Assessment of Shorebird Harvest in Barbados and Development of a Harvest Strategy

1. Assessment of Shorebird Harvest in Barbados and Development of a Harvest Strategy Eric T. Reed, Canadian Wildlife Service, Gatineau, QC Eric.Reed@ec.gc.ca Wayne Burke, BirdLife International, Barbados

2. Geographic location • Most easterly Island of Lesser Antilles • One of the nearest potential landfalls for shorebirds undertaking a fall transoceanic flight over the Atlantic • Species that follow this route fly well out at sea but will make landfall when facing adverse weather conditions. • Barbados has little natural wetlands and mudflat habitats

3. Historical perspective • Shorebird hunting began as an opportunistic harvest of large shorebirds such as Eskimo curlew and Upland sandpiper stopping in wet depressions in harvested cane fields • Evolved into a structured system where diked impoundments are mechanically prepared and flooded to attract migrating shorebirds on a landscape mainly devoid of natural wetlands.

4. Shooting Swamps Deep water trays Shallow water Tray (lighting ground) Hut

5. Recent concerns • Several shorebird populations are declining • Causes of declines generally uncertain • Harvest could be one potential source of decline • Barbados harvest is known to be relatively important (e.g. Hutt 1991) • Lack of contemporary information prevents a rigorous assessment of the long-term sustainability of the Barbados harvest

6. The legislative context • Four species of shorebirds are protected under Barbados ‘Wild Birds Protection Act’ (Upland sandpiper, Buff-breasted sandpiper, Hudsonian godwit, Ruff) • Harvest of other shorebirds is legal but unregulated by the Government • Shooting Swamps (i.e. clubs) are organized under a national Wildfowlers Association. The Association can help coordinate hunting practices but decisions are non-binding to individual Swamps. • There are currently approximately 10 active shooting swamps in the country, down from a maximum of approx. 20 in the 1960’s. • The season takes place during the fall migration, from 15 July to 15 October

7. Our approach • We recognize that: • A confrontational approach will not foster cooperation between parties • Wetlands created and maintained by the clubs have important conservation value for several species of shorebirds, waterbirds and waterfowl • Work with the hunters so that they become custodians of the resource • Mutual benefits are expected to arise from this collaboration

8. Progress • Met with members of the Wildfolwers Association in November 2010. • We proposed a two-step process: • Assess the size and species-composition of the shorebird harvest in Barbados and evaluate its sustainability • Develop a harvest strategy that would reduce pressure on vulnerable species, as identified by in the first step.

9. Progress • Following this meeting, 50% of the Shooting Swamps released harvest data from the period 2001-2010. • Small-, medium- and large-harvest clubs provided data, giving a good indication of species harvested. • These data provide an index of country-wide harvest which may be biased due to the non-random nature of the sampling. • To reduce uncertainty in harvest estimates and promote a collaborative approach, we are hoping that the clubs that have not yet provided harvest information will do so in the near future.

10. Preliminary results • Harvest varies significantly across years and Swamps • Generally, wet years produce higher harvest • Approximately 10 species were recorded in the 2001-2010 harvest • The majority of the harvest (>95%) was composed of 6 species: • Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), Pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), Stilt sandpiper (Calidris himantopus), Short-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus), Greater yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca), American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica) • Lesser yellowlegs largely dominate the harvest, followed by Pectoral sandpiper

11. Conclusion • Release of harvest data is unprecedented • Shows willingness of Barbados shorebird hunters to collaborate • They have made adjustments to their practices in response to conservation concerns • Most Swamps now maintain water year-round in their impoundments • Several swamps have either reduced or stopped the harvest of species of concern (e.g. AGPL, Whimbrel, Red knot) • This collaborative, non-confrontational approach has the potential to lead to important benefits for both hunters and shorebirds

12. Conclusion • Daily harvest information from some Swamps will allow us to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of the hunt and will allow better targeted harvest management actions • However, Barbados is only one of several countries where shorebirds are harvested • Impacts of harvest should be evaluated from a global perspective • A better understanding of shorebird population status and dynamics would help reduce uncertainty about impacts of harvest.

13. Acknowledgments • Barbados Wildfowlers Association • Damian Edgehill, Harold Skeete, Bruce Skeete, James Peirce, Ronald Webster, and all who helped acquire harvest data • David Wege (BirdLife International) • USFWS (Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act) • Barbados National Trust • Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, University of the West Indies, Barbados • Cheri Gratto-Trevor