From the Beach Committee: If you would like to reply to this post please email duxburybeachcommittee@gmail. The plovers have fledged, but there are still protected species on the beach. Some areas are blocked to vehicular traffic to safeguard least terns. At times there are roseate terns and, this year, an oystercatcher on the beach which we are required by law to protect as well. Despite the current restrictions there is over 9000 feet of beach open of the 11,000 feet available. Please see below for more info. The Duxbury Beach Committee has heard some comments about the status of the Piping Plover only being “threatened”, and the Least Tern only being a species of “special concern.” If they’re not endangered, then why do all the onerous restrictions that come with endangered species protection apply to them? The Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA) prohibits the “taking” of any species of animal or plant listed as “endangered”, “threatened”, or “of special concern” in Massachusetts. “Taking” is defined as: “to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, hound, kill, trap, capture, collect, process, or disrupt the nesting, breeding, feeding, or migratory activity.” In addition, the protections afforded to habitats of rare wetlands wildlife apply to all 3 categories of state-listed species. That makes two sets of regulations that require the protection of wildlife in all three categories. The Guidelines for Managing Recreational Use of Beaches to Protect Piping Plovers, Terns and Their Habitats In Massachusetts written by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife applies the same principals of conservation to both species including specifically prohibiting vehicular traffic near their nests. This also applies to Oystercatchers and Roseate Terns, both of which have been on the beach at times. In fact, there are currently restrictions due to least tern activity (July 2013). There can be nesting activity on the beach for either species up to mid-August. In addition, some have asked “if the number of plovers is increasing, when will they be no longer considered ‘threatened?’ ” According to the recovery criteria in the Piping Plover, Atlantic Coast Population: 1996 Revised Recovery Plan, produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are five criteria to be considered. They are, very briefly, 1.) A minimum subpopulation in New England of 625 pairs, and a total 2,000 breeding pairs on the Atlantic Coast. 2.) Adequate genetic diversity among those 2,000 pairs. 3.) A five year average fledge rate (the number of fledglings per nest) of 1.5 pairs. 4.) Institution of long term policies to ensure protection and management sufficient to maintain the population for the long term. 5.) Institution of policies to ensure the long term maintenance of winter habitat. These criteria must be met by 4 Atlantic Coast zones from Canada to the Southeast. The plover recovery status is reviewed every 5 years. The last update, completed in 2009 using 2008 data, showed 1,849 pairs of Atlantic Coast piping plovers up from 790 in 1986. “The largest population increase between 1989 and 2008 has occurred in New England (254%).” “Overall (fledge rate) for the Atlantic Coast population 1989-2006 was 1.35.” (New England was no. 2 there, at 1.44) A new status review should be published in 2014, but it is doubtful the status of the piping plover will change much on that data. We would encourage you to take a look at these documents for more details and contact your state and federal representatives if you are unhappy with the laws that require Duxbury and the Duxbury Beach Reservation to provide these accommodations. mass.gov/eea/docs/czm/stormsmart/beaches/barrier-beach-guidelines.pdf Pages 195-208 fws.gov/northeast/pipingplover/recovery.html fws.gov/northeast/endangered/PDF/Piping_Plover_five_year_review_and_summary.pdf Page 139
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 13:09:28 +0000
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