DEC Contact: Lori Severino, (518) 402-8000 July 16, 2014
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DEC RELEASES DRAFT BLACK SKIMMER CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLANPlan Will Guide Communities in Conservation Efforts of this Species of Special Concern |
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The public can now review and comment on the draft Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) Conservation Management Plan through September 2, 2014, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. The black skimmer is a medium sized colonial beach-nesting waterbird species that is related to the terns. It arrives in the spring to nest along New York’s ocean coast and migrates back to its wintering grounds in the Caribbean and Gulf Coast. It is of special conservation concern because of the limited distribution in New York and due to threats to its habitat. More information about the black skimmer can be found at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/79513.html. DEC drafted the management plan to help guide conservation actions to ensure the long term viability of this species in New York. “Wildlife management plans are extremely beneficial tools to help balance populations and environmental impacts,” DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said. “This plan will guide the efforts of DEC’s wildlife staff involved in black skimmer management and inform local municipalities, land owners, colony site managers, and the general public of our management recommendations.” The draft Black Skimmer Conservation Management Plan provides a common sense approach that aims to find a balance between the ecological needs of the black skimmer and the societal needs of New York’s residents and visitors. The plan describes black skimmer natural history, identifies the threats that influence successful breeding, and proposes appropriate management actions to ensure a sustainable population for generations to come. The overarching goal is to maintain a self-sustaining population that is secure in perpetuity. DEC is endeavoring to do this by maintaining an average of ten colonies and an average population of 550 breeding pairs over a typical 5-year period of time. The plan lays out management, monitoring, research, and outreach tasks to help counteract many of the negative factors influencing skimmer breeding productivity in the state. Management Actions:
Monitoring Actions:
Research Actions:
Outreach Actions:
DEC will accept comments on the Black Skimmer Conservation Management Plan through September 2, 2014. The draft version of the plan can be found on DEC’s website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/79513.html. Comments and questions can be addressed to: Jason C. Smith, NYSDEC 4th Floor, 47-40 21st Street, Long Island City, NY 11415, or alternatively can be sent via email to:R2Marine@dec.ny.gov. Please enter “Black Skimmer” in the address line of email. |
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