Ducks across the pond: challenges and opportunities for collaboration between North America and Europe

Many waterfowl species and closely related congeners are shared across the Holarctic, and are culturally and economically important in both North America and Europe. Accordingly, both continents have developed science and management frameworks in an attempt to establish evidence-based conservation practices for this guild of birds. However, the 2 continents have approached this shared challenge from surprisingly different angles, wherein there is much to be learned from each other via increased collaboration across the Pond. In the United States and Canada, there is relatively strong alignment of conservation values, and the role of hunters in the science and management of waterfowl has a deeply embedded cultural and financial legacy. This differs markedly from Europe, where there is much more discordance among countries and constituents, resulting in regulatory policies that are uneven and generally rely on the precautionary principle. Here, we describe key differences in the waterfowl science and management enterprises in North American and Europe, and highlight key avenues for increased collaboration for mutual benefit.