[SEMCO] [Mass Audubon] Sea Ducks & Mussel Depredation - This Saturday - FREE at the Chatham Community Center

[Amy Fleischer]

Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
invites you a FREE talk at the Chatham Community Center (http://goo.gl/maps/MXj6O)

Saturday, December 1, 2 - 3 p.m.
Sea Duck Predation on Mussel Farms: Responding to Escalating Conflict
Samantha Richman, PhD, University of Rhode Island

Mussels are a principle prey item for sea ducks, like Common Eider and Scoters, which take advantage of mussel farms that provide a highly abundant and easily accessible food source. Mussel growers have adopted several scare tactics to deter the sea ducks, yet even so, their methods have not been very successful. Samantha Richman, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Natural Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island, has been working for two years to develop conservation-friendly and cost-effective methods to reduce sea duck predation on mussel aquaculture. Dr. Richman will share the story of the sea ducks and mussels, along with her research, in this illustrated presentation.

Mass Audubon/Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary has a new project studying the interactions between mussels and birds in Chatham as the town struggles with eider depredation of the valuable wild mussel beds. "This summer we mapped the existing mussel beds and the locations of feeding American oystercatchers and red knots," says science coordinator Mark Faherty."Now we hope to field some volunteers in the Chatham area who will observe and note the feeding locations of the eiders as their numbers build into the winter. We'll provide training and even lend a scope if necessary." Our goal is to get a complete picture of all the pressures on the resource.

If you'd like to become part of this new citizen science project, please email or call volunteer coordinator Diane Silverstein at dsilverstein at massaudubon.org.

Samantha Richman is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Natural Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island. She obtained both her Master's and Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming where she began her research on the feeding behavior and diving physiology of waterfowl, specifically Lesser Scaup, White-winged Scoters, Common and Spectacled Eider. Her research then led her to Quebec where she worked at a Fisheries and Oceans Canada Marine Lab (equivalent to our NOAA) on developing conservation-friendly and cost-effective methods to reduce sea duck predation on mussel aquaculture for two years before returning to the US and is now at URI where she is expanding her research to include Arctic geese.

No registration is required, but you may call to reserve a space in advance: 508.349.2615.  Our November/ December program brochure can be viewed here: http://www.massaudubon.org/PDF/newsletters/Wellfleet_Bay_233.pdf

Please let me know if you have any questions, or suggestions about future programs. I hope to see you at the sanctuary soon!

Best wishes,
Amy


Amy Fleischer, Education Director/ Public Programs Coordinator
Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
PO Box 236, South Wellfleet, MA 02663
afleischer at massaudubon.org<mailto:afleischer at massaudubon.org>
508-349-2615, ext 114
Office Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Protecting the Nature of Massachusetts
www.massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay<http://www.massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay>

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