Protecting Birds in a Changing Ocean: How California Marine IBAs Can Guide Ocean Planning

Yearly, birds journey extraordinary distances to achieve the productive coastal waters of California, the place they rely upon essential marine and coastal habitats acknowledged as Vital Chook Areas (IBAs). Sooty Shearwaters undertake one in all Earth’s longest migrations, breeding in New Zealand earlier than crossing the huge Pacific Ocean to feed in locations like Monterey Bay, the place they forage offshore throughout the Piedras Blancas Marine IBA close to Cambria. Elegant Terns journey as far south as Chile, however some first feast in locations like Aramburu Island in Richardson Bay, a part of Audubon’s sanctuary, and nest and forage throughout the Palos Verdes Marine IBA, an space that helps an estimated two % of the worldwide inhabitants. IBAs are way more than strains on a map—they replicate unimaginable chook journeys and assist us defend the locations birds like Sooty Shearwaters and Elegant Terns rely upon all through their outstanding migration cycle.

What are Vital Chook Areas (IBAs)?

Vital Chook Areas are websites recognized utilizing a world standardized, science-based standards that acknowledge locations important for breeding, migrating, and wintering birds. The worldwide IBA program was established by BirdLife Worldwide in 1979 and managed by the Nationwide Audubon Society within the U.S. for the reason that early Nineties. Now 14,000 IBAs have been acknowledged throughout 200 nations, and Audubon has helped set up 2,800 throughout the U.S (read more about IBAs here)

These IBAs establish habitats that assist important populations of birds, whether or not breeding colonies, migratory stopover websites, or wealthy feeding areas within the ocean. Utilized by Audubon conservation groups, scientists, coverage specialists, and chapters in addition to federal companies and NGOs, IBAs are a strong device to information conservation priorities on a neighborhood to hemispheric scale. These important areas are referenced in every thing from Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and fishery laws to national monument designations.

Why California’s Marine IBAs Matter

California’s coastal and offshore waters kind one of many world’s richest marine ecosystems, formed by ocean circumstances that create productive habitats. Monterey Bay, for instance, has a deep submarine canyon and seasonal upwelling that, mixed with the southward flowing California Present, brings chilly nutrient-rich waters to the floor. This ends in plankton blooms that assist spectacular faculties of fish and different marine life, attracting species just like the Ashy Storm-Petrel, Black-footed Albatross, Laysan Albatross, and Pink-footed Shearwater that collect offshore to feed.

The 18 Marine IBAs in California, together with the Monterey Bay and San Mateo Coast IBA, acknowledge and highlight these “habitat hotspots” that assist excessive concentrations of seabirds and different marine wildlife. As an easy-to-understand, science-backed framework, the IBAs assist decision-makers and companions think about the impacts of actions offshore.

Updating Marine IBAs and the Way forward for Offshore Wind

As California transitions to wash vitality, offshore wind vitality has emerged as an essential renewable vitality supply with the potential to generate massive quantities of electrical energy. In truth, the potential capability for offshore wind technology represents greater than triple the mixed producing capability of all U.S energy crops presently in operation (read more here). Audubon is working with companies and builders to advocate for insurance policies that prioritize wildlife safety and guarantee offshore wind is deployed responsibly (read more about birds and offshore wind here). 

In California, the Bureau of Ocean Vitality Administration (BOEM) has designated two Wind Vitality Areas off the north coast in Humboldt and off the central coast in Morro Bay. Marine IBAs are extra related than ever to assist Audubon consider how offshore wind vitality improvement might have an effect on essential chook habitats and advocate for insurance policies that guarantee clear vitality is developed in ways in which keep away from and scale back impacts on seabirds and the marine ecosystems they depend on.

To assist accountable offshore wind siting, we up to date California IBA maps to grasp how seabirds are presently utilizing California’s marine setting. The unique maps included overlapping boundaries that have been tough to interpret and species inhabitants estimates that doubtless underestimated seabird use in these massive offshore areas. For the reason that unique IBA estimates have been quantified, NOAA has developed fashions that we used to calculate extra correct estimates of populations throughout the marine IBAs. We refined IBA boundaries and up to date species inhabitants estimates utilizing long- time period predicted seabird density fashions developed by NOAA and companions from 21 survey datasets, together with aerial and ship-based at-sea chook counts, that have been collected between 1980 and 2017 (entry NOAA report here).

The up to date IBAs present a extra correct image of seabird use throughout California’s IBAs. When evaluating potential impacts of the Morro Bay Wind Vitality Space, we now see that the Even Keel Wind lease space overlaps with Piedras Blancas IBA, which helps an estimated inhabitants of 10,550 Sooty Shearwaters. Understanding this overlap permits us to establish methods to attenuate potential impacts to this species. For instance, we are able to analysis when and at what peak Sooty Shearwaters are flying all year long, in addition to consider whether or not turbine lights might assist them detect and keep away from these buildings. These insights can inform how the lease space is designed and operated to scale back danger to birds. Up to date estimates like these present a quantitative, science-backed basis to assist advocacy and information accountable offshore wind vitality improvement.

How Will You Use IBAs?

Marine IBAs are a strong device for understanding and defending the locations birds rely upon most. We invite you to explore the IBA Hub to find Vital Chook Areas close to you and find out how these areas assist seabirds and their habitats.

By sharing this info together with your communities, native companions, and decision-makers, you’ll be able to assist make sure that IBAs inform conservation efforts and information accountable ocean planning. Collectively, we are able to advocate for insurance policies that defend birds and the habitats they depend on now and into the longer term!

For extra details about California’s Marine IBAs or questions on methods to use them in your work, please contact Keilani Bonis-Ericksen at k.bonisericksen@audubon.org.