NatureScot Commissioned Report 568: Status and population viability of Greenland barnacle geese on Islay

This report describes a new Population Viability Analysis of the Greenland barnacle goose population wintering on Islay, which represented approximately 70% of the flyway population. The Islay population has increased from around 7,000 birds in the 1960s to 44,000 in 2011. As no survival or productivity trends were apparent, an average population model was developed using count and ring-resighting data, which accounts for shooting on Iceland and Islay. At 2011 shooting levels, the Islay population is predicted to continue to increase at 2.6-3.0% per year. The model is then used to make predictions for how changes in shooting pressure on Islay may influence future population trajectories, along with associated risks of decline, and the potential impacts of future management regimes are discussed.

Pages: 45
Published: 2014

NatureScot Commissioned Report 568