Update on Murre harvest and hunting regulations

Following an episode of mortality caused by avian influenza during 2022, the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) has reviewed abundance, population trends, and mortality incidents for Common Murres and Thick-billed Murres in eastern Canada.

As of September 1, 2023, CWS is not considering changing migratory bird hunting regulations to reduce the harvest of Murres in Newfoundland and Labrador during the 2023 to 2024 hunting season. CWS can however invoke an emergency closure of murre hunting on a local or province-wide scale at a future date if conditions lead to excessive harvest.

• most birds harvested by murre hunters are Thick-billed Murres. Mortality associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been largely restricted to Common Murres, which represent a smaller portion of birds harvested
• based on the best available data at this time, the mortality of Common Murres along with observed overwinter mortality (unrelated to HPAI) of Thick-billed Murres in 2022, while concerning, is not sufficient to warrant a change in hunting regulations when total population size is considered

All hunters are reminded that it is an offense to harvest more than 20 murres per day or to be in possession of more than 40 murres. It is illegal to sell, buy or barter murres. Members of the public can support the sustainable management of murres by not engaging in the illegal sale or purchase of murres. Wildlife Enforcement officers will be actively pursuing offenders, and upon conviction, the mandatory minimum fine of $5000 per offence is consistently being applied in the courts of NL, in addition to the potential forfeiture of guns, boats and vehicles.

Status of Murre populations and harvest in Canada

Two species of Murres comprise the harvest in Newfoundland and Labrador: the Thick-billed Murre and the Common Murre.

In Canada, the total number for these two species is approximately 8.7 million individuals.

The number of Common Murres is estimated at 3.2 million reproductive and non-reproductive individuals in Canadian waters of the North Atlantic. It is estimated that there are 789,000 breeding pairs of Common Murres at 25 colonies in Newfoundland and Labrador, in addition to 96,000 breeding pairs at colonies in Quebec.

The total number of Thick-billed Murres attributed to Canadian colonies is estimated to be 5.5 million reproductive and non-reproductive individuals. The Canadian breeding population of Thick-billed Murres is approximately 1.5 million pairs mostly from colonies in the Eastern Canadian High Arctic and the Hudson Bay / Strait area.

The estimated annual harvest of Murres in Canada ranges from 60,000 to 120,000. On average, 75% of murres harvested in Newfoundland and Labrador are Thick-billed Murres.

Mortality among Thick-billed Murre mortality was observed during the late winter of 2022, which is a normal phenomenon for this species. Emaciated birds were observed in a large geographic area, indicating a lack of access to food. Birds sampled tested negative for avian influenza.

Mortalities were noted in the southern St. Lawrence River in late May. During the summer of 2022, the Canadian Wildlife Service undertook a variety of surveys to better understand the extent and impact of avian influenza on Common Murre colonies. Approximately 2,000 murre carcasses were counted in the summer of 2022. HPAI testing confirmed a number of positive cases among these mortalities.

In early July, murres likely from the Cape St. Mary’s colony began washing up on beaches in southern Newfoundland. Mortalities were then noted in eastern Newfoundland, implicating the breeding colonies in the Witless Bay colony and other colonies on the northeast coast.

On August 22, CWS re-visited Witless Bay and noted that large numbers of murres were still present on the island and that they were successfully raising chicks, which appeared healthy.

CWS continues to assess mortality in wild birds associated with HPAI.

In December 2022 near Twillingate, 13 Murres (3 Common Murres and 10 Thick-billed Murres) shot by hunters were tested for avian influenza. All of these Murres tested negative for the virus.

Between January and March 2023 in St. Mary’s Bay, Trinity Bay, and Placentia Bay, 422 Murres (134 Common Murres and 278 Thick-billed Murres) shot by hunters were tested for avian influenza. All of the Common Murres tested negative for the virus, while six of the Thick-billed Murres were positive for low pathogenic avian influenza. None of the birds tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, which caused the mass mortality of Common Murres in the summer of 2022.

Harvest and Avian Influenza

Avian influenza has been documented in waterfowl and other gamebirds throughout Atlantic Canada, including strains that are highly pathogenic to both wild and domestic birds. Hunters should consult Public Health Agency of Canada’s “Recommendations for Hunters of Wild Birds and Other Susceptible Wildlife” before handling and consuming wild birds. Hunters should not harvest or consume birds found dead or that look sick.

Hunters should cook game meats thoroughly before consumption. There is no evidence to suggest that fully cooked game meat, organs, or eggs are a source of avian influenza infection for people.