Falklands : Tristan Team to Attend ACAP Working Group
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 12.01.2006 (Article Archived on 26.01.2006)
The Environmental Committee confirmed that a group from Tristan da Cunha will attend a workshop in the Falklands from 12 to 15 March 2006.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT
By J. Brock (FINN)
A meeting of the Environmental Committee took place in the Liberation Room of the Secretariat at 1000hrs on Wednesday, 10 January 2006. In attendance was Cllr. Richard Davis (Chair), Cllr Mike Rendell, John Barton, Director of Fisheries, Phyl Rendell, Department of Mineral Resources, Manfred Keenleyside (PWD), Dominique Giudicelli (Environmental Planning Officer), Sally Blake (RBA), Nick Rendell (Graduate Trainee), and Fiona Wallace (Minutes). Apologies came from Grant Munro (Falklands Conservation).
The first rather urgent item was the Environmental Impact Assessment Report done by Desire Petroleum. (See relevant FINN Reports). It is out for public consultation but needs to be further publicised in the media.
Another matter – whether or not scientists should be able to overnight while doing bird counts, etc. on Beauchene Island. Only one member objected to this and not the whole group. The minute would be corrected.
Matters arising from the meeting held on 07 September 2005 were discussed, with Dominique Giudicelli saying she has written an amended management plan because Helen Ottley was rushed to complete it and it was not thoroughly thought through and did not address all the issues. More time was needed to complete the work. There ensued a discussion about whether or not the matter should also be discussed in Stanley Lands Committee as it was a land management document as well as an environmental one. Much of the opinion was that it should be an environmental document.
Another discussion about the fact Trout introduced into the river were killing off the native species and that those less than 2lbs had to be thrown back into the river. The situation would be monitored and dealt with should there be a problem. Again, the suggestion about reviewing the document in Stanley Lands Committee was raised.
“Dirt Tracking and other environmental damage could be monitored by aerial surveillance and photos. There was a draft plan for Gypsy Cove as it also was part of the common as well as the land over which the Murrell Road was being laid. The concern at Gypsy Cove was that tourists and locals were wearing down the paths and breaking down the Penguin boroughs. Another hot spot was at Cape Pembroke. A management plan for Cape Pembroke was sadly lacking as well. Dominique Giudicelli said it was critical to do some work at Cape Pembroke but there was only three people in the office. Fiona Wallace, with her interest and training as a planner has written a report and is seeking input from the Committee as well as others.
The second matter arising was request to shoot birds. People seeking a permit to kill them must submit a return after the cull is finished. Turkey Vultures and Striated Caracaras were being shot. In many cases, people haven’t shot anything. Aerial photos to do bird counts were discussed with the majority thinking it was a good idea where there couldn’t be an assessment on the ground. It was decided that they were accurate and played an important part in assessing the numbers. Ground based assessments would help to determine bird mortalities. The Environmental Studies budget provided some funding for the project.
There would be an ACAP workshop from 12 to 15 March, with representatives from British Overseas Territories as well as some from South America. JA contingent from Tristan da Cunha , consisting of James and Norman Glass, will attend this vital working group. John Barton would represent Falkland Islands Fisheries and Gordon Liddle would do the same for South Georgia Fisheries. One representative would come from South Africa. It was thought that the Falklands and South Georgia could persuade the others to use mitigation measures tat have been use in both fisheries for a number of years now.
There were four applications for research licences. The New Island South Conservation Trust has submitted a paper outlining their research that would assist conservation measures in the Falkland Islands. Their full ecosystem approach was unique and widely respected as the way forward. Researchers whose papers have not been received yet are Amy Van Buren for Johnny Rooks on Steeple Jason. She wants to additional research but it is difficult to contact her. ESRG has applied for a 5-year licence for research on Sea Lion Island and there was another request to do research on plovers and dotterels.
Those doing research must, as a provision of their licence, give a lecture and/or provide information about what they are doing to FIG.
The Environmental Studies budget has two phases. There is a bidding process on behalf of FIG, where a letter of support is needed. Key species are Striated Caracara and Turkey vultures. These birds worried sheep as well as killed the young lambs, taking out their eyes and tongue - thus, the need to cull some birds. A proposal would help to deal with the issue. £20,000.00 would be available for years one and two of any programme and £10,000.00 in year three. The research might include the Crested Caracara but if other species were added the discussion would come later. Another look at the policy was necessary before it is set in stone.
An extension to the refuge hut was needed but concerns were raised about people staying overnight on the island. FIG owns the nature reserve and it is thought that the iron-clad wooden framed hut could be a listed building as it has been on the island since the 1930s. If an overnight was needed, perhaps a tent and sleeping bag would do. The shanty has four wooden bunks and was in use recently with Dominique Giudicelli, Nick Rendell, Robin Woods and Sonya Felton staying over.
Nick Rendell, a graduate trainee, gave an update on the Falkland Islands and the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol. The Falkland Islands Government had been invited to join both but things seemed to have stalled because of up and coming negotiations with Defra but they were naïve about the Overseas Territories and wanted more information before they formulated a policy.
There were major issues at stake such as an emissions inventory but as a UK Overseas Territory there would be problems getting funding as the classification could be as a first world country with resources to cover many costs. Nick Rendell sent Defra e-mails and a letter in mid December but nothing has been heard yet. Harriet Hall had circulated an Overseas Territories briefing paper to other Overseas Territories in January and a response is awaited.
Sheep numbers had decreased from 720,000 to just below 600,000 since 1009 so some methane emissions had reduced. Funding may be procured for wind turbines, that would further reduce emissions. The heat recovery programme for the KEMH from the Power Station would also help reduce emissions. Less fuel would be used if houses were better insulated. It was noted that even new builds had average insulation and it could be better.
There were not as many recent Penguin Egging Licences issued as there had been in the past. Only Gentoo Eggs would be taken by licence. Farmers are managing their colonies. Dominique Giudicelli is happy that the trend for taking eggs is going down.
Visitors to gypsy Cove during tourist season could beas many as 600 a day. Tourists were not allowed on the beach because feeding penguins refrained from coming ashore to tend their chicks with people on the beach. Locals, however, can go on the beach but this causes difficulties when tourists are about. It is quietly suggested to locals to come back to the beach area when the tourists have gone.
A lot of work had to be done on the paths through the boroughs because people could slip and break through them. There was no money in the pot for funding some of the improvements and some money for others. The importance of having toilets on site was expressed with discussion about who would pay to paint them. Would it be Tourism? This needed to be discussed and money allocated.
In the final version of the draft management plan for Gypsy Cove an emphasis on funding would be paramount. With tourism numbers increasing, things are at a critical stage. The Draft Management plan is available from the Secretariat.
The Conservation Biodiversity programme had not been progressed. Andy Douse had produced a useful document that merely had to be re-vamped and updated.
The relationship between Falklands Conservation and the Falkland Islands Government needed to be clarified and a Memo of Understanding needs to be drafted. Falklands Conservation is looking for someone interested in doing it. This could be funded from the Environmental Studies budget.
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