized that saving habitats for birds in these areas protects all wildlife. As a Representative for BirdLife International, Falklands Conservation will be addressing the key recommendations in this important publication aimed at saving the unique biodiversity in Endemic Bird Areas. In particular, over the next few years we will be identifying and working with landowners in the Falklands to protect the most important sites for restricted-range species as Important Bird Areas.
* Endemic Bird Areas of the World: Priorities for Biodiversity
Conservation
by Alison J. Stattersfield, Michael J Crosby, Adrian J Long and David C. Wege
860 pages. 1998.
BirdLife International.
£37.00/$60(paperback).
ISBN 0 946888 33 7.
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Patron: HRH The Duke of York CVO ADC Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature | BirdLife International Representative |