Bonn, 13 May 2016 - Range states and key stakeholders came together in Paris on the 11-12 May to agree on the modalities for establishing a European Goose Management Platform under AEWA. The meeting was hosted and organized by the French Ministry of the Environment, Energy and the Sea as well as OMPO in Paris and represents a major turning point in the way AEWA Range States manage their shared migratory waterbirds.

Answering a call from the AEWA Contracting Parties at the 6^th Session of the Meeting of the Parties in November 2015, the platform will provide the mechanism for a structured, coordinated and inclusive decision-making and implementation process for the conservation and integrated management, including sustainable use, of goose populations in Europe, thus following in the footsteps of what has been successfully implemented in North America for decades. Species initially to be covered include the Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus), Taiga Bean Goose (Anser f. fabalis), Greylag Goose (Anser anser) and Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis).

In future, however, the established mechanism is anticipated to cater for all huntable migratory goose populations in Europe and could also be extended to include other waterbird taxa and regions as well as serving as an example for the sustainable management of other harvested species.

Not only linked to better management of the harvest of migratory goose populations, the Goose Management Platform is expected to deal with the coordinated conservation and management of goose populations in general. Measures to be implemented will include tackling threats, site management and site restoration depending on the status, trend and needs identified for individual species populations.

All range states present confirmed their willingness to proceed with the establishment of the Platform as suggested by the AEWA Secretariat. The Platform will build on the process already in place for the management of the Svalbard population of Pink-footed Geese. The main features of the Platform will include a coordination team based at the AEWA Secretariat in Bonn as well as a data assessment centre coordinated by Aarhus University. In addition, the countries present agreed that initial funding of the Platform will be provided  through voluntary contributions from range states and other stakeholders, with the option to consider a cost-sharing arrangement in future. To confirm this commitment a declaration was unanimously adopted by the range states present at the meeting.

Next steps will include increased efforts by the engaged range states as well as the AEWA Secretariat to involve additional crucial countries in the process. The Secretariat will proceed with setting up the agreed coordination structures as well as launching the management-planning processes for the Greylag and Barnacle Goose, as soon as sufficient funding has been made available.

A first meeting of the European Goose Management Platform itself is tentatively foreseen to take place in Sweden in December 2016, at which relevant range states will discuss and decide on management actions for the Pink-footed and Taiga Bean Goose, for which AEWA Plans are already in place.

For additional information, please see the Paris meeting documents or contact AEWA Associate Programme Officer Ms. Nina Mikander.