LAND: Harvesting strategies for optimizing size and structure of Norvegian moose popultions: Constraints and optiones

During the last decades Norwegian there has been a large increase in the size of Norwegian moose populations. However, large moose populations also represent a considerable cost. Thus, the central challenge will be to derive management strategies that giv e fluctuations of moose populations around some predetermined population level. Our aim is based on a new theoretical framework to derive recommendations about optimal population sizes for different types of Norwegian moose populations. These population l evels will however not only influenced by density-dependent processes but will also be strongly affected by structural changes in the age- and sex-composition because of harvest strategies that are directed against certain age- and sex-groups. Another aim with this project will therefore be to derive robust harvest strategies that minimizes the risk of loss of genetic variation. Furthermore, a potential unfortunate consequence of the large local influence on the choice of harvest strategies is the develo pment of large local variation in management practices even within the same region. Thus, we will study the decision processes involved when the goals and strategies for the development of the local moose populations are chosen. This knowledge will be use ful for obtaining more unified management practices of moose population over larger areas. Such information is badly needed because previous studies of moose population dynamics have shown that regulation of moose numbers through hunting requires that loc al moose managers rapidly obtain information on population fluctuations and are able to convert this knowledge immediately into decisions about changes in quotas. To shorten this time-delay, a central focus for this project will be by advanced statistical methods to obtain indexes based on ‘Sett elg’-data that can be used by local managers for obtaining information about changes in the size and structural composition of the moose population.