[1] The partners are the Canadian Wildlife Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Geological Survey, Ducks Unlimited, Bird Studies Canada, the Pacific Flyway Council, and the council for U.S.
[4] Four primary factors were identified for the declining populations of sea ducks in North America: "lack of knowledge about their ecology, contaminants, unsustainable hunting, and habitat loss and degradation".
[5] Activities such as "logging, fuel-wood harvesting, and land developments"[5] have resulted in loss of breeding habitats for cavity-nesting sea ducks, particularly the mergansers, goldeneyes, and buffleheads.
[3] Contamination results from oil spills and the discharge of heavy metals into the water system.
[3] A conference is held every three years between partners and scientists involved in the study and preservation of sea duck populations.