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Wildlife
Preservation Bureau of Hokkaido Corporation :
Letter to SEIC regarding the impact of Sakhalin II development on individual breeding groups of Steller's Sea Eagles
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27 August 2003
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Mr. Stephen H. McVeigh
Chief Executive Officer
Sakhalin Energy Investment Company LTD.
Regarding the impact of Sakhalin II development on individual
breeding groups of Steller's Sea Eagles in northeastern Sakhalin
(provision of information and requests)
Every summer since 2000, the Wildlife Preservation Bureau of Hokkaido Corporation in partnership with Moscow State University, has conducted on-the-spot surveys of the breeding situation and behavior of Steller's sea eagles in northeastern Sakhalin. This year, from 16 July to 6 August, we conducted the fourth survey and the information from this survey is attached.
As a result of these surveys, we have confirmed that the number of individual breeding groups of Steller's sea eagles in Chaivo Bay is much larger than the number published in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) made public through such means as your company's homepage. Further, we have various information which makes us doubt the reliability of the EIA, a document which will certainly be used as important fundamental data for resolving the pros and cons and the environmental concerns of the development. From this information, it is clear that if present development continues unchanged, it will deal a devastating blow to the individual groups of Steller's sea eagles and very possibly contravene the Japan-Russia Migratory Bird Treaty.
Due to these concerns, the Wildlife Preservation Bureau of Hokkaido Corporation, makes the following requests to your company;
1) Make public the original data on which the EIA is based.
2) Disclose all information regarding the people involved in the survey and the methods used etc.
3) Conduct another detailed survey of rare species, such as the Steller's sea eagle, in the entire development area and immediately make the data public.
4) Establish a general conservation framework (proposal) based on the survey results and immediately make it public.
Please reply with your responses to these four requests by 15 September 2003.
Wildlife Preservation Bureau of Hokkaido Corporation
Norio Gomi, Director
(Person in Charge: Mr. Keisuke Saito, research manager & veterinarian)
Contact: 2-2101 Hokuto, Kushiro-shi, Hokkaido 084-0922, Japan
TEL:+81-154-56-2051 FAX:+81-154-56-2052
E-mail: k_saito@marimo.or.jp
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The Fourth Japan-Russia Steller's Sea Eagle Survey Report
(Summary Report)
Survey members:
Mr. Keisuke Saito, research manager and veterinarian at the Wildlife Preservation Bureau of Hokkaido Corporation (Japanese representative).
Professor Vladimir Masterov, Moscow State University (Russian representative).
Ms. Yukiko Watanabe, researcher and veterinarian at the Wildlife Preservation Bureau of Hokkaido Corporation.
Mr. Masateru Umemoto, Japanese Bird Banding Association.
(Other: HTB [Hokkaido Television Broadcasting Co., Ltd.] crew - 3 members; Yomiuri newspaper reporter - 1 member; NHK [Japan Broadcasting Corporation] crew - 3 members)
Survey area:
Every bay and river on the coast of northeastern Sakhalin, Russian Federation
Tagging survey:
Every bay of Piltun, Chaivo, and Dagi (Nyisky)
Tracking:
Every bay of Nabilsky, Lunskoye
Survey date:
16 July 2003 ~ 6 August 2003
Results (main points):
・ At Chaivo Bay, the center of oil and natural gas development,
the Sakhalin II EIA reports the existence of only five pairs
of Steller's sea eagles. However, we confirmed that at least three
times that number (15 pairs) have bred this year (including failures).
Due to time and access constraints, we could not survey the entire
bay area, so we suppose that in fact there are even more breeding
eagles living there. Further, there are many young non-breeding eagles
living in the area.
・ During the survey period, we caught and tagged a total of 19
nestlings. Of these, we fitted 14 nestlings from 9 treetop nests
with transmitters and tags (Russian leg rings).
・ In the southern area of Piltun Bay, where the Sakhalin II pipelines
are scheduled to be laid, we recognized and recorded Steller's
sea eagles (within the bay) and several whales thought to be Gray
Whales from their characteristics (on the open sea beach).
・ Visited the Sakhalin II road construction site in the western
area of Lunskoye Bay (entry by permission at checkpoint). We
recorded large-scale deforestation, destruction of marshland, large
volumes of muddy water runoff from road to river during rains, and
so on.
・ We have several pieces of evidence (documents, etc.) that the
number of pairs of Steller's sea eagles living at Chaivo Bay
is from three to seven times the number (five pairs) reported to
Sakhalin Energy as a result of the survey conducted by your company
for the purpose of drawing up the EIA (at least 17 pairs, at
most 35 pairs). From this information, it is supposed that the
number reported to Sakhalin Energy Company as a result of the EIA
survey was altered before being published. The number of pairs
reported in the survey reports submitted to the company is close
to the number of breeding pairs in Chaivo Bay calculated by our survey
group based on accumulated data (27 to 30 pairs). Further, this time
we confirmed 15 breeding pairs in one part of Chaivo Bay. Taking
this result and the survey range, etc. into consideration, this
is close to the supposed number of pairs.
We understand from surveys completed until now, that there are about eighty pairs breeding in the bay areas of northeastern Sakhalin, and we have found more than 200 nests. Also, including mature birds not involved in breeding, subadults, and juveniles, it is estimated that in summer, at least 250 Steller's sea eagles are living the coastal area of the bays (including the river mouth areas of inflowing rivers). We infer from survey results up until now that there are about 30 pairs of Steller's sea eagles living in Chaivo Bay, and we have confirmed even more subadult and juvenile birds.
These eagles rely mainly on the fish in the bays and rivers for food. This is a very important food source, particularly for breeding eagles raising nestlings, and so it is clear that environmental damage caused by development and accidents involving discharge of oil, etc. will have a huge impact on the survival of the species.
It is thought that the following will influence the eagles; direct damage to nesting environment and food sources' environment by development, noise, nighttime illumination, disturbance of breeding by people and vehicles, impact of oil spill accidents on food sources, and so on. Also, it is essential to consider the same concerns with regard to non-breeding pairs, subadult and juvenile birds, etc.
About 80% of the eagles which we fitted with transmitters in northeastern Sakhalin have been identified in Hokkaido, proving that the very same birds which are fully protected under Japanese law are threatened by a serious crisis in Sakhalin.
Steller's sea eagles are one of the species covered by the Japan-Russia Migratory Birds Act. It is possible that the oil field development at Sakhalin will have a serious impact on their existence (particularly on breeding). Now, we have various information which makes us doubt the reliability of the EIA, a document which will certainly be used as important fundamental data for resolving the pros and cons and the environmental concerns of the development. From this information, it is clear that if present development continues unchanged, it will deal a devastating blow to the individual groups of Steller's sea eagles and very possibly contravene the Japan-Russia Migratory Bird Treaty.
Due to these concerns, the Wildlife Preservation Bureau of Hokkaido Corporation, makes the following requests to your company, 1) make public the original data on which the EIA is based 2) disclose all information regarding the people involved in the survey and the methods used etc. 3) conduct another detailed survey of rare species, such as the Steller's sea eagle, in the entire development area and immediately make the data public 4) establish a general conservation framework (proposal) based on the survey results and immediately make it public.
(Attachments: Maps of the development area of northeastern Chaivo Bay and Steller's sea eagle's nesting places; Photographs of survey environment).
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