Wikipedia
Fire Island is the large center island of the outer barrier islands parallel to the south shore of Long Island, New York. Occasionally, the name is used to refer collectively to not only the central island, but also Long Beach Barrier Island, Jones Beach Island, and Westhampton Island, since the straits which separate these islands are ephemeral. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy once again divided Fire Island into two islands. Together, these two islands are approximately 31 miles (50 km) long and vary between 520 and 1,310 feet (160 and 400 m) wide. Fire Island is part of Suffolk County. All parts of the island not within village limits are part of the Fire Island census-designated place (CDP), which had a permanent population of 292 at the 2010 census, though that expands to thousands of residents and tourists during the summer months. The land area of Fire Island is 9.6 square miles (24.9 km2).
Fire Island lies on average 3.9 miles (6.2 km) off the south shore of Long Island, but nearly touches it along the east end. It is separated from Long Island by Great South Bay, which spans interconnected bays along Long Island.
White-tailed Deer Management Plan- Fire Island, National Park Service, – 2019
Deer densities of 20 to 25 deer per square mile have been shown to allow for a healthier, more diverse forest habitat which can support a healthy deer herd as well as other native wildlife.
The initial density goal of 20 to 25 deer per square mile will be maintained until vegetation is given ample time to recover from over-browsing. Information collected through deer and vegetation monitoring will guide future management actions. The deer density goal can be adjusted if and when vegetation goals are reached.
Judge throws out suit challenging Fire Island deer-management plan, Newsday, July 27, 2018
Conservation groups sue over Fire Island deer culling plan, Newsday, Nov 29, 2017
DEER DECODED: A Special Report on the FINS Management Plan , Fire Island News, Feb 13, 2017
Studying White-tailed Deer, National Park Service, series of reports up through 2016
Fire Island deer plan for hunts, birth control wins final OK, Newsday, May 2, 2016
Record of Decision for the Fire Island National Seashore White-tailed Deer Management Plan, National Parks Service, April 28, 2016
FINS deer management plan sparks ire, Islip Bulletin, Feb 4, 2016
Aside from that, there’s another technicality: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not as yet approved PZP for deer.
Deer Research and Monitoring on Fire Island, NPS, 2016
Fire Island deer hunting plan protested by animal advocates, Newsday, Feb 12, 2016
National Park Service mulls reducing Fire Island deer population, News12, Feb 12, 2016
Notice of Availability of the Final White-Tailed Deer Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, Fire Island National Seashore, New York, National Register, Dec 31, 2015
Fire Island deer would be culled under National Park Service plan, Newsday, Dec 31, 2015
National Park Service considers ways to reduce Fire Island deer herd, Newsday, Aug 28, 2014
The park service prefers a combination plan that uses lethal options until an unspecified “target deer density” is reached, then using reproductive controls.
The agency said it believes an acceptable reproductive vaccine will be available within a decade, and lethal methods would be used until the vaccine is developed.
The Humane Society worked with the park service on a 15-year study of an immunocontraceptive vaccine on the deer population, and Griffin said the vaccine cut the deer population on Fire Island in half from 1995 to 2009.
The park service said the vaccine used in the Humane Society study is unacceptable because of the short duration of a dose, the lack of federal approval for the vaccine, and breeding behavior in vaccinated does.
Fire Island National Seashore Draft White-tailed Deer Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, National Parks Service, FIIS, Draft White-tailed Deer Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (complete document) (9.5 MB, PDF file), 2014
from:
Draft White-tailed Deer Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement
CHAPTER 2: ALTERNATIVES
DEER POPULATION MANAGEMENT ACTIONS CONSISTENT WITH ALTERNATIVES B AND D FERTILITY CONTROL
Reproductive control in wildlife management has been assessed for several decades across multiple species. Its use has gained more attention as the public has become more interested in wildlife management decisions. For reproductive control agents to effectively reduce deer population size, they must decrease the reproductive rate to less than the mortality rate. In urban deer populations, mortality rates are generally very low (approximately 10%). Also, to control the growth of the deer population, it is necessary to treat 70%–90% of the female deer with a highly effective product to successfully reduce or halt population growth in a closed population without immigration or emigration (Rudolph, Porter, and Underwood 2000; Hobbs, Bowden, and Baker 2000). The science and understanding of fertility control are evolving. The most updated information about fertility control is summarized in appendix D. The terms fertility control and reproductive control are used synonymously in this document.
Two categories of reproductive control technology were considered: chemical reproductive control agents and surgical sterilization. Chemical reproductive control agents offer great promise for future wildlife management (Rutberg et al. 2004), as described in appendix D. Surgical sterilization was considered but dismissed based on the criteria established for fertility control (see “Alternative Elements Considered but Dismissed” at the end of this chapter).
Several chemical reproductive control agents (immunological and nonimmunological) are being developed and tested for use in deer population control (Fagerstone et al. 2010). These include the standard porcine zona pellucida (PZP) vaccine (Kirkpatrick et al. 1992; Turner, Kirkpatrick, and Liu 1996; Naugle et al. 2002; Miller et al. 2009); uniquely formulated PZP, such as SpayVac® (Fraker et al. 2002) and long-acting formulations of native PZP (Rutberg et al. 2013); GnRH vaccine (Miller et al. 2000, 2001; Curtis et al. 2002; Fraker et al. 2002; Gionfriddo et al. 2009, 2011); and Leuprolide (Baker et al. 2002, 2004). Each of these agents is described briefly in table 5 and in more detail in appendix D.
FERTILITY CONTROL
Reproductive control in wildlife management has been assessed for several decades across multiple species. Its use has gained more attention as the public has become more interested in wildlife management decisions. For reproductive control agents to effectively reduce deer population size, they must decrease the reproductive rate to less than the mortality rate. In urban deer populations, mortality rates are generally very low (approximately 10%). Also, to control the growth of the deer population, it is necessary to treat 70%–90% of the female deer with a highly effective product to successfully reduce or halt population growth in a closed population without immigration or emigration (Rudolph, Porter, and Underwood 2000; Hobbs, Bowden, and Baker 2000). The science and understanding of fertility control are evolving. The most updated information about fertility control is summarized in appendix D. The terms fertility control and reproductive control are used synonymously in this document.
Two categories of reproductive control technology were considered: chemical reproductive control agents and surgical sterilization. Chemical reproductive control agents offer great promise for future wildlife management (Rutberg et al. 2004), as described in appendix D. Surgical sterilization was considered but dismissed based on the criteria established for fertility control (see “Alternative Elements Considered but Dismissed” at the end of this chapter).
Several chemical reproductive control agents (immunological and nonimmunological) are being developed and tested for use in deer population control (Fagerstone et al. 2010). These include the standard porcine zona pellucida (PZP) vaccine (Kirkpatrick et al. 1992; Turner, Kirkpatrick, and Liu 1996; Naugle et al. 2002; Miller et al. 2009); uniquely formulated PZP, such as SpayVac® (Fraker et al. 2002) and long-acting formulations of native PZP (Rutberg et al. 2013); GnRH vaccine (Miller et al. 2000, 2001; Curtis et al. 2002; Fraker et al. 2002; Gionfriddo et al. 2009, 2011); and Leuprolide (Baker et al. 2002, 2004). Each of these agents is described briefly in table 5 and in more detail in appendix D.
Deer Population Management Actions Consistent with Alternatives B and D
The current research related to chemical reproductive control technologies offers highly variable results in terms of key elements such as contraceptive efficacy and duration (appendix D). As stated above, there are also logistical issues related to the administration of these drugs that could have substantial implications for success and sustainability. Therefore, only when the following criteria are met would reproductive control be implemented as a management tool.
1. The fertility control agent is federally approved and state-registered for application to free-
ranging white-tailed deer populations.
2. The agent provides multiple-year (three or more) efficacy (80%–100%) to minimize the cost and labor required to administer the drug to a large number of deer.
3. The agent can be administered through remote injection to avoid capturing the animal on a regular basis and to increase the efficiency of distribution.
4. The agent would leave no harmful residual in the meat (meat would be safe for human and non-target animal consumption).
5. The agent would have minimal impact on deer behavior (e.g., reproductive behaviors, social behaviors, out of season estrous cycling).
Such an agent is not currently available. Regardless, because Seashore staff anticipates an agent that meets all NPS criteria would be available upon implementation or within the next 10 years (as research and development continues), this tool has been retained as part of the range of alternatives. However, evaluation of existing agents using criteria for an acceptable agent showed that GonaConTM met more of the criteria than other chemical reproductive control agents (table 6).
Under alternative B, the Seashore would not be able to initiate a reproductive control program until a chemical reproductive control agent meeting all criteria becomes available. Prior to the availability of an acceptable agent, all other components of alternative B would be implemented following initiation of this plan. The availability of an acceptable agent would also limit the options available to the park for population maintenance under alternative D (but direct reduction methods would be available for use under this alternative).
The Seashore would monitor the status of reproductive control research on a periodic basis through consultation with subject matter experts and review of new publications. When new information and/or advances in the use of reproductive control agents could benefit deer management in the Seashore and established criteria are met, the decision to use an appropriate chemical reproductive control agent would be determined by the Seashore. This determination would be made based on how well the criteria for an acceptable control agent are met and on availability, cost, efficacy, duration, and safety at the time the action was implemented. The determination of an appropriate control agent is discussed further in “Adaptive Management Approaches Included in the Action Alternatives.”
Fall Deer Darting on Fire Island, NPS, 2009