Seabird Monitoring Programme
The Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP) is an ongoing annual
monitoring programme, established in 1986, of
25 species of
seabird that regularly breed in Britain and Ireland. It
aims to ensure that sample data on breeding numbers and breeding
success of seabirds are collected, both regionally and nationally,
to enable their conservation status to be assessed.
Submit Seabird Colony Data
The SMP relies on Partner organisations, volunteers
and others to collect the data that build a picture of seabird
trends, the causes of change and what can to be done
to conserve them. Please contribute by submitting your records.
SMP sampling methods
Measurements of breeding success, adult survival and diet are
collected to provide information about the mechanisms responsible
for observed changes in breeding numbers. Such parameters are
revealing because they can tell us about interactions between
seabirds and their environment – such as the availability of fish
in the seas or pollution incidents – and so indicate how their
populations can be more effectively conserved. Results from the
programme have informed practical conservation and management
practices aimed at protecting key components of the marine
ecosystem.
SMP Review and future sampling strategy
In 2007, JNCC completed a review of the aims, drivers,
sampling strategy and outputs of the SMP. In October 2008,
JNCC ran a workshop of SMP partners to determine
stakeholders’ requirements for information and data, to obtain
stakeholder input into JNCC's SMP review recommendations,
and to discuss ways of working more effectively together
in partnership. The workshop approved, with amendments, JNCC's
recommendations for an SMP Surveillance Strategy. The
recommended future direction for the SMP is summarised in a
paper presented to the Inter-agency Chief Scientists Group in
November 2008. The SMP surveillance strategy was designed to meet
the objectives of the UK Terrestrial Biodiversity
Surveillance Strategy. Outputs from the review,
workshop, and recommendations are available to
download.
SMP archived documents
2015 SMP Annual Report:
This report should be cited as: JNCC
(2015) Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986-2014
Report
(http://www.jncc.defra.gov.uk/seabirds2013).
Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Updated October 2015. Accessed
[INSERT DATE OF ACCESS].
2014 SMP Annual Report:
This report should be cited as: JNCC
(2014) Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986-2013
Report
(http://www.jncc.defra.gov.uk/seabirds2013).
Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Updated August 2014. Accessed
[INSERT DATE OF ACCESS].
2013 SMP Annual Report:
This report should be cited as: JNCC
(2013) Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986-2012
Report
(http://www.jncc.defra.gov.uk/seabirds2013).
Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Updated July 2013. Accessed
[INSERT DATE OF ACCESS].
2012 SMP Annual Report:
This report should be cited as: JNCC
(2012) Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 2012
Report
(http://www.jncc.defra.gov.uk/seabirds2012).
Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Updated July 2012. Accessed
[INSERT DATE OF ACCESS].
2011 SMP Annual Report:
This report should be cited as: JNCC (2011)
Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 2011 Report
(http://www.jncc.gov.uk/seabirds2011). Joint
Nature Conservation Committee. Updated April 2011. Accessed
[INSERT DATE OF ACCESS].”
2010 SMP Annual Report:
This report should be cited as: JNCC (2010)
Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 2010 Report
(http://www.jncc.gov.uk/seabirds2010). Joint
Nature Conservation Committee. Updated April 2010. Accessed
[INSERT DATE OF ACCESS].”
2009 SMP Leaflet:
This report should be cited as: JNCC, (2009),
UK Seabirds in 2008, ISBN 978 1 86107 611 3
2008 Paper presented to
the Inter-agency Chief Scientists Group in November
2008 Workshop:
2007 Review:
You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the
PDF documents.
SMP Partner Organisations