The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife is recommending that hunters do not shoot, handle or consume Atlantic brant until further notice. About 450 dead Atlantic brant have been collected from the Brigantine Unit of Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Atlantic County, according to Refuge Manager Steve Atzert of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Tests are underway to determine the cause of the die-off.
As soon as we know the cause of these deaths, we will revise our recommendations accordingly. The principal site of the brant die-off at the refuge has been the impoundments. These have been closed to the public, and all carcasses have been picked up and burned on site to limit the potential spread of disease organisms. Preliminary tests for some bacteria were negative, though additional tests for bacteria and viruses are underway. Atlantic brant is a small, brown, black and white maritime goose breeding in the Canadian arctic which winters along the Atlantic coast.