Towards community driven monitoring and management of seabirds The case of Northern fulmar in the Faroe Islands

Description

In a number of rural communities in the Faroe Islands, seabirds constitute an important source of food and income. The fowling (harvesting) of seabirds targets several species, and one of these is Northern fulmar. Young fulmars are a sought-after speciality food. During a typical season, an estimated 100.000 fulmars are caught and traded over a period of one or two weeks. Previously, the hunting of fulmar was undertaken on a small-scale basis and mainly for subsistence. In recent years, the scale of the hunting has increased and the harvest has become increasingly commercial. There are no oversight or regulations in place. Hunters could play a central role in observing and managing the populations of fulmar and other seabirds. A potential tool to engage in meaningful dialogue with the hunters, to provide the hunters with a ‘voice’, and to encourage locally-owned management of the seabird resources is Community Based Monitoring (CBM). I describe the current and planned efforts to establish a foundation for constructive interaction between local hunters and the central biodiversity management authorities in the Faroes. The presentation will touch upon key components of maintaining a sustainable seabird harvest, while at the same time further strengthening local appreciation of the importance of sustainable use of our bountiful marine environment.

Period	24 Feb 2023
Held at	Umhvørvisstovan - The Faroese Environment Agency
Degree of Recognition	International