The Arctic Biodiversity Assessment _ Migratory Birds

Kiruna, 15 May 2013 - The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council has released the “Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (ABA),” a report containing the best available science informed by traditional ecological knowledge on the status and trends of Arctic biodiversity and accompanying policy recommendations for biodiversity conservation – www.arcticbiodiversity.is

Migratory species: Millions of migratory birds connect the Arctic with the entire globe and uniquely adapted marine mammal species swim in Arctic seas. A key finding of the ABA is that many Arctic migratory species are threatened by overharvest and habitat alteration outside the Arctic, especially birds along the East Asian flyway.

The Eskimo curlew has likely gone extinct as a result of overharvest outside the Arctic, and the spoon-billed sandpiper faces extinction due in part to overhunting in its wintering areas in southea st Asia. Loss of staging and wintering habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds, is occurring at an alarming rate in many areas , especially in East Asia around the Yellow Sea. The loss of coastal and intertidal habitat is expected to increase considerably with sea level rise and increasing development.

Threatened migratory species require protection throughout the year, across their full migratory ra nge and international boundaries. Effective management in one region can be undermined by harmful actions elsewhere. Arctic migratory bird conservation is a truly global issue, of great importance to ecosystems and overall biodiversity in the Arctic and beyond.

The habitat needs of migratory species, long-range transport of persistent contaminants, global shipping lanes and the geography of ecosystems do not follow political boundaries. International cooperation is needed to fully address the conservation challenges that face Arctic biodiversity now and in the decades to come.

The ABA recommends a focus on reducing stressors to migratory species across their entire range, including habitat degradation and overharvesting on wintering and staging areas and along flyways and other migration routes.



Specifically, the ABA recommends to:

Pursue or strengthen formal migratory bird cooperation agreements and other specific actions on a flyway level between Arctic and non-Arctic states with first priority given to the East Asian flyway.

Collaborat with relevant international commissions, conventions, networks and other organizations sharing an interest in the conservation of Arctic migratory species to identify and implement appropriate conservation actions.

Develop and implement joint management and recovery plans for threatened species with relevantnon-Arctic states and entities.

Identify and advance the conservation of key wintering and staging habitats for migratory birds, particularly wetlands.

Further information:

Press Release: The Arctic Biodiversity Assessment released at Arctic Council Ministerial