Presented by: Megan Flaherty, Restoration Program Manager Presented to: Pacific Fishery Management Council November 5, 2018 Agenda Item E.5.b Supplemental Public Presentation1 November 2018 San Diego Audubon: A Legacy of Protecting CA Least Terns and Other Seabirds Reliant on Northern Anchovy CA Least Tern with fish. Photo by B. Struck. Fostering the protection and appreciation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats…

Presentation Outline Introduction to San Diego Audubon Society (SDAS) Conservation of the CA Least Tern in Mission Bay Importance of Anchovy Asks of the PFMC California Least Tern. Photo: W. Dalton Fostering the protection and appreciation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats…

Intro to SDAS: Mission and Vision Foster the protection and appreciation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats Inspire a culture of conservation where people appreciate, understand, and actively protect the natural world California Least Tern, with eggs. Photo: N. Johnston Fostering the protection and appreciation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats…

About San Diego Audubon Programs: Education Sanctuaries Outreach Conservation Founded in 1948, serving the San Diego region for over 60 years. Annual budget of about $600,000, 6 staff. Programs serve a diverse population across the county. Four major program areas: conservation, education, outreach, sanctuaries. Sanctuaries: Anstine (11 acres, nature education facility for the larger suburban population in north county) and Silverwood (757 acre, wilderness preserve, mixed chaparral and oak woodland habitats). Conservation: This fiscal year, SDAS will host 25 habitat maintenance/restoration volunteer events, engage several hundred volunteers in restoration efforts, and generate over 3,000 hours of volunteer labor toward improving habitat for wildlife in San Diego County Volunteers clearing coastal dune habitat. Photo: SDAS Fostering the protection and appreciation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats…

California Least Tern (CLTE) Sterna antillarum browni Small, grey, migratory seabird Winter: Central America Nest: CA Coast Forage for anchovies in lagoons, offshore water Foraging time = highly sensitive to predation The California Least Tern is a small (about 9 inches long), grey and white migratory shore bird native to the Pacific coast of north and central America. The birds over-winter in Central America and compCLTE a 2,700 mile migration to Southern California for breeding. The birds forage for small fish, such as anchovies and other coastal pelagics, in lagoons, estuaries, and offshore waters. The time spent off the nest makes the CLTE highly susceptible to predation. CA least tern in Mission Bay Photo: B. Struck Fostering the protection and appreciation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats…

CLTE Conservation Status State and federally-listed endangered (1970) Nesting pairs/fledges avg: 2000-2004: 400/125 2005-2009: 200/14 2010-2015: 197/57 Threats: Human disturbance, veg cover, predation, food availability Not only is the CA Least Tern a state and federally listed endangered species, it is covered here in San Diego by both the Multiple Species Conservation Program and the Multiple Habitat Conservation Program. As of 2004, over 1% of the global population of California Least Terns nested within Mission Bay Park. Unfortunately there has been a substantial decrease in not only nesting pairs but especially fledglings produced by CLTE populations in Mission Bay. In a period covering 2000-2004, there were 400 nesting pairs and 125 chicks fledged in Mission Bay. During the next five year period, 2005-2009, there were 200 nesting pairs and only 14 chicks fledged. This decline is thought to be the result of multiple stressors working synergistically within Mission Bay Park to negatively affect CLTE productivity. The three most significant of these stressors being Human disturbance, vegetation cover change, predation, food availability. California Least Tern feeding chick. Photo: S. Nelson-Embry Fostering the protection and appreciation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats… 6

Habitat Restoration Remove invasive weeds, install signs, repair fencing Benefits multiple species 1,000+ volunteers every year

Ternwatchers Volunteer predator monitoring program Record sightings of predators and contact predator control when needed Since kicking off in 2014, over 100 volunteers have donated nearly 2,000 hours Dozens of volunteers have donated hundreds of hours of effort SDAS staff and Ternwatcher volunteers at Mariner’s Point. Photo: Katie Schoolov Fostering the protection and appreciation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats…

Decline in Anchovy... Despite a large crash in the fishery from 2009-2016, fisheries managers did not change the yearly quota, allowing for the same take from year to year. Continuing to fish out collapsed stocks prevents adequate recovery, driving impacts on marine predators. Add to that the impacts of increasingly frequent El Ninos/La Ninas and the uncertain effects of climate change.

...Appears to be Affecting Nesting Productivity Point Blue Conservation Science - northern anchovy decreasing near CLTE colonies in Sothern CA Switch to fish larva and less nutritious food sources Nesting productivity goes down Least Tern feeding chick. Photo by S. Nelson-Embry

Need for Ecosystem-based Management Eliminate the Monitored Stock category Same features and updates as Active Stock Stock assessments Respond to fluctuations in population size Protect spawning areas Use science-based catch limits

Brown Pelican. Photo by John Menard. Humpback Whale. Photo by: Anite Ritenour