SYMPOSIUM SUMMARY 



315 



nerable to human exploitation. 



Seabirds of the northern Pacific Ocean have 

 already been damaged by human activities in 

 the past and present. Experience in other 

 areas shows that seabirds are extremely vul- 

 nerable to human activities and their popula- 

 tions are often very slow to recover. 



The most important threats to the seabird 

 resource are oil drilling and transportation 

 and introduced predators, especially foxes. 

 Other identifiable threats include mineral ex- 

 ploitation, fishing, ocean dumping of toxic 

 chemicals, and human disturbance, including 

 both hunting and tourism. 



Experience in other parts of the world, espe- 

 cially in the North Atlantic, has shown that 

 seabird populations can be protected and re- 

 stored through modest programs of manage- 

 ment and public education. The principal ex- 

 ception has been the failure to regulate dis- 

 charges of oil at sea, which continue to cause 

 major damage to seabird populations in many 

 areas. 



In the North Pacific and Bering Sea areas, 

 the most urgent conservation needs are effec- 

 tive regulation of prospective oil exploitation, 

 control of introduced predators, and public 

 education. Regional management plans 

 should be developed. Public access to bird 

 colonies should be managed carefully to com- 

 bine protection with public education. 



Conservation programs for seabirds can be 

 justified as a response to increasing public de- 

 mand for rational management of natural re- 

 sources. Conservation programs are inexpen- 

 sive in relation to the economic values gener- 

 ated by oil and mineral development. They 

 represent a rational allocation of economic 

 resources. 



The following priorities for further study 

 are suggested: 



Study of productivity and demography in 

 a few carefully selected species to provide 

 basic life table data that will permit rapid 

 identification of future changes. 



A base-line census of some carefully se- 



lected breeding colonies, including precise 

 photographic surveys that can be used to 

 measure future population changes. 



Surveys of the distribution of seabirds of 

 the North Pacific and Bering Sea in winter, 

 with special emphasis on areas close to shore 

 where birds may be vulnerable to oil pollution. 



Special studies of endemic species. 



Studies of the way in which seabirds locate 

 and use patchily distributed food resources. 



The following conservation measures are 

 suggested: 



Adoption of regulations governing exploi- 

 tation and transportation of oil which would 

 provide strong incentives for safe per- 

 formance and severe penalties for safety 

 violations. 



A conservation tax of a few cents per 

 barrel of oil to cover the costs of managing the 

 major seabird colonies and to establish a trust 

 fund for restoring depleted populations. 



Equivalent measures for mining and other 

 exploitative industries in the coastal zone 

 with a prospective impact on marine 

 resources. 



Prohibition of dumping of toxic chemicals 

 in biologically productive waters. 



A program to eliminate introduced preda- 

 tors from the Aleutian Islands and from im- 

 portant bird colonies elsewhere. 



Promulgation of effective regulations to 

 protect birds under the Migratory Bird 

 Treaty with Japan. 



Negotiation of migratory bird treaties 

 with other affected countries, including the 

 Soviet Union, Australia, New Zealand, and 

 Chile. 



Acquisition of major unprotected seabird 

 colonies into the national wildlife refuge or 

 other federal landholding systems. 



Formulation of regional and international 

 management plans for localized species, espe- 

 cially endemic species of the Bering Sea. 



Regulation of public access to major sea- 

 bird colonies. 



