Issued with the support of the European Union through the Life Natura programme. LIFE05 NAT/RO/ Project

Transcription

1 Maté Bence

2 Issued with the support of the European Union through the Life Natura programme. LIFE05 NAT/RO/ Project Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority (Administrația Rezervației Biosferei Delta Dunării ARBDD) Phone: Fax: Romanian Ornithological Society (Societatea Ornitologică Română SOR) Phone: Fax: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Phone/Fax:

3 1. Introduction The present After LIFE conservation plan has been designed in order to asses the general situation of the conservation measures implemented for Dalmatian Pelican in Danube Delta through the LIFE05NAT/RO/ project and to design and plan the future conservation actions that have to be implemented after the completion of the project. The aim is to maintain the Dalmatian Pelican population at the parameters reached through the implementation of the project. Dalmatian Pelican is classified as Vulnerable within its whole geographical distribution, from Yugoslavia to Mongolia. Its present world breeding population is estimated at 4,000 5,000 breeding pairs. The European population of Dalmatian Pelicans is crucial for the survival of the species, as the two major subpopulations (ca. 700 pairs in Greece and ca. 400 pairs in Romania) are the last remaining strongholds of the species outside the former Soviet Union, where large declines have been noted in recent decades. In Romania, Dalmatian Pelican has recently bred in five colonies (Roşca Buhaiova, Lejai Lake, Bisericuța, Sinoie Ceaplace Island, Sinoie Prundul cu Păsări Islands), all located within the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. 2. Overview of project history and assessment of situation at the end of project During 2005 and 2009, in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, the LIFE project Saving Pelecanus crispus in Danube Delta (LIFE05NAT/RO/000169) has been implemented. The total cost of this project was 656,928. The project has been delivered over 47 months, by a partnership of 2 organizations in Romania comprising 1 non governmental organization (Romanian Ornithological Society) and 1 local authority (Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority) and 1 nongovernmental organization in the United Kingdom (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). Main threats faced by the species at the beginning of the project have included improper protection of the breeding colonies, degradation of nests support at the breeding sites, disturbance of colonies and prosecution by fishermen. The objective of this project was to stabilize and then increase the breeding population from Danube Delta. In order to reach the project s objective the application consisted in 4 action packages which had been implemented between 2005 and 2009: a set of preparatory actions: maintain a Pelican Action Group, report of basic requirements of Pelicans, design of artificial platforms, Management

4 Plan for Dalmatian Pelican, designate colonies as core areas and as Special Protected Areas, wardens training, advocacy activities concerning hunting and fishing, fish farmers training, report on birds equipped with satellite transmitters and Dalmatian Pelican National Action Plan. a set of direct conservation measures: consolidate the shores of natural breeding islands to reduce erosion, raise the height of breeding islands to avoid flooding, install artificial rafts to provide new breeding units, erect and maintain warning signs, construct fences around the breeding units, mark power lines and install floating buoys to prevent fishing around colonies. A set of recurrent management activities: maintain the platforms, reed management favorable to pelicans, establish regular patrolling during the breeding season, monitoring of Dalmatian Pelican population and monitoring of water quality. a set of communication activities: produce information boards, develop and maintain a project s web site, public awareness activities, media releases, produce small scale models, seminars to promote conservation measures, inform local people, produce a code of practices, provide education materials to hunters and fishermen, prepare a brochure for fish farmers with management techniques favorable to pelicans. a set of project management actions: project planning, management and administration, organize steering groups meetings, produce technical and financial reports, etc. After the project implementation a set of quantifiable results which had resulted in an increase of Dalmatian Pelican breeding population had been achieved: Present conservation measures for P.c. in the Danube Delta are consistent and a guarantee of improving breeding conditions is provided (parameters: National action plan available, Management Plan for P.c. available, Project Management tasks delivered; Steering Committee Minutes available,, Partnership framework in place, Monitoring reports available ) The value of P.c. for the Danube Delta biodiversity and its importance as a natural heritage is widely known and appreciated (Knowledge of the project purpose that Romanian breeding population of P.c. stabilized, then increased across improved sites in the Danube Delta is increased and supported by a cross section of stakeholders in the breeding area; None of the project activities prevented from being carried out by local authorities, local community and relevant socio economic actors; Local community actively involved in events relating to the project)

5 Important breeding sites are Special Protected Areas and are ready to be approved as Core Areas within Danube Delta (Parameters: All breeding areas are protected at local and national level; Two areas designated to become core areas (strictly protected) within the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve) Nest support at breeding sites is in good condition (Parameters: Nest support of the breeding sites secured and stabilized; 85 m of islands shoreline consolidated; 350 m2 of fixed platform in place at the island s highest level; 8 artificial platforms (320 m2) installed) Breeding sites are not disturbed (Parameters: Disturbance free breeding conditions created at all four breeding sites; Number of disturbing events decreased from 2 events/day to 0.5 events/day) Young and adults at breeding and feeding sites prosecuted by fishermen (parameters: Deliberate killing of young and adults at breeding and feeding sites by fishermen and hunters eliminated) Dalmatian Pelican population increased at 106 breeding nests (84 nests in 2005) at the main colony which has benefited from direct conservation measures; nest average productivity increased at 1,12 juvenile per nest. Maté Bence

6 3. After LIFE Conservation Plan objectives and activities The general objective is to ensure Favorable Conservation Status for Danube Delta Dalmatian Pelican breeding population. The Favorable Reference Value is set at a basis level of Dalmatian Pelican successful nests per year.

7 Result Action Priority Responsible Possible funding Adult survival maintained within natural levels 1.1. Promote strategic planning for windmills development to avoid Dalmatian Pelican flyways High Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Energy, Research bodies, NGO s 1.2. Develop Comunication Strategy in order to raise the profile of the species along local people, hunters, fishermen, tourists etc. Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment, Hunting associations, NGO s LIFE Promotion of habitat improvement and fish protection measures at fish ponds outside SPAs; National Agency for Fishery and Aquaculture, Aquaculture organizations, DDBRA OPF 1.4. avoidance of fishing activity close to breeding colonies DDBRA, Ministry of Environment, OPF EAFRD 1.5. Power lines deployment of visual deterrents and/or consider potential for burial Regional Companies of Electricity, DDBRA

8 1.6. Ensure Compensations Ministry of Agriculture, National Agency for Fishery and Aquaculture, Aquaculture organizations OPF 1.9. Develop Aqua Environemental Schemes for Dalmatian Pelican through R.D.P. Ministry of Agriculture, National Agency for Fishery and Aquaculture, Aquaculture organizations OPF EAFRD Mean fledging success at main breeding colonies maintained above 1 chick per nest 2.1 Enforce penalties from national legislation for accidental or deliberate disturbance of colonies Essential DDBRA, Environmental Guard 2.2. Improve guarding and patrolling at the essential breeding, staging and wintering sites DDBRA, Environmental Guard 2.3. CCTV monitoring of breeding colonies 2.4. Regulate tourist activities through management plans in order to avoid disturbance DDBRA, Ministry of Environment EAFRD OPF Own budget DDBRA budget 2.5. Ensure Strictly Protected areas legal status for all breeding colonies DDBRA, Ministry of Environment, Romanian Academy DDBRA budget

9 2.6. Maintain fences around colonies where appropriate DDBRA, NGO s DDBRA budget 2.7. Maintain existing artificial structures implemented for avoidance of flooding DDBRA, NGO s DDBRA budget All key sites protected and maintained in favourable conservation status 3.1. Implement appropriate assessments for all projects and plans affecting breeding, staging and wintering sites with special attention to irrigation, navigation and agriculture development projects (+ fisheries development?). Essential Ministry of Environment No funding required 3.2Improve legislation and set penalties regarding reed burning Government, Parliament 3.4. Develop Danube and main tributaries River Basin Management plans according to Water Directive Ministry of Environment, Romanian Water Authority, NGO s National Budget 3.5. Ensure more fixed artificial platforms for breeding in Danube delta

10 3.6. Consolidate the shores of natural breeding islands exposed to erosion (maintain existing work) 3.7. Increase suitability of potential natural breeding sites and roosting areas) 3.8 Ecologic reconstruction of the economically inefficient agricultural polders and fishery ponds from Danube Delta and Lower Danube DDBRA, Tulcea County Council, Research Bodies, NGO s Key knowledge gaps filled 5.1. Monitoring of Dalmatian Pelican population (breeding, wintering) Necessary Ministry of Research budget Own resources 5.2. Monitoring of essential parameters of habitats preferred by the species Ministry of Research budget Own resources 5.3. Monitoring of the effect of heavy metals Ministry of Research budget Own resources 5.4. Continue the dispersal monitoring through satellite transmitters. Ministry of Research budget Own resources

11 4. Administrative needs In order to implement the required actions for further conservation of Dalmatian Pelican a set of administrative and legislative needs has been identified: reorganize DDBRA in order to increase the capacity of implementing direct conservation actions for threatened species and to increase the infield guarding capacity of the institution implement the Dalmatian Pelican Management prescriptions from Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Management Plan Develop a Threatened Species Department inside DDBRA Approval of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Management Plan Appoint additional personnel (wardens) in the field for patrolling and monitoring Modernization of wardens department (asses the possibilities for remotecontrolling of colonies through CCTV) 5. Financial Outlook The conservation plan presented above is ambitious, being estimated at around 1.6 million Euro to be implemented and is funding dependent. In order to implement it the project partners are intending to develop further applications to LIFE +, Structural funds, EAFRD and Operational Program for Fishery. Part of the actions presented in the action plan will be financed by the partners in the project: DDBRA is estimating to allocate around Euro annually for the maintenance of existing structures and SOR is estimating that will allocate around 2000 Euro annually for Dalmatian Pelican population monitoring activities. Maté Bence