From Concept to Implementation:Moving Towards Coherence in

Waterfowl Management

Jim RingelmanDucks Unlimited, Inc.

Waterfowl management… a complex business

Harvest Habitat

Harvest HabitatHabitat affects size of waterfowl populations

Harvest HabitatHarvest pressure affects use of habitat

Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations

Harvest Habitat

Hunters

Harvest pressure affects use of habitat

Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations

Perceived desires of hunters drive harvest

managem

ent decisions

Harvest Habitat

Hunters

Harvest pressure affects use of habitat

Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations

Realized and potential harvest opportunity

affect hunter satisfaction

Perceived desires of hunters drive harvest

managem

ent decisions

Harvest Habitat

Hunters

Harvest pressure affects use of habitat

Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations

Habi

tat a

ffect

s hu

nter

sat

isfac

tion

by p

rovid

ing

plac

es

to h

unt a

nd d

eter

min

ing

the

dist

ribut

ion

and

abun

danc

e of

bird

sRealized and potential harvest opportunity

affect hunter satisfaction

Perceived desires of hunters drive harvest

managem

ent decisions

Harvest Habitat

Hunters

Harvest pressure affects use of habitat

Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations

Hunt

ers

prov

ide

finan

cial a

nd p

olitic

al s

uppo

rt

for h

abita

t pro

gram

s

Habi

tat a

ffect

s hu

nter

sat

isfac

tion

by p

rovid

ing

plac

es

to h

unt a

nd d

eter

min

ing

the

dist

ribut

ion

and

abun

danc

e of

bird

sRealized and potential harvest opportunity

affect hunter satisfaction

Perceived desires of hunters drive harvest

managem

ent decisions

How well do we understand the interactions?

How important is one relative to the others? Do we understand the underlying drivers? What are the implications to waterfowl

management if one or more linkages weakens or disappears?

Is there a need for structured decision-making to ensure coordination and coherence?

How well do we understand the interactions?

Turning Point QuestionWhen you have a choice of whether or not

to use information from models to make management decisions, you:

1. Use models a little 2. Use models some; mostly other factors 3. Give equal weight to models and other

factors 4. Use models heavily, along with other factors 5. Use models almost exclusively

Intuitive (implicit) models often create confusion and controversy

The Adaptive Harvest Management lesson Biological uncertainties Agree on process; competing models

The scaup controversy Why restrict hunting when harvest has nothing

to do with the scaup decline? A need to incorporate habitat variables

We’re going to lose diving duck hunters and destroy waterfowling traditions

A need for hunter objectives

Desired outcomes from structured decision-making

Coherent objectives Harvest, habitat, and hunter objectives that

all flow together Coherent models

Integrated models that link habitat changes to demographic changes to continental population status to harvest potential

Coherent monitoring Monitoring of habitat, population, harvest,

and hunter satisfaction in an integrated way

Coherent management actions Habitat management, harvest regulations,

and interactions with hunters, all of which are mutually reinforcing

Desired outcomes from structured decision-making

Implications of structured decision-making

Coherence will require explicit, multiple objectives

Multiple objectives will lead to multiple tradeoffs

Structured decision-making offers: Transparent goals and assumptions The opportunity for formal, integrated models A greater opportunity for learning Increased management efficiencies

Where to from here?

Explore linkages among harvest, habitat and hunters Mike Runge – harvest in the context of habitat

and hunters John Eadie – habitat in the context of harvest

and hunters Andy Raedeke – hunters in the context of habitat

and harvest From the established/familiar to the un-

established/less familiar; not necessarily in rank order of importance!

Expectations Think strategically, not tactically

Don’t lose sight of the big picture Be open-minded and objective Be inquisitive and creative Be a participant, not an observer

Keep expectations realistic May not leave with solutions Hope to identify a clear path forward Complex, difficult task

The potential upsides… “Better” waterfowl population and habitat

objectives Derived from explicit estimates of the quantity of

birds desired for harvest, and in consideration of environmental and social objectives

“Simpler” hunting regulations Potential for a harvest strategy that does not

chase populations in response to uncontrollable, short-term environmental conditions

“More effective” management Coordinated population, habitat, and hunter

objectives lead to more efficient use of staff and help stretch shrinking budgets