I appropriated this from the Whatcom birds list, I hope no one minds. It
originated with Seattle Audubon.

Mary Klein
Seattle WA
CelloBird at seanet.com



Help protect Caspian Terns in the Northwest!

On April 7, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published its Scoping Notice
for an Environmental Impact Statement on Management of the Caspian Tern
Population in the Columbia River Estuary. FWS, the National Marine
Fisheries Service and other federal agencies have scapegoated Caspian Terns
and other fish-eating birds for declines in salmon stocks, while failing to
address the real causes.

FWS is holding scoping meetings throughout the region and will
be accepting written comments until May 22nd. You can help Caspian Terns
and other fish-eating birds by writing comments and/or attending a hearing.


Certain interests would like to eliminate the nesting colony in
the estuary without providing additional habitat elsewhere. The Seattle
Audubon Society, along with National Audubon, American Bird Conservancy and
Defenders of Wildlife want to protect these birds and need your help! The
EIS will examine what options are available to manage the current colony on
East Sand Island, what, if anything, to do to provide additional nesting
habitat and where to provide this additional habitat.

Although the birds do eat salmonids, they are native to the
Pacific Northwest and have historically eaten salmon throughout the region.
The federal agencies have yet to show the effects on salmon of avian
predation compared to the 4 H's (listed below). Please attend a hearing
and/or write a letter to protect Caspian Terns and other fish-eating birds.
For more information, contact Alex Morgan at 206-523-8243, ext. 13.

ATTEND A MEETING:

April 28, 2003, 5:30-8:30 pm; Grays Harbor College, 1620 Edward P. Smith
Dr., Aberdeen, WA

April 29, 2003, 5:30-8:30 pm; Washington State Capital Museum, 211 West 21st
Avenue, Olympia, WA.

May 5, 2003, 5:30-8:30 pm; Duncan Law Seafood Center, 2021 Marine Drive
#200, Astoria, OR.

May 6, 2003, 5:30-8:30 pm; Double Tree Hotel, Lloyd Center, 1000 North East
Multnomah, Portland, OR.

WRITE A LETTER:

Comments will also be accepted by mail. Written comments must be received by
5pm on May 22nd. They can be mailed to:

Caspian Tern Management EIS
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Migratory Birds and Habitat Programs
911 NE 11th Avenue
Portland, OR 97232-4181

or electronically to:
cateeis at r1.fws.gov


TALKING POINTS
1) The EIS and all alternatives must be based on sound science, not
conjecture.

2) The Caspian Tern colony at East Sand Island should not be reduced unless
and until alternative sites for Caspian Tern nesting are established. No
efforts should be undertaken to move Terns from East Sand Island or
elsewhere in the Columbia estuary until alternative sites are located and
established.

3) The EIS should carefully review all sources of mortality to salmonids and
put Tern predation in perspective. The Four H's (Hydropower, Habitat loss,
Harvest, and Hatcheries) are the major causes of salmon declines, not avian
predation, and they should be analyzed carefully in an EIS.

4) Until alternative nesting sites are established, East Sand Island should
be managed indefinitely to provide at least six acres of suitable Tern
nesting habitat (as is done now).

5) Future ownership and management of East Sand Island should be turned over
to the FWS as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system or to another
wildlife group that will manage the island for the terns, pelicans, and
other waterbirds that nest there.

6) The EIS should rigorously document the impact of Tern predation on adult
salmon returns, and these analyses must be peer-reviewed by leading
waterbird/prey specialists. Until the cost-effectiveness of hazing,
relocating, and otherwise controlling Terns has been firmly established in
relationship to the Four H's, the Terns and other fish-eating birds should
not be disturbed.

7) As a citizen of the Northwest, I would be willing to support the location
of Tern breeding colonies near where I live.