2004 will see the
publication of Seabird Populations of Britain and Ireland, which
summarises the results of Seabird 2000, a project led by JNCC to
census all 25 species of seabird breeding in Britain and
Ireland.
A partnership between JNCC, the statutory nature conservation
agencies, RSPB, the Seabird Group, Shetland Oil Terminal
Environmental Advisory Group (SOTEAG), BirdWatch Ireland, National
Parks and Wildlife Service (Dept of Environment, Heritage and Local
Government, Republic of Ireland), Seabird 2000 was launched in
April 1999 by Elliot Morley MP.
Fieldwork was completed in 2002, with over 1,000 surveyors
taking part, who recorded over 8 million seabirds breeding at 3,200
colonies along 40,000 km of coastline, and at 900 inland
sites.
Seabird 2000 follows on from two previous censuses, Operation
Seafarer in 1969-70 and The Seabird Colony Register in 1985-88,
thus allowing population trends over the last 15 to 30 years to be
assessed. In the book, species experts focus on the main factors
causing change in the population of each species, highlighting any
major threats and topics requiring further study.
Seabird 2000 is a major contribution to Common Standards
Monitoring in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, with over 40% of
SPAs designated because of seabird interest. The UK and Ireland
hold internationally important assemblages of seabirds including
90% of the world's Manx Shearwaters, 68% of Northern Gannets and
60% of Great Skuas. The book provides an accurate baseline with
which to compare future monitoring. For the first time, accurate
baseline estimates were obtained for populations of nocturnal
species (petrels and shearwaters) breeding on the remotest of the
British Isles.
The book is being published by T & A D Poyser, London.
Contact File: