15-076 - US Dept of Agriculture - Wildlife Services

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Wildlife Services (WS) will receive funds from each participating member for the continuation of an egg addling program, lethal control and evaluation during spring and summer 2015. Using best management practices WS will carry out an egg addling program, seeking as many accessible nesting areas as possible and will make every effort to minimize damage to the surrounding environment. To request lethal control, WMC members must contact the WS District Supervisor or Assistant District Supervisor at 360- 337 -2778. WS will work with the member agency to determine if removal is warranted and if the location is suitable for removal operations. With the assistance of Wildlife Services, the WMC members will continue a yearly program to increase monitoring activities that will enhance our location and access of nests on public and private land and to facilitate expanded egg addling program, including advertisement of an addling and nesting location hotline number for the general public and others, posters and webpage advertising and other activities to keep the public well informed of the Waterfowl Management Program. WS will also implement a program of "lethal control" as requested by the Waterfowl Management Committee, subject to the terms and conditions of a permit to be issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This will be done on a case by case basis in situations where an over population of Canada geese may result in an impact on human health and safety, such as potable water contamination, bird aircraft strikes, disease transmission or other situations as determined by WMC members. WS will provide an annual report to the members of the WMC which will include information regarding egg addling, the general location of nests and number of eggs addled, number of geese removed, difficulties encountered and whatever other information would be valuable to the WMC. 2015 will be the twenty- second year of an egg addling program and the fourteenth year utilizing "lethal control ". All methods and tools utilized to accomplish addling and "lethal control" activities in 2014 . will again be used in 2015. WS will conduct a standardized monthly goose population survey of selected area parks and will annually conduct up to six goose surveys of Lake Washington by boat. As in previous years, census counts will be expanded using staff from local agencies and participants at times and places to be specified. Survey results will be presented annually to the WMC. Where possible, community outreach and educational programs such as `don't feed wildlife' and interpretive signage will be initiated to inform the public about urban Canada Geese, the associated problems, and the efforts of this committee at addressing those problems. n: staffosp \dh \waterfwl\agreemnt\tnter2015 3