• Special achievement award to the Chinese Crested Tern team

    Nesting Chinese Crested Tern on Tiedun Dao of Jiushan Islands next to decoys for social attraction © Simba Chan At the Pacific Seabird Group banquet held at the Birch Aquarium, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, 17 February 2023, a Special Achievement Award was presented to three persons who contributed to the recovery of the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern: Dr Shuihua Chen of the Zhejiang Museum, Prof. Hsiao-wei Yuan of the National University of Taiwan, and Simba Chan of the Japan Bird Research Association/Wild Bird Society of Japan. This is the third time the Pacific Seabird Group presented a Special Achievement Award to Asian seabird researchers. Previous awardees were Prof Hiroshi Hasegawa of Toho University (2001) and Prof Yutaka Watanuki of Hokkaido University (2009).   Special Achievement Award presented to Mr. Simba Chan (left), Prof. Hsiao-wei Yuan (middle) and Dr Shuihua Chen (right) at the Pacific Seabird Group meeting © Simba Chan The works of the three awardees were linked to the compilation of the International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Chinese Crested Tern (Sterna bernsteini) under the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS). After the publication of “Threatened Birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red Data Book” in 2001, BirdLife International and the CMS have chosen three species for follow-up conservation actions: Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Black-faced Spoonbill and Chinese Crested Tern. These action plans were launched at the 4th Meeting of Partners of EAAFP (MOP4) held in Incheon, Ro Korea, and the International Black-faced Spoonbill Workshop in Fukuoka, Japan, in early 2010 respectively. Simba Chan was the editor-in-chief of the Chinese Crested Tern Action Plan. When he started to work on the action plan in 2005 he contacted Shuihua Chen, who discovered the second breeding ground of Chinese Crested Tern at Jiushan Islands in Zhejiang Province in China in 2004, and Hsiao-wei Yuan who was a tern expert recommended by Dr Lucia Liu Severinghaus of Academia Sinica in Taiwan, who identified the Chinese Crested Tern from photos taken by wildlife documentarist Chieh-te Liang from Matsu in 2000. The trio met at Zhejiang Museum of Natural History in Hangzhou on May 2006 and that should be the start of the Chinese Crested Tern saga. Meeting on the Chinese Crested Tern Action Plan in Hangzhou on 22 May 2006. © Simba Chan In the 2000s the biggest threat known to Chinese Crested Terns was illegal egg collection. The BirdLife/Hong Kong Bird Watching Society China Programme worked with bird conservation organizations in Zhejiang and Fujian on promotion of local awareness in seabird conservation. For this purpose an international seabird symposium was convened in Xiangshan in July 2010. Prof Daniel Roby of Oregan State University was invited and he made a presentation on social attraction project of Caspian Tern in northwest USA. The talk initiated the interest of breeding site restoration and workshops on the feasibility of using social attraction at Jiushan Islands in Zhejiang Province of China were held in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The first attempt of social attraction in 2013 was a late success (no terns were attracted to the site until the playback system was fixed in mid-July, then terns started to breed despite it was very late in the season) and monitoring on the island in 2014 and 2015 confirmed the method worked. Since then, Jiushan became the main breeding site of the Chinese Crested Tern and 20 or more chicks fledged every year (expect 2016). The global population of Chinese Crested Tern in 2013 was less than 50 birds. In 2023 its number increased to around 200 birds. Chan, Chen, Yuan on Tiedun Dao for restoration of the Chinese Crested Tern colony at Jiusha Islan, Zhejiang, China on 17 July 2015. © Simba Chan This is not the end of the story, in late 2022, Simba Chan and Yat-tung Yu, Director of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, convened a virtual workshop for Korean and Chinese researchers on planning of restoration of breeding sites of Chinese Crested Terns in Korea and northern China (especially in the vicinity of Qingdao, where the last colony was recorded in 1937). Chan and Yu have also been working with colleagues from Indonesia and the USA on researching and protecting Chinese Crested Tern wintering sites in eastern Indonesia. We hope more people can support us and join the team. The success of the Chinese Crested Tern conservation was a result of team work, the three awardees are representing those who work hard in the field in mainland China, Taiwan and other countries. The secret of the success was a combination of good planning (the action plan and beyond), a good and dedicated team, and the spirit of international cooperation. Recently the EAAFP Black-faced Spoonbill Working Group worked with the IUCN Stork, Spoonbill, and Ibis Specialist Group on a paper (link) on the success of conservation of the once (prior to 2000) critically endangered Black-faced Spoonbill. The essence of success was the same as we listed above. And we believe this is also a lesson to learn for many other migratory species and species groups in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.   Read also: How Plastic Birds Are Bringing Crested Terns Back From the Brink (published  on 2015, available at link)  


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  • International Workshop on Geese Conservation and Management in East Asia

    Group photo © Katsumi Ushiyama/Japanese Committee of the Anatidae Working Group On 27 – 29th January, 2023, the Japanese Committee of Science and Technology of the Anatidae Working Group hosted the “International Workshop on Geese Conservation and Management in East Asia” with the support of The Miyagi Prefectural Izunuma-Uchinuma Environmental Foundation. The three-day workshop included experts’ meeting, an open symposium and an excursion. Dr. David Ward of USGS Alaska, Dr. Hansoo Lee of KoEco, Dr. Cao Lei of Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, were invited as international experts. The experts’ meeting started with an information-sharing session on the situation of geese conservation and management of each country, particularly on responsible organizations, protective status, population trends, monitoring and research. Nextly, Yusuke Sawa of Yamashina Institute of Ornithology reported the progress of the Brent geese action plan and recent tracking studies performed in Japan. The meeting was concluded with a fruitful discussion on finding research gaps, management framework and future actions for advancing geese conservation and management in East Asia. The symposium, live streamed and archived in YouTube , started with a plenary lecture from Dr. David Ward titled “Population Trends and Conservation of Geese in the Eastern Pacific Flyway” with recommendations for evidence-based conservation and management in the East Asian region. In the following session on “Geese of Japan”, Mr. Masayuki Kurechi of Japanese Association for Wild Geese Protection reported the achievements on the recovering cackling geese and snow geese, Dr. Tetsuo Shimada of The Miyagi Prefectural Izunuma-Uchinuma Environmental Foundation reported the issues concerning the abundant greater white-fronted goose, and Mr. Yusuke Sawa reported the recent progress of the geese tracking project in Japan. The next session was on “Geese in East Asia”, where Dr. Hansoo Lee introduced the outcomes of the nationwide water bird census and international cooperative research works for tracking migratory geese. Dr. Cao Lei introduced the status of 5 geese species in China, emphasizing the need to protect the Yangtze lakes, especially Poyang and Dongting Lake and their hydrological progress. © Katsumi Ushiyama/Japanese Committee of the Anatidae Working Group   The symposium closed with a panel discussion building up on the conversation in the experts’ meeting. One of the main conclusion was to make a comprehensive international plan which can share goals, roles and principles for geese conservation and management in the East Asian region, as in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The major gaps to fill in for effective management were: 1) coordinated monitoring and analysis of population parameters, such as the survival rate based on banding survey and reproductive rate based on juvenile ratio monitoring 2) data sharing on tracking studies; 3) natural habitat conservation for declining specialist species, and 4) agricultural habitat management for increasing generalist species. To establish methods for evidence-based management of East Asian geese populations, the greater white-fronted goose was chosen as a model species for population modeling. The final day of the workshop was a field trip to three Ramsar sites, Izunuma, Kabukurinuma, Shizugawa-wan. The three-day workshop was funded by the Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund, Japan Fund for Global Environment, and Tsudo Fund of the Ornithological Society of Japan. Morning flight of geese in Izunuma © Katsumi Ushiyama/Japanese Committee of the Anatidae Working Group Rewatch the Symposium on Youtube: Prepared by Katsumi Ushiyama, Coordinator of Anatidae Working Group


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  • Japan and U.S.A. announced Sister Site Agreement to strengthen collaboration to conserve migratory waterbirds

    On 8th February, 2023, the Government of Saga City, Japan and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-Alaska signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a Sister Site relationshipbetween Flyway Network Sites Higashiyoka-higata (EAAF 124) of Japan and Qupałuk (EAAF 133) of U.S.A. The agreement promotes closer collaboration on conserving migratory waterbirds. A virtual signing ceremony was held, with Mr. Hidetaka Sakai, Mayor of Saga City, and Mr. Steve Cohn, Alaska State Director, BLM signing the MoU. ©Saga City, Japan ©BLM  Both Flyway Network Sites (FNSs)  are important for migratory shorebirds, especially for Dunlin (Calidris alpine articola), which is the most abundant shorebirds in Japan, and Qupałuk is high quality nesting habitat.  Under the EAAFP Flyway Site Network, the Sister Site Agreement encourages the two FNSs to cooperate in research and monitoring of species of common and their habitats, allow information exchange on conversation and habitat management. In addition, the agreement includes efforts on CEPA (Communication/Capacity Building, Education, Participation, and Awareness) activities to enhance exchange between the sites. Mr. Steven Cohn, State Director of BLM-Alaska expressed, "As managers of valuable nesting habitat, it is important for the BLM to collaborate with partners throughout the flyway to support holistic habitat management through the full life cycles of species. We look forward to this partnership with Saga City to coordinate on bird monitoring, habitat management, and education and outreach." Mr. Hidetaka Sakai, Mayor of Saga City, said, “I am delighted that we could establish this Sister Site partnership. The sites are not just essential for the migratory birds, but for our livelihoods as well, and in order to conserve them, it is necessary to have initiatives that go beyond borders. Through this sister site partnership, we will encourage people to think and act on a global scale regarding their conservation and sustainable use. I have high hopes that our efforts will lead to a prosperous future.” Dr. Keiichi Nakazawa, Director of Wildlife Division, Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan emphasized, “Higashiyoka-higata became the 33rd Flyway Network Site in Japan in 2016, and it is one of Japan's most prominent migratory stopover and wintering sites for waterbirds, including endangered species such as Saunders’s gull, Black-faced spoonbill, and Common shelduck; making a treasure trove of biodiversity. We are very pleased that Qupałuk and Higashiyoka-higata have concluded the Sister Site Agreement under the EAAFP, and we would also like to express our sincere respect for the conservation efforts made to date. Our ministry will continue to support initiatives conducted for the migratory waterbird conservation between the two wetlands.” Qupałuk is located in the northeast of Teshekpuk Lake in the northeast corner of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska on the Arctic Coastal Plain in Alaska, U.S.A. The site covers over 21,000 hectares of near-pristine tundra, wetland, and open water habitat. Qupałuk hosts approximately 30,000 total nesting migratory birds and is an important habitat for molting geese and eiders. The site is home to a high density of nesting Dunlin, with an estimated population of 6,000. It is the second Flyway Network Site in the U.S.A and is the first managed by the Bureau of Land Management-Alaska. To the Iñupiat people, the Alasak Natives who have lived harmoniously on this land for millenia, Qupałuk means “small shorebird”. Qupałuk © Kiliii Yuyan Located on the northern shore of the Ariake Sea in Japan, Higashiyoka-higata has the largest remaining area of tidal flats in the country. The 218-hectare mudflat regularly supports 1% of the flyway population of Endangered Black-faced Spoonbill and Vulnerable Saunders’s Gull, and more than 10,000 migratory waterbirds visit the site annually. Higashiyoka-higata was also designated as a Ramsar Site in 2015. The area used to be called Daijugarami and the traditional knowledge, techniques and food culture were retained and passed on for many generations.   Higashiyoka-higata © Saga City, Japan The EAAFP Flyway Site Network was established to ensure a network of internationally important sites is sustainably managed to support the long-term survival of migratory waterbirds within the EAAF. To date, there are 152 Flyway Network Sites in EAAF. Under this network, the EAAFP Sister Site agreement offers a mechanism for Flyway Network Sites to collaborate closely on monitoring and research, capacity-building, sharing and exchanging information and experiences, and CEPA activities. Guidelines for the EAAFP Sister Site Program will be adopted during MOP11.   More information Flyway Site Network: https://www.eaaflyway.net/the-flyway/flyway-site-network/ Sister Site Programme: https://www.eaaflyway.net/sister-sites/    


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  • The 3rd Incheon-Hong Kong International East Asian-Australasian Black-faced Spoonbill Conservation Cooperation Forum

    11th 13:30 to 13th January 2023 (KST) *Note: The forum will ONLY be open to registered participants As one of the events under the…


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  • “Black-faced Spoonbills Connecting Children to the Future of Wetlands Project” by Team SPOON

    Team SPOON, a youth group to protect the Endangered Black-faced Spoonbill and create a peaceful society by…


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  • EAAFP MOP11 – 4th Notification to Partners

    With regards to the continuing COVID-19 global pandemic situation, international travel measures and restrictions imposed in many Partner countries, the Australian Government and BirdLife Australia have proposed revised dates regarding the hosting of MoP11 to the 12th -17th March, 2023 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The EAAFP Management Committee has accepted the generous hosting offer from the Australian co-hosts. The Management Committee also endorsed the Secretariat organizing a series of webinars to increase dialogue with and between Partners. This is also an opportunity for Partners to be briefed on important issues to be tabled for consideration at MoP11, including Activities of the Secretariat; Draft Guidelines for National/Site Partnerships and Sister Site Programme; Migratory Waterbird Conservation Status Review; Update on the ADB Regional Flyway Initiative; Briefing on the proposed Partner Reporting Template for MoP 11, etc. The webinars are proposed for June, 2022. Further notification and details will be announced in due course. The EAAFP Secretariat regrets any inconvenience caused by the postponement of MoP. The Secretariat will continue its work and update Partners, Working Groups and Task Forces on issues and the proposed decision papers related to MoP11 via email, the MoP11 webpage , and social media channels. Please feel free to contact the Secretariat at secretariat@eaaflyway.net for any relevant inquiries.


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  • 2021 in Review: Work and achievements of EAAFP Partners and Secretariat

    Development of the Flyway Site Network 1. Welcome Taehwa River in Ro Korea and Sarobetsu Wetland in Japan as New Flyway Network Sites In 2021, two new Flyway Network Sites…


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  • International Travellers to New Zealand

    In New Zealand international travel for people is virtually halted because of…


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