Norway hosts the 1st Meeting on the Implementation of the AEWA International Species Management Plan for the Pink-footed Goose

Over the past decades the Svalbard population of the Pink-footed Goose has increased considerably and reached an estimated population size of 69,000 individuals. On the IUCN Red List, the Pink-footed Goose is also classified as “Least Concern”. Compared to other waterbird species populations which are in decline, this is a conservation success story but the increasing population of the Pink-footed Goose, along with other goose species, has progressively brought them into conflict with agricultural interests. Furthermore, there is concern about degradation of vulnerable tundra vegetation in Svalbard due to increasing goose grazing pressure.

The main focus of the meeting was to consider measures on how to reduce these conflicts but at the same time maintaining the population at a favourable conservation status. To achieve an adaptive management of the Pink-footed Goose, different harvest management strategies, latest information on population growth and hunting practices were discussed and evaluated by meeting participants. Other meeting topics included he definition of the structure and role of the Pink-footed Goose International Working Group and its Terms of Reference as well as the funding and coordination of it.

This meeting was organised by the Aarhus University, Denmark and kindly sponsored by the Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management.

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• 1^st Meeting on the Implementation of the AEWA International Species Management Plan (ISMP) for the Svalbard population of the Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)