Reduce Caspian Tern Nesting Area

Corps Seeking Comment On Plans To Again Reduce Caspian Tern Nesting Area On East Sand Island
he U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public comments on its recently released draft environmental assessment of Caspian tern habitat reduction on East Sand Island in the Columbia River estuary near Chinook, Wash.

The Corps proposes to reduce the Caspian tern nesting area on East Sand Island from 1.58 to 1.08 acres to decrease the number of nesting pairs on the island and, as a result, reduce tern predation on passing juvenile salmon and steelhead that are listed under the federal Endangered Species.

The draft EA assesses potential impact on birds, fish and other ecosystem components of a reduction in available habitat and of a no action alternative. Comments received by Feb. 21 will be assessed and a final EA produced over the course of the winter.

It is hoped the National Environmental Policy Act process can be completed before the migratory birds arrive this spring to nest, said Corps project manager Sondra Ruckwardt.

The island has in recent years been home to what is believed to be the largest colony of nesting Caspian terns in the world.

The desired reduction in nesting pairs is in response to .... http://www.cbbulletin.com/429585.aspx

Gill net them!

If my understanding that the island is 100% man made is accurate then why only eliminate approximately one third of the breeding area? Someone else on that OR board already suggested giving the island a buzz cut so it is covered during high tide. I think he got it right.

Curious if a couple of families of racoons, fox, or coyotes let loose on the island during nesting would take care of the problem naturally?

or a few feral hogs....

The hogs are good idea and think of the Bar-B-Q we could have after terns are turned into pork.

That pork may taste like fish. I cooked a couple of sea gulls one time and they had a strong fish taste to them. I suppose the hogs eating tern eggs might not be as bad but they might acquire a fish flavor from the eggs. Anyway I don't particularly like meat ,other than fish, that tastes like fish so the idea of a Bar-B Q sounds a little fishy to me.

Eggs do not taste like fish, they taste like eggs.