Points of concern in Sea Duck conservation

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1. Liberal hunting regulations continue enhanced by the perception of little hunting interest and insignificant harvest with poor data to prove it.
2. Management of hunting may be lacking or seriously compromised by conflicting Subsistence and aboriginal use.
3. The Subsistence politics in Alaska is compromising precautionary management.
4. The daily bag limit on all ducks throughout the U.S. over time
   
   

   U.S. BAG LIMITS FOR ALL SPECIES
   Year	All Duck Bag Limit
   1918	25
   1933	15 (woodducks & eiders fully protected)
   1935	10
   1944	15
   1945	10
   1946	7
   1947	4
   1961	2 (due to drought)
   1998	7
   1998	25 (Alaska only)

    

5. Since 1950 Alaska is the only state in the Pacific Flyway allowing a special "sea duck" season which at that time was 10 per day in addition to the 6 general duck bag. The 10-15 per day bag limit regulation is almost seventy years old. We have six times the human population in Alaska now. Boat registration has increased considerably.
   
   

   ALASKA BAG LIMITS
   	Year	Seaduck Daily Bag	Duck Daily Bag	All Duck Total	Season
   	1950	10	6	16
   	1961	15	2	17
   GMU 1-4, 8 &10*	1998	15	7	22	106 days
   GMU 5-7, 9, 10*, 14-16	1998	15	8	23	106 days
   GMU 11-13, 17-26	1998	15	10	25	106 days

   
   

   PACIFIC FLYWAY 1998 BAG LIMITS
   	Year	Seaduck Daily Bag	Duck Daily Bag	All Duck Total
   Alaska	1998	15	10	25
   British Columbia	1998	0	8*	8	*only 2 can be goldeneye
   Washington	1998	0	7*	7	*only 1 harlequin, 4scoter,4oldsquaw
   Oregon	1998	0	7	7
   California	1998	0	7	7
   Idaho	1998	0	7	7

    

6. With reports of declining trends, a conservation issue exists. To allow a special "sea duck" 10 or 15 per day bag which adds a mortality factor on remaining specific dwindling species is obsolete management for the 21st century.
7. Virtually nothing is known of nesting ecology, population trends, or movements among wintering and nesting areas of Surf, Black, and White-winged scoters, or common and King eider These species will be left in the special sea duck bag.
8. We must take every precaution available to prevent any more species of the Mergini tribe from being listed on the threatened or endangered list.
9. We need to identify beneficial comprehensive management strategies.