An Atlantic puffin on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Photo © Greig Cranna

Seabird Recovery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec, Canada In Quebec, Canada, along the lower north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, seabirds have been traditionally hunted for food by the 6000 residents spread among 15 villages. Continual hunting and disturbance of nesting colonies have caused dramatic declines in seabird populations since at least the 1950s, particularly for the razorbill (84%), Atlantic puffin (76%), and common eider. In 1978, the Quebec-Labrador Foundation, which had long provided social services along the coast, began a collaboration with local villages and the Canadian Wildlife Service. There were four main goals: to restore seabird populations, to improve local knowledge of seabird biology, to change residents' hunting behavior, and to build local support for a seabird management plan. A major focus was to consider village traditions and attitudes toward seabirds and develop a culturally appropriate environmental education program, which could then be combined with scientific research and the protection of seabirds and their habitat. 1 of 2