The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) has conducted five aerial surveys around Vega in 2022 - 2023.
The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) has conducted five aerial surveys around Vega in 2022 - 2023. The counts have taken place at different times; from winter to breeding and molting season. The figures show a decline in the number of eider ducks in the area of more than 90 percent since the counts in the 1980s. The eider population around Vega thus follows the national trend. Today, the eider population is struggling along the entire Norwegian coast, and the species is listed as "vulnerable" on the Norwegian Red List.
There are several reasons for the decline since the 1980s; from the start, emigration from the islands and wild mink have declined significantly, while in recent years food availability has been reduced due to climate[1]change, increased boat traffic and increased land occupation at sea. Opening areas south of Vega for industrial kelp harvesting in 2022 led to protests from both the Vegaøyan World Heritage Foundation, Vega Protected Area Board and Vega municipality, without the World Heritage Site being removed from the area for trawling. The foundation, in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute, wanted to investigate whether kelp trawling could further negatively affect the eider population around Vega.
The aim was also to link location data of eider ducks with environmental data, especially depth and modeled occurrence of kelp forest, to better understand which areas are used by the species. Results from counts in 2022 and 2023 show low eider abundance in the area that was opened for kelp trawling during the breeding and moulting period and late fall. This area was not completely covered during the winter period, and NINA is therefore unable to comment on the importance of this area for eiders during the winter. NINA therefore concludes the report with a recommendation for further research on where eiders are located during the year. This may be relevant from 2025 when a new type of logger is fully tested.
Photo: Guri Dal/Norway's World Heritage
