Definition of Management Units. (MUs) Management Units (MUs) should be defined as functionally differentiated population segments, i.e. having somewhat different seasonal distribution (although may overlap during certain stages of the annual cycle), exhibiting distinct demographic processes and showing somewhat reduced exchange with other segments of the flyway population. An example on the definition of MUs can be found in the AFMP for the Greylag Goose.11 This section should include a detailed description of the MUs (in case they differ to the management units agreed in the management plan). A map outlining the MUs can also be added.
Definition of Management Units sub-species-specific hunting management (Taiga fabalis vs. Tundra rossicus) Management Units adopted in the ISSAP are based on current but developing understanding of Taiga Bean Goose distribution and flyways. For pragmatic and administrative reasons, the delineation of the MUs defined in the ISSAP follows national and within-country administrative borders. New detailed information of birds frequenting areas outside of the defined MUs can be taken into account in national level planning of hunting regulations where necessary and practical. Undertaking tailored hunting management for each of the two sub-species (Taiga fabalis and Tundra rossicus) needs to be considered. The most efficient way to manage the harvest of Bean Geese in view of the two sub-species is through national level regulations based on information about the spatial and temporal differences in the occurrence of the two sub-species. For example, Finland has identified a region where the vast majority of staging Bean Geese are Tundra Bean Goose A. fabalis rossicus and therefore this area could have different regulations compared to TBG (-dominated) areas. Management Units (as defined in the ISSAP) This Action Plan covers the entire sub-species (Anser f. fabalis) which is confined to the Western Palearctic and western parts of the Eastern Palearctic. Four sub-populations can be recognized based on their different breeding and wintering areas, which serve as management units for the purpose of this Action Plan: Western sub-population (breeding in Northern and Central Sweden and Southern and Central Norway, wintering in Northern Denmark and Northern and Eastern United Kingdom; current 2014 estimated winter population size 1,500 individuals) Central sub-population (breeding in Northernmost Sweden, Northern Norway, Northern and Central Finland and adjacent North-western parts of Russia, wintering mostly in Southern Sweden and South-east Denmark; 35,000 individuals) Eastern 1 sub-population (breeding in upper Pechora region and western parts of west Siberian lowlands of Russia, wintering mostly in North-east Germany and North-west Poland; 15,000 individuals) Eastern 2 sub-population (breeding in eastern parts of west Siberian lowlands of Russia, wintering in North-west China, South-east Kazakhstan and east Kyrgyzstan; winter population size unknown) In addition to the range states mentioned above, Taiga Bean Geese also occur regularly in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Ukraine...
