• “Year of the Terns” World Seabird Day Webinar Series

    “Year of the Terns” World Seabird Day Webinar Series Brief Introduction To raise awareness among EAAFP Partners, researchers, conservationists, and the general public about seabirds in the East Asian – Australasian Flyway (EAA Flyway), while promoting the exchange of information and collaboration on seabird conservation in the Flyway, the EAAFP Secretariat and the Seabird Working Group initiated the “Year of the Terns” in 2022. The World Seabird Day Webinar Series is one of the campaign activities for “Year of the Terns.” With the aim of showcasing and raising awareness for seabird conservation work along the EAA Flyway, the webinar series consist of two sessions, to launch the Asia Seabird Colony Registry, as well as showcasing work on tern species and their conservation. Date/Time: 1 – 2 July 2022 (15:00 – 16:30 KST on both dates) Topics: Session 1 (1 July): Launch of the Asia Seabird Colony Registry Session 2 (2 July): Showcase of tern conservation projects in EAA Flyway Organizers: EAAFP Secretariat, EAAFP Seabird Working Group, Australasian Seabird Group, Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. Meeting Platform: Zoom Language: English Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rce6prD8iGtax5wFiPEf6GfTOomM8A58c   (https://cutt.ly/LJKpiLt) Overall Programme  Day Programme Speakers Day 1 Welcoming Speech Doug Watkins, Chief Executive of EAAFP Secretariat  Robert Kaler, Chair of EAAFP Seabird Working Group   Presentation on Year of the Terns Vivian Fu, EAAFP Communication Officer  Introduction of World Seabird Registry Robert Kaler, Chair of EAAFP Seabird Working Group  Presentation on the launch of the Seabird Breeding Registry in EAAF Simba Chan, Seabird Working Group  Panel Discussion Moderated by Yat Tung Yu, Coordinator of EAAFP Seabird Working Group   Panelists:   Simba Chan,   Angelique Songco, Site Manager of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Philippines,   Miran Kim, Seabirds Laboratory of Korea, Republic of Korea  Nicholas Carlile, Australasian Seabird Group   Day 2 Welcoming Speech Yat-tung Yu, Coordinator of EAAFP Seabird Working Group Primer screening of “Terns Operation” about Chinese Crested Tern, by Fung Hong Shing    1.      Presentation on Aleutian Tern Robert Kaler, EAAFP Seabird Working Group Chair 2.      Presentation on Little Tern Professor Wataru Kitamura, Tokyo City University 3.      Presentation on Chinese Crested Tern Siyu Wang, Zhejiang Natural History Museum 4.      Presentation on Terns breeding in Hong Kong John Chung, Hong Kong Bird Watching Society 5.      Presentation on River Tern Zheng Xi, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden – Hong Kong 6.      Presentation on Black Noddy Retch Pagliawan-Alaba, Research Officer, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park 7.      Presentation on White Tern Nicholas Carlile, Australasian Seabird Group Q&A Moderated by Yuna Kim, Australasian Seabird Group Webinar Speakers and Moderators: Day 1 “Launch of the Asia Seabird Colony Registry”  Date: 1st  July 2022 (15:00 – 16:30 KST) Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rce6prD8iGtax5wFiPEf6GfTOomM8A58c  Key speaker Simba Chan Seabird Working Group Panelists Angelique Songco Site Manager, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, the Philippines Angelique Songco has more than 20 years of experience as a site manager of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and Flyway Network Site. Referred to as “Mama Ranger,” Angelique is also a member of the EAAFP Seabird Working group and works on the frontier in safeguarding important sites. Miran Kim Seabirds Laboratory of Korea Miran Kim is working in the Seabirds Lab of Korea. During her PhD, she studied egg morphology and hatching asynchrony in gulls. She has worked for the conservation of Swinhoe’s storm petrels and long-term monitoring of Black-tailed gulls. Recently, she is investigating the impacts of marine debris and bycatch on seabirds. Nicholas Carlile Australasian Seabird Group Nicholas commenced ecological research with the Australian Museum 1986 and since 1988 with the NSW States government. His work includes island biodiversity restorations and surveys, research into seabirds and their translocation. While focusing mainly on petrels, he has researched Little, Sooty and White terns as well as Boobies and Tropicbirds. Moderators Vivian Fu Communication Officer, EAAFP Secretariat Yat Tung Yu Director, Hong Kong Bird Watching Society Coordinator, Seabird Working Group   Day 2: “Showcase of Tern Conservation Projects in the EAA Flyway “   Date: 2nd  July 2022 (15:00 – 16:30 KST) Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rce6prD8iGtax5wFiPEf6GfTOomM8A58c  Speakers Robert Kaler Chair, Seabird Working Group Robb Kaler is a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska, USA. Robb serves as chair of the EAAFP Seabird Working Group is interested in developing collaborations towards broad conservation goals that inform management decisions and promote seabird conservation. Professor Wataru Kitamura Associate Professor, Tokyo City University Wataru Kitamura Ph.D. is an associate professor at Tokyo City University and the president of NPO Little Tern Project aiming for conservation of the Little Terns on a rooftop in Tokyo. His main research area is conservation biology of avian species such as giving solutions for bird collisions to wind turbines and interaction between alien and native species. Siyu Wang Research Associate, Zhejiang Museum of Natural History Siyu Wang, research associate of Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, now mainly working on Chinese Crested Tern and Scarly-sided Merganser conservation. Since 2014, I participates in the Chinese Crested Tern Project as a team member. Except from research work, I'm also responsible for Science Popularization of Chinese Crested Tern and other birds. John Chung Hong Kong Bird Watching Society After graduating from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with an MPhil degree, John Chung devotes himself to bird research and conservation. He is currently a research officer in the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society. He is responsible for coordinating bird ringing, tern study, and citizen science programs in Hong Kong. Zheng Xi Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden - Hong Kong Zheng Xi is a Conservation Officer of Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden. He has been actively involved in several key conservation projects to minimize biodiversity loss in China and Cambodia, including the conservation of River Tern and Hornbills in western Yunnan of China. Retch Pagliawan-Alaba Research Officer, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Retch is the Research Officer of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in the Philippines. She began working on seabirds in 2013 as part of her MSc studies. One of their seabird conservation projects is the restoration of the Black Noddy population in TRNP. Nicholas Carlile Australasian Seabird Group Nicholas commenced ecological research with the Australian Museum 1986 and since 1988 with the NSW States government. His work includes island biodiversity restorations and surveys, research into seabirds and their translocation. While focusing mainly on petrels, he has researched Little, Sooty and White terns as well as Boobies and Tropicbirds. Moderators: Yat Tung Yu Director, Hong Kong Bird Watching Society Coordinator, Seabird Working Group Yuna Kim Australasian Seabird Group   Supporting Organizations   Playback of the Webinar  Day 1 Launch of the Asia Seabird Colony Registry Day 2 Showcase of conservation work of terns EAAF Contact If you have any inquiries, please feel free to contact Mr. Yat-tung Yu, Coordinator of the Seabird Working Group at yyattung@hkbws.org.hk; or Ms. Vivian Fu, Communication Officer of  EAAFP at communication@eaaflyway.net.


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  • Official Launching of the Regional Flyways Initiative Webpage

    The EAAFP Secretariat is pleased to announce the release of a webpage built up for the Regional Flyway Initiative (RFI). The page was set up to archive RFI-related documents, articles, media, and events for information sharing. A brief introduction of RFI, key documents (RFI Technical Assistance Report and EAAFP Strategic Plan 2019-2028), a list of meetings and webinars, articles, and publications linked to RFI are also available. Link: https://www.eaaflyway.net/regional-flyway-initiative/ The Regional Flyway Initiative was launched in October 2021 by joint efforts with Asian Development Bank, EAAFP, and BirdLife International at the Ecological Civilization Forum of the 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15). The Regional Flyway Initiative seeks to develop a long-term financing program to protect and restore EAAF wetland ecosystems and the services they provide. RFI aims to mobilize large-scale financing to support the protection, maintenance, and restoration of wetlands in East and Southeast Asia, especially coastal wetlands. The initiative aims to strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands across the region, which are crucial for the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people and the migratory waterbirds in Asia and the Pacific. This will be achieved through partnerships among governments, non-government organizations, local communities, regional organizations, development agencies, private sectors, and other stakeholders.


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  • Youth Think Tank Competition for EAA Flyway – 2nd Training workshop

    On 28th - 29th May, the Youth Think Tank Competition in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) engaged youth participants with a webinar and in-depth training workshop on Engaging Local Communities in Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and Wetlands. One in a series of workshops that aims to build capacity for young conservationists on wetland and migratory waterbirds conservation in the flyway across various disciplines, the 2-day virtual workshop was organized by the EAAF Partnership Secretariat with the help of the youth organizing team. More than 100 youth actively participated in the discussions and workshops.   Day 1 The workshop opened on 28th May 2022 with a webinar, “Understanding Nature-based Solutions and Local Community Engagement in Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and Wetlands.” The 1-hour webinar focused on presentations from speakers, Ms. Kathryn Bimson, Programme Officer for IUCN Regional Asia Office, and Mr. Jiefeng Jin, Conservation Officer for the International Crane Foundation. The first presentation, given by Ms. Kathryn Bimson, was an introductory presentation on Nature-based solutions and was followed by an introductory presentation on Engaging local community in conservation by Mr. Jiefeng Jin. Both presentations helped participants ease their way into the topic and the in-depth training workshop, “Engaging Local Communities in Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and Wetlands” that came afterwards. [PPT Materials] Introduction to Nature-based Solutions (link) / Introduction to Engaging Local Community in Conservation (link) The in-depth workshop was led by Ms. Mercy Kariuki, Programme Officer (Local Engagement and Empowerment Programme) from BirdLife International and focused on “Engaging Local Communities in Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and Wetlands”. She emphasized the significance of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in the process of conservation and how the work is increasingly adopting a human rights-based approach. To delve further into the topic, the presentation was followed by a case study by Mr. George Ndung’u Muigai, Founder of the Cranes Conservation Volunteers, on the conservation of Cranes in Kenya. During his presentation, Mr. Muigai shared on-the-ground experiences engaging with the community and exchanged practical advice with the youth participants. [PPT Materials] Engaging Local Communities in Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and Wetlands (link) / Conservation of Cranes in Kenya (link) The breakout session, participants discussed the positive and negative relations between conservation and people, so that they could learn to think in different perspectives – from local communities to conservation. The participants shared actual experiences from their respective regions and project implementations.   Day 2 The in-depth workshop continued on 29th May with a short summary presentation from Ms. Mercy Kariuki before delving into a case study from Amy M. Lecciones, Executive Director of the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc who tackled Empowering Communities for Managing Agricultural Wetlands. In her presentation, Amy shared the case in Paligui Wetlands (a part of the greater key biodiversity area of Candaba Wetlands) of how local farmers were trained to be local eco-tour guides. Amy enumerated some key activities for community engagement and social challenges with the proposed conservation measures taken in Paligui. (PPT Materials) Following next was a case on Hong Kong Fishpond Conservation Scheme presented by Mr. Johnson Chung of The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society. Mr. Johnson shared how local fishermen helped to enhance the biodiversity of fishponds within the Ramsar Site and being an important player in the conservation project. Johnson shared different ways to motivate the local communities as well as the general public to support the management agreements. The outputs were beyond conserving migratory birds but also benefitted local fishermen while maintaining traditions and cultures in Hong Kong. (PPT Materials) The last case study was presented by Professor Wataru Kitamura of Tokyo City University on the Little Tern project. He shared how the once-disappeared population of Little Tern was brought back to the urban areas in Tokyo Bay area. The project demonstrated the success and need for a strong scientific base, and how it can be developed into a good citizen science programme to engage the locals and general public garner their support. It was also an innovative solution to create habitats for the birds with the use of the rooftops of building in the middle of the city. (PPT Materials) After that, the participants broke out into groups to practice stakeholder analysis of the different case studies that were presented. Youth participants shared their perspectives on identifying stakeholders and ideas on engaging them with participatory conservation objectives.   [Webinar] Understanding Nature-based Solution and Local Community Engagement in Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and Wetlands [In depth Workshop] Engaging Local Communities in Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and Wetlands: Session 1 [In depth Workshop] Engaging Local Communities in Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and Wetlands: Session 2 Evaluation:  All 20 participants had an increase in learning for the topic of nature-based solutions. In the pre-workshop survey, half of the participants responded that they had some familiarity with the topic. In the post-workshop survey, however, 90% responded they were now familiar or ‘ready to go pro’ with nature-based solutions. All participants were satisfied and found what they learned during the workshop useful in their volunteer/work. Participants rated these three components with the highest scores: 1) trainers and speakers of the workshop (4.5/5); 2) case study presentations (4.5/5); 3) contents of the workshop (4.5/5). The most valuable learnings/ takeaways for the participants were: 1) Free, Prior and Informed Consent, 2) Stakeholder mapping and analysis and 3) Nature-based Solutions. Takeaways: Participants wrote that most valuable learnings/ takeaways for the workshop was: 1) Free, Prior and Informed Consent, 2) Stakeholder mapping and analysis and 3) Nature-based Solutions.  In the words of the Flyway youth: “What really stayed in my head and in my notes also is the quote "Recognizing diversity and engaging stakeholders helps in building legitimacy, developing innovative solutions, enhancing transparency, and most importantly, in upholding social equity." “It is evident that we are currently experiencing biodiversity loss. Hence, it is a must to take action. However, there are various factors that we need to consider first. For example, the effects of the conservation programs that we want to implement on the local communities and vice versa. As conservationists, we should understand the social contexts. A way for us to plan everything is to create a stakeholder analysis. It is a process for us to be able to map and identify the target people before the project begins.   Acknowledgment The Youth Think Tank Competition for the EAA Flyway Organizing Team acknowledges the great contribution from the speakers and trainers: Mercy Kariuki, George Ndung’u Muigai, Amy M. Lecciones, Johnson Chung, and Wataru Kitamura, as well the youth organizing team: Frances Alvares, Jord Earving Gadingan, Oscar Yu, Thura Soe Min Htike, Yeonju Park, Yuji Lim and Yoomi Sim. The webinar was moderated by Ms. Yoon Kyung Lee, External Relations Manager of the EAAFP Secretariat. The in-depth workshops were co-moderated by Ms. Yuji Lim, Ms. Yeonju Park, Ms. Yoomi Sim from the EAAFP Secretariat and Mr. Thura Soe Min Htike from Myanmar. Ms. Vivian Fu, Communication Officer of the EAAFP Secretariat led the coordination of the workshop. To learn more about the speakers and trainers click here. For more on the Youth Think Tank Competition click here.


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  • New study says protected areas don’t always boost biodiversity: management is crucial

    The impact on wildlife of designating protected areas such as national parks varies, according to the largest ever global study of their effects on waterbirds. The findings show that…


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  • The training workshop for wardens/rangers to conserve Hwaseong wetlands (10 days in August & November, in the RO Korea)

    Birds Korea will hold a workshop to train the future local wardens to conserve the Hwaseong wetland for five days from 9th to 13th August with the support of…


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  • Join the #legflagchallenge and contribute to migratory bird conservation!

    This year, the EAAFP Secretariat is teaming up with the Oriental Bird Club, BirdLife International and the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force, to launch…


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  • “Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats” inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List

    On 26th July, 2021, the 44th Session of the World Heritage Committee endorsed the inscription of the Republic of Korea’s tidal flats on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List, marking an enormous step forward to secure the critical habitats of the Yellow Sea for millions of migratory waterbirds that depend on this area as a vital stopover on their migratory journeys from as far away as Australia and New Zealand to breeding grounds in Arctic Russia and Alaska. Great Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit ©WH Promotion Team of Korean Tidal Flat The inscription of the “Getbol”, the Korean name for tidal flats, was announced during the World Heritage Committee meeting held in Fuzhou City, China and follows over 10 years of intensive preparation by the Korean authorities. The four sites included in the Phase I inscription of Seocheon Getbol, Gochang Getbol, Shinan Getbol and Boseong-Suncheon Getbol, collectively cover over 128,000 hectares of coastal wetlands in the Southwestern part of the country. Additional areas will be added as part of a Phase II nomination. The shallow waters in the Yellow Sea region jointly shared by China, DPR Korea and Ro Korea hold some of the largest and most spectacular intertidal wetlands in the world. These sites support exceptionally rich biodiversity, but are best known for some of the largest congregations of migratory waterbirds in eastern Asia, many of which are globally threatened by habitat loss along their migratory pathways, collectively known as the East Asian – Australasian Flyway. Up to 100,000 shorebirds use the mudflats around Yubu island in the Seocheon Getbol during migration, including the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper and the Endangered Far Eastern Curlew. Other species, such as Vulnerable Saunders’s Gull and Endangered Black-faced Spoonbill stay to nest in the coastal wetlands of the Yellow Sea. “The inscription of the Getbol in the World Heritage List will mark a great shift of paradigm for Getbol tidal flats protection and management policy, as well as the increasing public awareness. The Getbol's World Heritage inscription means that the tidal flats managed by locals become a shared global property for the next generation of all humanity. All stakeholders involved with the Getbol will make the best effort to complete its Phase II extension and even further in the future.’’ said Dr. Kyong-O Moon, the Secretary-General of the Korea Getbol World Heritage Promotion Team. “The Korean Getbol inscription complements the “The Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I)” World Heritage Site listed in 2019. It will strengthen international collaboration, particularly in the vision of transboundary joint efforts with China and DPR Korea, to conserve the wetlands of the Yellow Sea region, the irreplaceable migration hub for migratory waterbirds shared by the 22 countries in the Flyway,” said Mr. Doug Watkins, Chief Executive of EAAFP, an international partnership to conserve migratory waterbirds along the Flyway. “The UNESCO World Heritage Convention offers an exceptionally powerful framework to secure the future of globally important biodiversity. The BirdLife International Partnership look forward to working closely with the EAAFP and IUCN to secure the same status for the remaining such areas of the Yellow Sea, and to support the authorities to ensure all receive the best possible management for birds and people.’’ said Dr. Ding Li Yong, BirdLife International (Asia Division) Flyways Coordinator. Decision paper (download at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/sessions/44COM/documents/#amendment ) Far Eastern Curlew and others © WH Promotion Team of Korean Tidal Flat Black-faced Spoonbill © WH Promotion Team of Korean Tidal Flat Spoon-billed Sandpiper ©WH Promotion Team of Korean Tidal Flat Hooded Cranes in Suncheon Bay ©WH Promotion Team of Korean Tidal Flat Click [here] for the UNESCO WHC official announcement. Click [here] for the local news media archive. Local news reports:   Korean Version: 한국의 갯벌’, 유네스코 세계유산 등재 2021년 7월 26일 ‘한국의 갯벌’은 제 44차 세계유산위원회(WHC)에서 유네스코 세계자연유산으로 등재 됐다. 이 지역은 뉴질랜드· 호주부터 러시아 알래스카까지 이동하는 수백만 마리 철새의  황해 상 중간기착지로서  세계적으로 중요하고 의미있는 서식지 보전에 매우 큰 발걸음이 되었다. 중국 푸저우에서 열린 제44차 세계유산위원회는 한국의 갯벌을 세계자연유산 등재로 최종 확정했다. 이는 한국이 10년 간 준비한 작업의 성과라고 볼 수 있다. 1단계 세계자연유산 대상지로는 서천갯벌, 고창갯벌, 신안갯벌, 보성-순천갯벌, 4곳으로 총 12만8000ha가 넘는 서남해해안 습지이다. 2단계 추진과정에서 추가지역들이 포함될 예정이다. 중국과 남북한이 공유하고 있는 황해지역은 세계에서 가장 크고 장관을 이루는 조간대 습지다. 이 지역은  생물다양성이 매우 풍부하고, 최대 규모 집단인 동아시아 지역의 이동성 물새 서식지 감소로 인해 전 세계적으로 가장 위협을 받는 지역이며, 동아시아-대양주 철새이동경로 상에 있다. 멸종위기에 처한 넓적부리도요, 알락꼬리마도요를 포함 한 최대 10만 마리까지 이동 기간동안 유부도 주변(서천 갯벌)을 이용한다. 또한 취약종인 검은머리갈매기와 멸종위기종 저어새와 같은 다른 종은 황해 연안 습지에 둥지를 튼다. 한국 갯벌 세계유산 등재추진단 문경오 사무국장은  “한국의 갯벌 유네스코  세계유산 등재는 갯벌 보호  및 관리 정책의 패러다임을 전환하는 계기가 될 것 이며, 대중 인식 증진에도 큰 기여를 할 것이다.” 이어서 “한국의 갯벌 유네스코 세계유산 등재는 지역 주민이 관리하는 갯벌에서 더 나아가 전 지구적으로 공유하는 자산으로 모든 인류를 포함하여 다음 세대에 넘겨줄 자산이 된다는 의미다. 갯벌과 관련된 모든 이해관계자들은 2단계(Phase II)  상향과 향후 더 확장할 수 있도록 최선을 다할 것이다” 라고 말했다. 국제철새보호 기구 동아시아-대양주 철새이동경로 파트너십(EAAFP) 사무국  더그 와킨스(Doug Watkins) 대표는 “한국 갯벌 등재는 2019년 세계유산에 등재된 ‘중국 황하이 연안-보하이 만의 철새 보호구역(1단계)’을 보완한다. 특히 국경을 넘어 공동 비전인 황해 보전을 위해 중국과 남북한의 국제 협력과 황해 지역의 습지를 보전하여 대처할 수 없는 22개국이 함께 공유하는 철새이동경로 보전 노력이 강화 될 것” 이라고 말했다. 딩리 용(Ding Li Yong) 버드라이프 인터내셔널(BirdLife International) 아시아 지부 이동경로 코디네이터는 “유네스코 세계유산협약은 세계적으로 중요한 생물다양성의 미래를 보장하기 위한 매우 강력한 프레임워크를 제공한다. 버드라이프는 EAAFP및  유네스코 심사 자문기구인 세계자연보전연맹(IUCN) 과 긴밀히 협력하여 황해의 나머지 지역에도 동일하게 보전을 확보하여 당국이 조류와 인류을 위한 최상의 관리를 받을 수 있도록 지원하기를 기대한다” 라고 말했다.


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  • The 1st International Symposium on the Conservation of East Asian Population of the Dalmatian Pelican held in China

    From May 12-14, the Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry (RISF) of the Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF) and the Society of Entrepreneurs & Ecology (SEE) in Beijing co-hosted The…


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  • Recent work on seabird conservation in Northeast Asia – Summary of Northeast Asia seabird conservation committee meeting

    In conjunction with the Pacific Seabird Group Annual Meeting held virtually from 22 to 26 February, 2021, the Northeast Asia Seabird Conservation Committee…


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