Title page
Contents
Preface 3
Acknowledgments 5
Executive Summary 6
Recovery Feasibility Summary 8
1. COSEWIC Species Assessment Information 10
2. Species Status Information 10
3. Species Information 11
3.1. Species Description 11
3.2. Species Population and Distribution 11
3.3. Needs of the Marbled Murrelet 14
4. Threats 18
4.1. Threat Assessment 18
4.2. Description of Threats 19
5. Population and Distribution Objectives 24
6. Broad Strategies and General Approaches to Meet Objectives 26
6.1. Actions Already Completed or Currently Underway 26
6.2. Strategic Direction for Recovery 29
6.3. Narrative to Support the Recovery Planning Table 32
7. Critical Habitat 32
7.1. Identification of the Species' Critical Habitat 33
7.2. Schedule of Studies to Identify Critical Habitat 41
7.3. Activities Likely to Result in the Destruction of Critical Habitat 42
8. Measuring Progress 49
9. Statement on Action Plans 49
10. References 49
Appendix A: Effects on the Environment and Other Species 58
Appendix B: Critical Habitat for Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) 59
Appendix C: Minimum 2002 Baseline Habitat Amounts and Regional Habitat Retention Targets 78
Table 1. Estimates of Marbled Murrelet populations (rounded numbers) 14
Table 2. Estimates of Marbled Murrelet populations in each conservation region (rounded numbers). The numbers given are for birds of all ages; about... 14
Table 3. Attributes of key marine habitat features for adult Marbled Murrelets in the Salish Sea and adjacent waters on the coast of B.C. during the breeding season 17
Table 4. Threat assessment to Marbled Murrelet populations in B.C. 18
Table 5. Recovery Planning Table 29
Table 6. Minimum regional habitat retention targets. See Appendix C for details 33
Table 7. Key microhabitat biophysical attributes for Marbled Murrelet nest sites in B.C. (for more details see Hamer and Nelson 1995; Nelson 1997; Burger 2002) 37
Table 8. Stand and landscape level biophysical attributes of Marbled Murrelet forested nesting habitat in B.C. (modified from CMMRT 2003). The attributes... 38
Table 9. List of marine critical habitat areas identified in the Salish Sea area (PSL = Pacific Sand Lance; PH = Pacific Herring) 40
Table 10. Schedule of Studies to Identify Critical Habitat 42
Table 11. Activities Likely to Result in the Destruction of Critical Habitat 43
Figure 1. Global distribution of Marbled Murrelets (from Piatt et al. 2007, with permission) 12
Figure 2. Map of the seven conservation regions recognized by the Marbled Murrelet Recovery Team in B.C., as provided by M. Mather and L. Sinclair... 13
Table C-1. Minimum estimated 2002 Baseline Suitable Nesting Habitat amounts (hectares) and Regional Habitat Retention thresholds (hectares) 80
Figure B-1. Terrestrial critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Haida Gwaii Conservation Region is found within the pink polygon areas where the criteria... 60
Figure B-2. Terrestrial critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Northern Mainland Coast Conservation Region is found within the pink polygon areas... 61
Figure B-3. Terrestrial critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Central Mainland Coast Conservation Region is found within the pink polygon areas where... 62
Figure B-4. Terrestrial critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the West and North Vancouver Island Conservation Region is found within the pink polygon... 63
Figure B-5. Terrestrial critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the East Vancouver Island Conservation Region is found within the pink polygon areas where... 64
Figure B-6. Terrestrial critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Southern Mainland Coast Conservation Region is found within the pink polygon areas where... 65
Figure B-7. Overview of the identification of marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet. Marine critical habitat is only identified in the Salish Sea, as depicted... 66
Figure B-8. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Desolation Sound area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria... 67
Figure B-9. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Cortes area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria and... 68
Figure B-10. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Bute Inlet area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria and... 69
Figure B-11. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Redonda area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria and... 70
Figure B-12. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Savary area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria and... 71
Figure B-13. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Sidney area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria and... 72
Figure B-14. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Malaspina area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria and... 73
Figure B-15. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Discovery Passage area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria... 74
Figure B-16. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Toba Inlet area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria and... 75
Figure B-17. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Halfmoon area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria and... 76
Figure B-18. Marine critical habitat for Marbled Murrelet in the Salish Sea, Queens Reach area, is found within the yellow polygon areas where the criteria... 77