In June 2001 the study attained the milestone of 15 years continuous monitoring of the colony. The 2000-01 year has also seen the recruitment of a committed study team to support the long term participants (Zoe Hogg, Angela Suter, and Neil Blake).

During the 2000-01 year the study team continued to monitor the colony twice a month during the breeding season; and once a month through the non-breeding season. The 20001-01 data indicates that there were significantly more penguins using the breakwater than in any other year. The colony has clearly recovered from the combined impacts of the breakwater reconstruction and pilchard crash of 1995.

Sadly, these positives have been overshadowed by the death of Mike Cullen early in 2001. Mike's role in the study was all-encompassing; providing leadership, scientific analysis, data maintenance, practical advice and encouragement. He had also fulfilled the role of Scientific Adviser to the Breakwater Management Advisory committee since its inception in 1992. The loss off Mike's contributions necessitates a review of practically all aspects of the study. The following information has been prepared to facilitate discussion on the future direction of the study.

.Initial purpose of study:

Gather information to determine the status of the colony (is it a colony?)

· How many penguins are there?
· Are they breeding? Success rate?
· What is their state of health relative to penguins in other colonies?
· Where are they located?
· What is their range?

Threats & Issues in 1986

Status of colony not known/recognised;
Major redevelopment of harbour likely to impact on colony;
Unrestricted public access (public land); popular dog-walking area;
Breakwater ageing (in need of repair);
Plastics pollution and discarded fishing line;
Oil spills;
Unrestricted harvest of Pilchards in PP Bay;
No management strategy or resources;
No watch dog group;
Harbour operations/maintenance eg pile driving may impact on colony;
Unknown impacts of tourism operations/ no plan.

Over the past 15 years many of the management issues associated with the penguin colony have been addressed, primarily through the initiatives of Earthcare and the establishment of the Cooperative Management Advisory Committee. Management issues are now primarily associated with major disturbances to the marine ecosystem such as large oil spills or declining fish stocks.

Peter Dann (Research Manager, Phillip Island Nature Reserve) has agreed to take up the role of scientific supervision of the study. Although regular monitoring of the colony has continued since Mike's death, banding has been discontinued. The possibility of using micro-chips to identify individual penguins is being investigated.

Data management issues

Mike maintained the data on D-base plus program. He and I had entered all data up to February 2001. We had also calculated the number of breeding attempts for the past season. Unfortunately, due to an embargo being placed on Mike's office since his death, this information has not been accessible. However, a general indication of the penguin activity has been gleaned from analysis of the in-the-field records.

Average numbers of adult penguins recorded per study visit for the first 2 years of the study (1986-87 & 1987-88) was 19. A steady increase in numbers was recorded to a high of 44 just prior to the 1995 pilchard crash. In the 1996-97 year the number had dropped sharply to 22 (only marginally higher than the all-time low recorded in the beginning of the study. However, by June 2001 the numbers have progressively increased again to almost three times the 1997 figure.

Egg records in the past 3 seasons

The increase in vigour of the colony is indicated by the number egg sites recorded over the past 3 breeding seasons. In the 1998-99 breeding season there were 5 months when eggs were recorded. In the 1999-2000 season eggs were found in 6 months. In both of these years there were some months in the season where eggs were not found. In 2000-01 eggs were found consistently over seven consecutive months.

The significant increase in numbers recorded in the 2000-1 year corresponds with a doubling of the Search Effort. ie twice as many people were actively involved in the search for penguins in 2000-01 than in each of the previous two years. However, it is noted that a significant increase of adult penguins was recorded in 1999-2000 with no corresponding increase in the Search Effort. It is also noted that one of the highest ever counts occurred when only Zoe & Neil were present.

This suggests that while the increased search effort is likely to have found more penguins over the course of the year, it would not account for the extraordinary increase in penguins recorded.

Contact Earthcare Ph: Australia 0500 832 784 Postal: PO Box 287 Elwood, 3184

Email earthcarestkilda@gmail.com