Tweets:

I have spent some enjoyable hours over the past few weeks perusing some of
the interesting and colorful (almost gawdy, in some cases!) printed materials
produced by groups involved in monitoring and agitating for improvements in
the quality of the Puget Sound marine ecosystem. These include documents like
State of the Sound and Puget Sound Update put out by various subgroups and
committees that appear to be part of or affiliated with the Puget Sound Action
Team (_http://www.psat.wa.gov/_ (http://www.psat.wa.gov/) ) and Puget Sound
Partnership_(http://www.pugetsoundpartnership.org/_
(http://www.pugetsoundpartnership.org/) ). I don't recall specifically which document had a rundown on
the Endangered Species Act status of various marine birds, but I was shocked
to read a statement to the effect that the Surf Scoter, while in pretty
dramatic decline recently, is not a candidate for ESA ranking as it is considered
a "game bird!"

Can anyone here enlighten me further on this? It seems completely nuts in
light of the progress that has been made in recent years for a number of
species through careful management including use of ESA.

First of all, I cannot conceive what characteristics of the scoter would be
considered even a semi-logical basis for treating it as a hunt-able bird.
Secondly, what sort of backasswards thinking is involved in allowing what seems
a pretty preposterous categorization in the first place to trump proper
species management actions, including consideration of ESA issues?

Am I completely misunderstanding something here?

Paul Johanson
North Beach, Seattle
_pjgumbo at aol.com_ (mailto:pjgumbo at aol.com)
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