Availability of the Recovery Plan for the Alaska-Breeding Population of the Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability of the final recovery plan for the threatened Alaska- breeding population of the Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri). The threatened Alaska-breeding population of Steller's eiders occurs in disjunct coastal and marine areas in northern and western Alaska. Although formerly locally common in portions of western and northern Alaska, they have nearly disappeared from western Alaska, and only hundreds or low thousands exist in northern Alaska. Causes of the decline are poorly understood. Recovery tasks include reduction of exposure to lead shot and other forms of human-caused mortality, acquisition of information on population parameters and ecology, re- establishment of the western Alaska subpopulation, and development of partnerships for recovery efforts.