Report No. 28: Adaptive Harvest Management Report 2013‐2015

Summary

The most recent set of monitoring data (2012-2013) was used to update the Svalbard pink-footed goose population models. The results suggest that the population may have recently experienced a release from density‐dependent mechanisms, corresponding to the period of most rapid growth in population size. Based on these models an optimal harvest strategy has been determined for the 3‐year period 2013‐2015. The strategy suggests that the appropriate annual harvest quota for the 2013‐2015 is 15 thousand individuals; hence there is no need to take emergency measures to close the upcoming hunting season (2013). For comparison, the estimated harvest in 2012 was 11 thousand. If the harvest quota of 15 thousand were met, the expected autumn 2013 population is estimated to be 76 thousand. If only the most recent 3‐year mean harvest were realized (11.5 thousand), we would expect an autumn population size of 80 thousand. Thus, it may be that harvest is approaching the magnitude needed to stabilize the population.

For more details please see the attached report.