Conservation Plan

Kaua‘i Seabird Habitat Conservati on Plan

By: Chris Takeno

The draft Kaua‘i Seabird Habitat Conservation Plan (KSHCP) was developed as a requirement to the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and corresponding Hawai’i law under Chapter 195D, Hawai’i Revised Statues for the incidental take of endangered and threatened species.

Under the ESA, “take” is defi ned as to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect, or attempt to engage in any such conduct (16 USC §1532(19)).

The endangered and threatened species covered in the KSHCP are: Newell’s shearwater, Hawaiian petrel, band-rump storm petrel and the green sea turtle. Princeville nceville Resort Kaua‘i; Kaua‘i Marriott Resort; Kaua‘i Coff ee Company, LLC; Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort; County of Kaua‘i; Hawai‘i Department of Transportation and Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.

Each participant has properties (or in the case of NCL a ship) which must adhere to the requirements in the KSHCP; pay for the construction and management of the seabird preserve; and annually report minimization activities and seabird monitoring.

activities such as: KSHCP addresses KSHCP addresse

• the placement and operation of light structures that can cause disorientation of fl edgling and adult seabirds, and honu hatchlings; • the placement and operation of new or future lights that have similar eff ects; and • conservation measures to mitigate the impacts of the taking on the covered species. One goal of the KSHCP is to minimize take impacts to the seabirds caused by nighttime lighting to the maximum extent practicable (MEP). Artifi cial lights disorients seabirds at night, especially young birds (or fl edglings) who take fl ight for the fi rst time.

They have been observed fl ying around light sources and known to collide with power lines (or other objects), or eventually tire and land. This phenomenon, especially for fl edglings is called “fallout,” and the fallout season is midSeptember to mid-December.

In addition, a seabird preserve will be constructed and managed near the Kalalau Valley rim on Kaua‘i for the net recovery benefi t of the species aff ected.

The KSHCP has eight participants collectively under one conservation plan: NCL; The If a downed or injured bird is not found and recovered in a timely manner they can be easy prey for feral cats.

Some of the measures to minimize take impacts are to turn off lights if not needed; use shielding