1 Indicator category

[Fill by hand, needs decision by Council]

2 Indicator name

Seabird diet and productivity - New England

Includes variable(s): EER COTE Amphipod, EER COTE Bluefish, EER COTE Butterfish, EER COTE Euphausiid, EER COTE Hake, EER COTE Herring, EER COTE Lumpfish, EER COTE Mackerel, EER COTE Other Fish, EER COTE Other Invertebrate, EER COTE Pollock, EER COTE Productivity, EER COTE Sandlance, EER COTE Silverside, EER COTE Three-spined Stickleback, EER COTE Unknown Fish, EER COTE Unknown Invertebrate, JI COTE Amphipod, JI COTE Bluefish, JI COTE Butterfish, JI COTE Euphausiid, JI COTE Hake, JI COTE Herring, JI COTE Lumpfish, JI COTE Mackerel, JI COTE Other Fish, JI COTE Other Invertebrate, JI COTE Pollock, JI COTE Productivity, JI COTE Sandlance, JI COTE Silverside, JI COTE Three-spined Stickleback, JI COTE Unknown Fish, JI COTE Unknown Invertebrate, MR COTE Amphipod, MR COTE Bluefish, MR COTE Butterfish, MR COTE Euphausiid, MR COTE Hake, MR COTE Herring, MR COTE Lumpfish, MR COTE Mackerel, MR COTE Other Fish, MR COTE Other Invertebrate, MR COTE Pollock, MR COTE Productivity, MR COTE Sandlance, MR COTE Silverside, MR COTE Three-spined Stickleback, MR COTE Unknown Fish, MR COTE Unknown Invertebrate, OGI COTE Amphipod, OGI COTE Bluefish, OGI COTE Butterfish, OGI COTE Euphausiid, OGI COTE Hake, OGI COTE Herring, OGI COTE Lumpfish, OGI COTE Mackerel, OGI COTE Other Fish, OGI COTE Other Invertebrate, OGI COTE Pollock, OGI COTE Productivity, OGI COTE Sandlance, OGI COTE Silverside, OGI COTE Three-spined Stickleback, OGI COTE Unknown Fish, OGI COTE Unknown Invertebrate, PINWR COTE Amphipod, PINWR COTE Bluefish, PINWR COTE Butterfish, PINWR COTE Euphausiid, PINWR COTE Hake, PINWR COTE Herring, PINWR COTE Lumpfish, PINWR COTE Mackerel, PINWR COTE Other Fish, PINWR COTE Other Invertebrate, PINWR COTE Pollock, PINWR COTE Productivity, PINWR COTE Sandlance, PINWR COTE Silverside, PINWR COTE Three-spined Stickleback, PINWR COTE Unknown Fish, PINWR COTE Unknown Invertebrate, SINWR COTE Amphipod, SINWR COTE Bluefish, SINWR COTE Butterfish, SINWR COTE Euphausiid, SINWR COTE Hake, SINWR COTE Herring, SINWR COTE Lumpfish, SINWR COTE Mackerel, SINWR COTE Other Fish, SINWR COTE Other Invertebrate, SINWR COTE Pollock, SINWR COTE Productivity, SINWR COTE Sandlance, SINWR COTE Silverside, SINWR COTE Three-spined Stickleback, SINWR COTE Unknown Fish, SINWR COTE Unknown Invertebrate, STI COTE Amphipod, STI COTE Bluefish, STI COTE Butterfish, STI COTE Euphausiid, STI COTE Hake, STI COTE Herring, STI COTE Lumpfish, STI COTE Mackerel, STI COTE Other Fish, STI COTE Other Invertebrate, STI COTE Pollock, STI COTE Productivity, STI COTE Sandlance, STI COTE Silverside, STI COTE Three-spined Stickleback, STI COTE Unknown Fish, STI COTE Unknown Invertebrate

3 Indicator brief description

Common tern annual diet and productivity at seven Gulf of Maine colonies managed by the National Audubon Society’s Seabird Restoration Program

4 Indicator visualization

GOM common tern average productivity (fledglings per nest) across 7 colonies has varied over time. The pattern is similar to that observed for fish condition (high before 2000, lower 2001-2009, higher/variable since 2010. Productivity is affected by both food and predation mortality. While data on predation is lacking, productivity lows in 2004-2006 were associated with the abundance of euphausiids, and the 2018 productivity low with butterfish in tern diets. The presence of butterfish in tern diets reflects the extension of this warm water species into GOM. Due to their thin, deep body form, butterfish are often difficult for small seabird chicks to ingest and swallow, causing chicks to starve and/or parent birds to increase foraging effort. 2020 was a challenging year for terns raising chicks. While diet composition was similar to the long term average, the quantity of food readily available was apparently less than normal, particularly around the time of chick hatching. This may have been confounded by cold, wet weather when chicks would normally be close to fledging in mid-to-late July. Anecdotal observations showed that feeding rates were low at both those times.

## [1] "This indicator is for New England only."
## [1] "This indicator is for New England only."
## [1] "This indicator is for New England only."

5 Indicator documentation

5.1 Are indicators available for others to use (data downloadable)?

## Yes

5.1.1 Where can indicators be found?

## Data: https://noaa-edab.github.io/ecodata/index.html 
## Description:  https://noaa-edab.github.io/catalog/seabird_ne.html 
## Technical documentation:  https://noaa-edab.github.io/tech-doc/seabird_ne.html

5.1.2 How often are they updated? Are future updates likely?

[need sequential look at datasets for update frequency. Future requires judgement]

5.1.3 Who is the contact?

Don Lyons,

5.2 Gather indicator statistics

5.2.1 Units

## no Units field

5.2.2 Length of time series, start and end date, periodicity

General overview: Spring and summer seabird breeding season

Indicator specifics:

Indicator

EPU

StartYear

EndYear

NumYears

MissingYears

EER COTE Amphipod

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Bluefish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Butterfish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Euphausiid

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Hake

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Herring

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Lumpfish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Mackerel

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Other Fish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Pollock

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Productivity

GOM

1991

2024

33

1

EER COTE Sandlance

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Silverside

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

EER COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

JI COTE Amphipod

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Bluefish

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Butterfish

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Euphausiid

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Hake

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Herring

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Lumpfish

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Mackerel

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Other Fish

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Pollock

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Productivity

GOM

1991

2024

31

3

JI COTE Sandlance

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Silverside

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

JI COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

1991

2024

34

0

MR COTE Amphipod

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Bluefish

GOM

2003

2024

21

1

MR COTE Butterfish

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Euphausiid

GOM

2003

2024

21

1

MR COTE Hake

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Herring

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Lumpfish

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Mackerel

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Other Fish

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Pollock

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Productivity

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Sandlance

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Silverside

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

MR COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Amphipod

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Bluefish

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Butterfish

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Euphausiid

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Hake

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Herring

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Lumpfish

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Mackerel

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Other Fish

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Pollock

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Productivity

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Sandlance

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Silverside

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

OGI COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

2003

2024

22

0

PINWR COTE Amphipod

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Bluefish

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Butterfish

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Euphausiid

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Hake

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Herring

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Lumpfish

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Mackerel

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Other Fish

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Pollock

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Productivity

GOM

2000

2024

23

2

PINWR COTE Sandlance

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Silverside

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

PINWR COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

1999

2024

25

1

SINWR COTE Amphipod

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Bluefish

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Butterfish

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Euphausiid

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Hake

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Herring

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Lumpfish

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Mackerel

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Other Fish

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Pollock

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Productivity

GOM

1992

2024

33

0

SINWR COTE Sandlance

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Silverside

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

SINWR COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

1992

2024

25

8

STI COTE Amphipod

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Bluefish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Butterfish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Euphausiid

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Hake

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Herring

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Lumpfish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Mackerel

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Other Fish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Pollock

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Productivity

GOM

1988

2024

32

5

STI COTE Sandlance

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Silverside

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

STI COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

1988

2024

36

1

5.2.3 Spatial location, scale and extent

General overview: Gulf of Maine coastal areas

Indicator specifics:

Indicator

EPU

EER COTE Amphipod

GOM

EER COTE Bluefish

GOM

EER COTE Butterfish

GOM

EER COTE Euphausiid

GOM

EER COTE Hake

GOM

EER COTE Herring

GOM

EER COTE Lumpfish

GOM

EER COTE Mackerel

GOM

EER COTE Other Fish

GOM

EER COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

EER COTE Pollock

GOM

EER COTE Productivity

GOM

EER COTE Sandlance

GOM

EER COTE Silverside

GOM

EER COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

EER COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

EER COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

JI COTE Amphipod

GOM

JI COTE Bluefish

GOM

JI COTE Butterfish

GOM

JI COTE Euphausiid

GOM

JI COTE Hake

GOM

JI COTE Herring

GOM

JI COTE Lumpfish

GOM

JI COTE Mackerel

GOM

JI COTE Other Fish

GOM

JI COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

JI COTE Pollock

GOM

JI COTE Productivity

GOM

JI COTE Sandlance

GOM

JI COTE Silverside

GOM

JI COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

JI COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

JI COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

MR COTE Amphipod

GOM

MR COTE Bluefish

GOM

MR COTE Butterfish

GOM

MR COTE Euphausiid

GOM

MR COTE Hake

GOM

MR COTE Herring

GOM

MR COTE Lumpfish

GOM

MR COTE Mackerel

GOM

MR COTE Other Fish

GOM

MR COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

MR COTE Pollock

GOM

MR COTE Productivity

GOM

MR COTE Sandlance

GOM

MR COTE Silverside

GOM

MR COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

MR COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

MR COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

OGI COTE Amphipod

GOM

OGI COTE Bluefish

GOM

OGI COTE Butterfish

GOM

OGI COTE Euphausiid

GOM

OGI COTE Hake

GOM

OGI COTE Herring

GOM

OGI COTE Lumpfish

GOM

OGI COTE Mackerel

GOM

OGI COTE Other Fish

GOM

OGI COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

OGI COTE Pollock

GOM

OGI COTE Productivity

GOM

OGI COTE Sandlance

GOM

OGI COTE Silverside

GOM

OGI COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

OGI COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

OGI COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

PINWR COTE Amphipod

GOM

PINWR COTE Bluefish

GOM

PINWR COTE Butterfish

GOM

PINWR COTE Euphausiid

GOM

PINWR COTE Hake

GOM

PINWR COTE Herring

GOM

PINWR COTE Lumpfish

GOM

PINWR COTE Mackerel

GOM

PINWR COTE Other Fish

GOM

PINWR COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

PINWR COTE Pollock

GOM

PINWR COTE Productivity

GOM

PINWR COTE Sandlance

GOM

PINWR COTE Silverside

GOM

PINWR COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

PINWR COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

PINWR COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

SINWR COTE Amphipod

GOM

SINWR COTE Bluefish

GOM

SINWR COTE Butterfish

GOM

SINWR COTE Euphausiid

GOM

SINWR COTE Hake

GOM

SINWR COTE Herring

GOM

SINWR COTE Lumpfish

GOM

SINWR COTE Mackerel

GOM

SINWR COTE Other Fish

GOM

SINWR COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

SINWR COTE Pollock

GOM

SINWR COTE Productivity

GOM

SINWR COTE Sandlance

GOM

SINWR COTE Silverside

GOM

SINWR COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

SINWR COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

SINWR COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

STI COTE Amphipod

GOM

STI COTE Bluefish

GOM

STI COTE Butterfish

GOM

STI COTE Euphausiid

GOM

STI COTE Hake

GOM

STI COTE Herring

GOM

STI COTE Lumpfish

GOM

STI COTE Mackerel

GOM

STI COTE Other Fish

GOM

STI COTE Other Invertebrate

GOM

STI COTE Pollock

GOM

STI COTE Productivity

GOM

STI COTE Sandlance

GOM

STI COTE Silverside

GOM

STI COTE Three-spined Stickleback

GOM

STI COTE Unknown Fish

GOM

STI COTE Unknown Invertebrate

GOM

5.2.4 Management scale: all species, FMP level, species level, can it be aggregated or separated to different scales?

[Classify by hand, note gridded data if available could be applied to different species ranges]

5.2.5 Uncertainty metrics

5.3 Are methods clearly documented to obtain source data and calculate indicators?

## Yes

5.3.1 Can the indicator be calculated from current documentation?

[Build link to Tech-doc, look for current and previous methods]

5.3.2 Is code publicly available? up to date?

[Build link to Tech-doc, look for current and previous methods]

5.3.3 Have methods changed over time?

[Build link to Tech-doc, look for current and previous methods]

5.4 Are indicator underlying source data linked or easy to find?

[Build link to Tech-doc, look for source, may require judgements]

5.4.1 Where are source data stored?

[Build link to Tech-doc, look for source, may require judgement]

5.4.2 How/by whom are source data updated? Are future updates likely?

[Build link to Tech-doc, look for source, may require judgement]

5.4.3 How often are they updated?

[Build link to Tech-doc, look for source, may require judgement]

6 Indicator analysis/testing or history of use

6.1 What decision or advice processes are the indicators currently used in?

Seabird breeding colonies in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) are monitored and managed to promote recovery of formerly harvested seabird species. Common terns are well-monitored and are considered good nearshore ecosystem indicators due to their wide distribution and generalist diet. Common terns breed on islands throughout the Gulf of Maine, feeding on a wide range of invertebrates and fish including Atlantic herring, juvenile (mainly white) hakes, and sand lance. As surface feeding birds, terns are sensitive to vertical distribution of prey as well as nearshore conditions in general, with a foraging distance of 10-20 km from a nesting colony.

6.2 What implications of the indicators are currently listed?

Declining productivity across multiple common tern colonies in the Gulf of Maine may indicate changes in the distribution, quality, and quantity of prey over time.

6.3 Do target, limit, or threshold values already exist for the indicator?

[Fill by hand; if not in key results or implications, likely does not exist]

6.4 Have the indicators been tested to ensure they respond proportionally to a change in the underlying process?

[Fill by hand; if not in introduction, key results, or implications, likely not tested]

6.5 Are the indicators sensitive to a small change in the process, or what is the threshold of change that is detectable?

[Fill by hand; if not in introduction, key results, or implications, likely not tested]

6.6 Is there a time lag between the process change and the indicator change? How long?

[Fill by hand; if not in introduction, key results, or implications, likely not tested]

7 Comments

[Fill below by hand once above data complete]

7.2 What additional work would be needed for the Council to use the indicator?

7.3 What issues are caused if there is a gap or delay in data underlying the indicator