Hunting for the optimal hunt - Contributions to a sustainable harvest strategy for pink-footed geese

• Main Author: Jensen, Gitte Høj
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Aarhus University 2015
• Subjects: adaptive management; pink-footed geese; SP-NOV; hunting organisation; hunting practises; MODIS satellite picture; snow conditions; dynamic-optimisation; demographic population models; Norway; Svalbard; Anser brachyrhynchus; Pink-footed Goose; Tundra
• Online Access: https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/hunting-for-the-optimal-hunt--contributions-to-a-sustainable-harvest-strategy-for-pinkfooted-geese(021102bf-330c-4283-adcc-eb06ae81b40f).html; https://pure.au.dk/ws/files/85998467/PRINT_VERSION_AfhandlingGitteHojJensen.pdf

As part of the recently endorsed African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird (AEWA) International Species Management Plan for the Svalbard population of the pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus, a stable population target of 60,000 (current population is c. 80,000 during 2011-2013) has been agreed in order to reduce conflicts with agriculture and degradation of tundra vegetation in Svalbard. The population target shall be achieved through an adaptive harvest management (AHM) framework and optimization of hunting practices and organisation. The objective of this thesis has been to support the development of the AHM plan. This has been done at the flyway level by developing demographic population models and exploring the application of dynamic optimization methods to find an optimal management strategy. At the local and regional levels I explored effects of hunting practises and organisation at one of the main stopover and hunting sites in mid-Norway