Kittlitz’s (and Marbled) Murrelets

1. Kittlitz’s (and Marbled) Murrelets Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

2. Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program May 6, 2009 NPS Photo: Sergeant

3. Justification • Rare, pelagic seabird of AK, Russian Far East • Rangewide declines • 40-80% rangewide, at least since ~1990…earlier? • ESA Candidate, listing decision due in 2014 • GLBA is a major population center NPS Photo Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

4. Justification • GLBA jurisdiction over uplands, marine waters, outer coast to 3 miles • Permitting authority for commercial, private party entries • Administrative and research traffic • If listed, what constitutes “take”? Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

5. Objectives • To monitor annual abundance of KIMU in Glacier Bay proper in July, with 80% power (at a=0.05) to detect a decline of 25% over 15 years • To describe spatial variation in KIMU distribution in Glacier Bay proper Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

6. Technical Approach • A spatially balanced, unequal sampling probability, serially augmented panel design • Spatial balance: GRTS • All the benefits of randomness while ensuring spatial balance • Unequal Sampling Probability • Similar to stratification • Informed, but not determined, by past densities • Panel design • emphasizes what we know, but allows us to capture distribution shifts Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

7. Technical Approach • Tempered by constraints: 2 weeks, crew of 4, 1 vessel • No-go areas, planning around park regs • Early July, birds on the water • 10 kts transect speed NPS Photo: Moynahan Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

8. Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program May 6, 2009

9. Logistics and Budget • Field work: 4 crew, 10 days early July • Analysis, reporting: 10 days each fall • Protocol development: $185K, FY08-11 • Annual Supplies: $2K SEAN, $2K GLBA (fuel) • Tech Assistance: $10K FY12 • Shared vessel: R/V Fog Lark • Periodic contracting for 5-y reports Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

10. What we’re learning • Up-front investments in design are well worth it! • Field effort (km) down 79%, precision up 60% • Cheaper, more statistically sound, less exposure to risk, lower fuel consumption, reduced presence • Power to detect trend is much more sensitive (25% v. 50% over 15 y) Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

11. What we’re learning • GLBA much more important than we thought… • Huge numbers of marbled murrelets • Annual variation in distribution • Upcoming opportunities to integrate distribution with oceanographic data Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

12. Program Delivery Protocol Status: • All chapters, 10 of 12 SOPs drafted • Peer-review in May 2012 • National Audubon, July 2012 Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

13. brendan_moynahan@nps.gov 364.2621 NPS Photo: Moynahan Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program