Recovery Plan: Recovery Objective

Criterion 1: Increase and maintain for five years a total of 2,000 breeding pairs, distributed among the four recovery units as specified below:

Recovery Unit	Minimum Subpopulation
Atlantic Canada	400 pairs
New England	625 pairs
New York-New Jersey	575 pairs
Southern (DE-MD-VA-NC)	400 pairs

Attainment of these targets for each recovery unit will increase the probability of survival and recovery of the entire population by contributing to the population total, reducing vulnerability to environmental variation (including catastrophes), and increasing likelihood of interchange among recovery units. Attainment of the subpopulation goals stipulated above are particularly important for the Atlantic Canada and the Southern recovery units, because of their current small numbers (under 200 pairs each), sparse distribution over relatively large geographic areas, and potential to substantially contribute to the viability of the entire Atlantic Coast population.

Criterion 2: Verify the adequacy of a 2,000-pair population of piping plovers to maintain heterozygosity and allelic diversity over the long term. This may be accomplished through implementation of recovery task 3.8 (page 95). Although there is a high probability that this criterion can be satisfied, the potential risks due to loss of genetic diversity justify documentation of Ne/N.

Criterion 3: Achieve five-year average productivity of 1.5 fledged chicks per pair in each of the four recovery units described in criterion 1. Data to evaluate progress towards this criterion should be obtained from sites that collectively support at least 90% of the recovery unit's population. The PVA shows that a population of only 2,000 pairs would remain highly vulnerable to extinction unless average productivity is sustained above 1.5 chicks per pair. However, since the PVA is based on several assumptions that may underestimate survival rates for some or all recovery units and/or the percentage of one-year old adults that breed, this productivity figure may be revised downward if (1) it is demonstrated that survival rates are higher in some regions, and (2) a scientifically credible, stochastic model that incorporates the best available estimates of survival and other demographic variables shows that lower productivity rates will assure a 95% probability of survival for 100 years (see task 3.5). Adjustments to this criterion may be applied to the population as a whole or to one or more of the four recovery units, as supported by observed productivity and population trend data.

Criterion 4: Institute long-term agreements among cooperating agencies, landowners, and conservation organizations to assure protection and management sufficient to maintain the target populations in each recovery unit and average productivity specified in criteria 1 and 2. In addition to protection and management, these agreements should provide for adequate monitoring to effectively detect declines in productivity or population declines caused by decreasing survival rates. Agreements may allow for less than full protection of some piping plovers if it can be assured that these individuals are surplus to the maintenance of an evenly distributed, 2,000-breeding-pair population, with average productivity of 1.5 chicks per pair (or a revised productivity rate, as provided in criterion 3) in each recovery unit.

Criterion 5: Ensure long-term maintenance of wintering habitat, sufficient in quantity, quality, and distribution to maintain survival rates for a 2,000-pair population. This criterion may be satisfied through formal agreements or identification of sites free from significant identifiable threats.

Table 7 outlines the recovery tasks needed to meet these recovery criteria, and the Recovery Task section describes each of these tasks in detail.

Table 7. Recovery Task Outline

1.	Manage breeding piping plovers and habitat to maximize survival and productivity.
	1.1	Monitor status and management of Atlantic Coast piping plovers.
		1.11	Monitor population trends, productivity, and distribution in each recovery unit.
		1.12	Monitor plover breeding activities at nesting sites to identify limiting factors.
	1.2	Maintain natural coastal formation processes that perpetuate high quality breeding habitat..
		1.21	Discourage development that will destroy or degrade plover habitat.
		1.22	Discourage interference with natural processes of inlet formation, migration, and closure.
		1.23	Discourage beach stabilization projects.
		1.24	To compensate for disruption of natural processes, create and enhance nesting and feeding habitat, especially in the vicinity of existing stabilization projects.
			1.241	Encourage deposition of dredged material to enhance or create nesting habitat.
			1.242	Discourage vegetation encroachment at nesting sites.
			1.243	Draw down or create coastal ponds to make more feeding habitat available.
	1.3	Reduce disturbance of breeding plovers from humans and pets.
		1.31	Reduce pedestrian recreational disturbance.
			1.311	Fence and post areas used by breeding plovers as appropriate.
			1.312	Implement and enforce pet restrictions.
			1.313	Prevent disturbance from disruptive recreational activities on beaches where breeding plovers are present.
		1.32	Reduce disturbance, mortality, and habitat degradation caused by off-road vehicles, including beach-raking machines.
		1.33	Provide wardens and law enforcement officers to facilitate protective measures and public education.
	1.4	Reduce predation.
		1.41	Remove litter and garbage from beaches.
		1.42	Deploy predator exclosures to reduce egg predation where appropriate.
		1.43	Remove predators where warranted and feasible.
	1.5	Protect piping plovers and their breeding habitat from contamination and degradation due to oil or chemical spills.
	1.6	Develop mechanisms to provide long-term protection of plovers and their habitat.
		1.61	Provide intensive protection of breeding piping plovers on national wildlife refuges.
		1.62	Seek long-term agreements with landowners.
		1.63	Acquire important habitat if and when it becomes available.
		1.64	Ensure that any Section 10 permits issued contribute to Atlantic Coast piping plover conservation.
2.	Monitor and manage wintering and migration areas to maximize survival and recruitment in the breeding population.
	2.1	Monitor known and potential wintering sites.
		2.11	Monitor abundance and distribution of known wintering plovers.
		2.12	Survey beaches and other suitable habitat to determine additional wintering sites.
		2.13	Identify factors limiting the quantity and quality of habitat or its use by piping plovers at specific wintering sites.
	2.2	Protect essential wintering habitat by preventing habitat degradation and disturbance.
		2.21	Protect habitat from impacts of shoreline stabilization, navigation projects, and development.
		2.22	Protect wintering habitat from disturbance by recreationists and their pets.
		2.23	Protect piping plovers and their wintering habitat from contamination and degradation due to oil or chemical spills.
		2.24	Apprise resource/regulatory agencies of threats to wintering piping plovers and their habitats.
		2.25	Evaluate and update lists of essential wintering habitat as data become available.
		2.26	Provide for long-term protection of wintering habitat, including agreements with landowners and habitat acquisition.
	2.3	Protect piping plovers during migration.
		2.31	Identify important migration stop-over habitat.
		2.32	Identify and mitigate any factors that may be adversely affecting migratory stop-over habitat or its use by piping plovers.
3.	Undertake scientific investigations that will facilitate recovery efforts.
	3.1	Investigate the wintering ecology of piping plovers.
		3.11	Characterize wintering habitat.
		3.12	Determine the spatial and temporal use of wintering habitat.
		3.13	Evaluate foraging behavior and resources for specific microhabitats at wintering sites.
		3.14	Investigate the effects of human disturbance on wintering plovers.
	3.2	Refine characterization of plover breeding habitat.
		3.21	Compare plover foraging resources along Atlantic Coast breeding habitat.
		3.22	Determine moisture-related requirements for plovers and their chicks.
		3.23	Evaluate impacts of artificial inlet closure and other beach stabilization projects on piping plover breeding habitat suitability.
	3.3	Monitor levels of environmental contaminants in piping plovers.
	3.4	Develop and test new predator management techniques to protect nests and chicks.
		3.41	Develop and test conditioned aversion techniques.
		3.42	Extend testing of artificial coyote territories to exclude red foxes.
		3.43	Evaluate threats from ghost crabs and develop appropriate control techniques.
		3.44	Develop and test electric fences.
	3.5	Analyze population trends and productivity rates to monitor plover survival rates.
	3.6	Determine temporal distribution of plover mortality.
	3.7	Develop a metapopulation model that will estimate extinction probability for the Atlantic Coast piping plover population.
	3.8	Estimate effective population size for the Atlantic Coast piping plover population.
	3.9	Develop safe techniques for marking plovers.
4.	Develop and implement public information and education programs.
	4.1	Develop new and updated piping plover information and education materials.
	4.2	Establish a network for distribution of information and education materials.
5.	Review progress towards recovery annually and revise recovery efforts as appropriate.

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Last updated March 15, 2000