3.11 Pelagic Seabirds
Tis improves chances of achieving conservation goals, improves efciency, and prevents duplication of efort.
• Continue and expand cooperation between NOAA Fisheries and the appropriate state agencies to facilitate marine species management, protection, and research, especially for listed species.
• Support and assist in the attainment of the goals, objectives, strategies, and perfor- mance measures set forth in the NOAA Fisheries Strategic Plan (NOAA 2003).
• Support the recommendations put forth in the CHPP (Street et al. 2004) to promote fsheries habitat protection in North Carolina and to facilitate the necessary policy decisions. • Coordinate between NOAA Fisheries and NCDMF to evaluate interactions between marine mammals, sea turtles, and fshing gear and develop gear modifcations where needed. • Continue cooperation with fsheries resource managers, commercial fshermen, and regulatory agencies to reduce bycatch and unintentional take of protected marine resources (e.g., explore diamondback terrapin bycatch in crab pots).
3.11 Pelagic Seabirds 3.11.1 Introduction
Pelagic seabirds are those species that spend long periods away from land and obtain all or most of their food from the sea while fying, swimming, or diving (Nettleship 1977, 1991) and come to land only to breed. In general, these species are seen primarily away from the sight of land, and thus are typically seen only from boats and ships when in North Carolina waters. Since 1991, the Black-capped, Herald, and Fea’s petrels have been recorded annu- ally and photographed on numerous occasions of North Carolina (Brinkley 2012) . Te Gulf Stream, a warmwater current that runs roughly parallel to the NC coast, is a critical region for pelagic birds in North Carolina between the months of May and October (especially that segment ofshore from Oregon Inlet to south of Cape Hatteras) due to the interplay with the southbound Labrador Current, which creates an upwelling of nutrient-rich waters. Key pelagic species within this Gulf Stream region include the Black-capped Petrel and other tubenoses (family Procellariidae). Cold inshore waters are a critical zone during winter. Key pelagic species associated with this region include Northern Gannet and alcids (family Alcidae).
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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