Scottish seabird conservation - action plan: consultation

Seabird Conservation Actions

Whilst some significant steps forward have been made to address some of the main pressures affecting seabird populations in Scotland, more needs to be done. It is essential to build on these existing efforts, identifying areas where further action can enhance current measures, while also pinpointing new actions that are required to address emerging challenges and ensure the long-term survival of seabirds.

The actions listed below include actions already underway, ones where we can build on existing measures and proposed new actions that could be implemented.

Ensuring plentiful food supplies

Depletion of forage fish is a pressure on many seabird species in Scotland. However, the relationship between forage fish and seabirds is complex, shaped by various environmental and biological factors. Protecting this resource as well as, protecting, restoring, and enhancing the habitats of forage fish can improve their recruitment and long-term abundance, indirectly benefiting seabirds by ensuring a more stable and reliable food source for successful breeding and long-term survival.

Collectively, we are already:

Protecting sandeel populations: through closure of fishing for sandeel in all Scottish waters, which will bring potential benefits to the wider ecosystem.

We can build resilience in seabird populations with actions to enhance prey availability.

Priority actions include:

• Implement planned fisheries management measures for hydraulic dredging in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for seabed habitats.
• Explore opportunities to restore and enhance fish spawning and juvenile congregation areas to maximise forage fish availability to seabirds.
• Continue to contribute to international discussions on effective accounting for forage fish seabird consumption when setting total allowable catches to ensure sustainable fisheries.
• Explore opportunities to restore and support recovery of benthic habitats such as seagrass meadows and kelp forests that provide important prey fish spawning and juvenile congregation areas.

Restoring and improving seabird habitats

Efforts to combat invasive non-native species (INNS) have demonstrated some success in improving seabird breeding populations. Effective action at national scale to prevent and mitigate the impacts of INNS at colonies is therefore a clear and achievable route to maximise seabird breeding opportunities and success. It will be a key element of building resilience in national seabird populations to other pressures including climate change. By maximising the availability of safe breeding opportunities, we maximise the future capacity of seabirds to capitalise on unpredictable and declining overall prey availability.

Collectively, we are already:

Tackling Biosecurity: 27 of our 29 seabird islands now have biosecurity plans and temporary biosecurity measures in place to monitor for potential incursions. Three incursion response hubs are also in action.

Protecting important seabird breeding and foraging sites: 19 of the seabird species covered by the action plan are protected features of one or more MPAs providing site-based protection, at breeding colonies on land and while at sea.

And have:

Eradicated non-native mammalian predators from three key seabird islands – Canna, Ailsa Craig and the Shiant Isles.

We can build resilience in seabird populations with actions to enhance safe breeding opportunities.

Priority actions include:

• Establish a Task and Finish Group to coordinate, facilitate and develop a programme of work in relation to INNS eradication and biosecurity at seabird colonies.
• Implement a prioritised programme of seabird predator eradication, that could include areas and islands that would facilitate species range expansion and/or where seabirds have historically been known to breed.
• Implement a prioritised programme of best practice (Prevention, Awareness raising, Surveillance and Incursion response) seabird island biosecurity across the Scottish archipelago.
• Continue to support the work of ‘Biosecurity for Scotland’ programme.
• Continue to implement localised predator exclusion management measures at seabird breeding sites where native predators e.g. foxes, corvids are demonstrated to be an issue.
• Consider including standard conditions, where feasible and appropriate, in statutory regulatory permissions (e.g. planning consents, Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) consents, Species licence approvals) to incorporate the requirement of a biosecurity plan for new developments/proposals on and around seabird islands where the risk of predator incursions are identified.
• Explore opportunities for grazing management control at breeding sites where grazing intensity (e.g. by sheep, deer, rabbits) is considered to be reducing seabird breeding habitat availability or is impacting seabird breeding success.
• Explore opportunities for vegetation management where vegetation (e.g. tree mallow and INNS plants) is considered to be reducing habitat availability.

Maximising resilience and survival

Ongoing development and adoption of best practices to mitigate the risks of incidental mortality and injury will remain crucial across marine industries, especially as marine pressures continue to rise and cumulative impacts become more evident. We have the opportunity to take a proactive, strategic approach, implementing actions that strengthen seabird resilience to potential future threats, acknowledging that we may not be able to mitigate all impacts at source as we strive to meet our transition to net zero and be nature positive.

Collectively, we are already:

Supporting bycatch mitigation: Trials on the use of streamers and altered buoyancy regimes are ongoing through the European LIFE funded project, CIBBRiNA and UK Bycatch Monitoring Programme.

Combatting Climate change through delivery of renewable energy, ensuring adverse impacts on seabirds are identified at strategic level through the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind and project level through mitigation and where appropriate, compensation.

Supporting research through the Scottish Marine Energy Research Programme (ScotMER) to identify and address key evidence needs for ornithology to help consent sustainable offshore wind development.

Tackling marine litter: Initiatives are underway from a wide variety of organisations ranging from small community groups to national NGOs. Some of these initiatives have been in existence for many years or decades and play an important part in Scotland's work to tackle marine litter (Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland).

And have:

Published the Scottish Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in wild birds Response Plan which sets out the approach that the Scottish Government and its agencies will take to respond to an outbreak of HPAI in wild birds.

Removed gulls from the General Licence: Due to concerns around the significant and serious declines in all five gull species that breed in Scotland, all gull species were removed from the gull general licence in 2019 and the gull licensing guidance has been updated.

We can build resilience in seabird populations with actions to reduce incidental mortality.

Priority actions include:

• Develop and implement technical and spatial measures to minimise seabird bycatch, working collaboratively with the sector, including:
  • The development and adoption of effective technical measures for the long-line fleet where required to reduce seabird bycatch.
  • Implement static gear fisheries management measures, where necessary, in seabird MPAs (not including creels).
• Adopt strategic site selection for future marine renewable leasing rounds to minimise impacts on seabirds.
• Use the best available evidence to assess potential impacts on seabird populations from future consent marine renewable developments, with the aim on minimising and mitigating effects where possible and implement effective and timely compensation.
• Develop a ‘Catalogue of marine enhancement measures’, that includes measures for seabirds, which will be used to drive future investment in improving the state of the marine environment.
• Ensure that seabird site protection network captures those areas of most importance to seabirds.
• Review the Scottish wild bird highly pathogenic avian influenza response plan as required.
• Contribute to the work of the UK Wildlife Disease Core Group in responding to new and emerging wildlife disease threats, including where they involve seabirds.
• Continue to implement and monitor the licensing regime (with regards to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended)) to those species where control is permitted across all licence types and continue to engage with relevant stakeholders.
• Continue to review the gannet harvest licence annually and adjust limits according to a precautionary approach.
• Continue work to minimise bycatch/ entanglement of seabirds in aquaculture infrastructure and improve techniques to reduce entanglement. Facilitate through increased monitoring, technical and standing advice for industry and regulators/policy makers.
• Reduce sources of litter that impact the coastal and marine environments and support the removal of marine litter through delivery of the Scottish Marine Litter Strategy.

Building the evidence

Science and evidence are key to delivering the action plan. The ambition is to have a coordinated approach across Scotland, and where applicable the UK and internationally, to enable strategic delivery, analysis and publication of scientific data and reports with the aim of supporting management actions directly.

This action plan will capitalise on the vast body of scientific knowledge that already exists by promoting collation and review of information into easily accessible formats to support management actions directly. However, given the critical situation for seabirds in Scotland a precautionary approach will need to be adopted with respect to data completeness. The action plan will enable the facilitation of a prioritised programme of supplementary scientific research and monitoring to address key knowledge gaps and inform adaptive management where appropriate, as well as help coordinate efforts among all relevant partners. This will allow resources and expertise to be combined to improve the efficiency and quality of our delivery.

There remain significant knowledge gaps in our understanding of key areas of seabird science such as the effects of climate change, predator/prey interactions and how species may respond to conservation management applications in a changing climate. Research and monitoring actions are included below where these are fundamental to informing our conservation efforts and/or provide a mechanism to enable a coordinated approach to securing the knowledge we need to help seabird populations to recover and strengthen their resilience to a changing environment.

Collectively, we are:

Delivering world renowned research and science: Undertaking and co-funding research through a range of mechanisms, including the Scottish Marine Energy Research Programme (ScotMER), the Offshore Wind Evidence & Change Programme (OWEC), the Ecological Consequences of Offshore Wind research programme (EcoWIND),the FluMap consortium, UK Seafood Innovation Fund (SIF), Fishing Industry Science Partnerships (FISP), collaboration with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and via support for applied research through doctoral training programmes.

And have:

Established comprehensive networks and methodologies for seabird monitoring through the Seabird Monitoring Programme and mortality monitoring schemes.

Completed the fourth national seabird census (Seabirds Count, 2023) and the second gannet census: Seabirds Count covered 10,000 UK breeding colonies and 25 species surveyed between 2015 and 2021 to provide a comprehensive update on the status of these populations and gain greater insight into the relationships between them and the pressures they face. Survey work was also completed in 2024 for the second national gannet census.

We can support and promote collaboration with research and monitoring to inform decision-making.

Priority actions include:

• Continue to support and build on the Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP), including implementing recommendations from the 2024 sampling review and consideration of requirements for integrated population monitoring of seabird abundance, productivity and survival in Scotland.
• Support the repeat of a national seabird census.
• Continue supporting a coordinated approach to improve the efficiency of seabird monitoring across regulatory and statutory priorities.
• Establish and operate a UK Seabird Scientific Advisory Board to inform the identification of research that will benefit seabird conservation.
• Continue to support a coordinated approach to research projects through ScotMER to improve our understanding of the potential impacts of marine renewable developments on seabirds.
• Identify a mechanism to feedback results from post-consent monitoring to inform the evidence base for potential impacts from renewables.
• Continue to support bycatch monitoring programmes, including exploring the use of remote electronic monitoring, to identify high-risk areas and/or gear types associated with seabird bycatch and to assess the effectiveness of any management measures.
• Undertake a feasibility study to identify options, methodologies and recommendations for seabird re-establishment and reintroductions across Scotland.
• Increase the number of and provide training for seabird monitoring volunteers, including supporting the maintenance and expansion of the JNCC Volunteer Seabirds at Sea scheme (VSAS).

Celebrating Scotland’s seabirds

Many of Scotland’s seabird breeding colonies are iconic, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. However, we need to broaden our reach and find new ways to share the story of these birds – why they are so special, what makes Scotland vital to their survival, why they need our help, and how everyone can contribute to protecting Scotland’s seabirds.

Collectively we are:

Connecting people with seabirds: Many of Scotland's seabird colonies are rightly regarded as some of the world’s finest wildlife spectacles and are protected and managed as National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and/or NGO-managed Nature Reserves, attracting tens of thousands of visitors a year. The Scottish Seabird Centre attracts 175,000 visits a year and engages with a further 5,000 people through its wider conservation, education and outreach activities. A committed network of volunteers also contribute to crucial seabird work (SMP, VSAS, Bird Observatories and ringing groups).

We can raise awareness of seabirds with actions that will increase understanding and involvement.

Priority actions include:

• Raise awareness of impacts of domestic animals on seabird breeding colonies through dialogue and community initiatives directed towards collective behaviour change.
• Promote the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code to raise awareness across recreational groups and the tourism industry of the potential to cause disturbance from recreational activities.
• Explore opportunities to minimise disturbance at seabird breeding sites (e.g. seasonal staff, guidance).
• Establish a seabird colony site managers network/forum to exchange knowledge transfer, feedback on new and on-going projects/research and improve communication and collaboration between sites.
• Continue to support research knowledge exchange through The Seabird Group.
• Develop a UK Best Practice code for use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) at seabird colonies.
• Develop, publish and promote a Community Consultation Best Practice code for all eradication proposals – with a primary focus on inhabited islands.
• Support and build on the roll-out and development of the Predator Free Certification scheme for boat operators initiated by Biosecurity for Scotland.
• Continue to review and set high standards for seabird ringing and associated research with respect to seabird welfare, ethics and colony biosecurity (specifically around disease management).
• Develop, publish and promote Best Practice codes for reducing light pollution – with primary focus on offshore wind, cruise ships and other brightly illuminated vessels and structures that are anchoring/mooring overnight in vicinity of petrel, shearwater or puffin colonies.
• Work together to improve public and business perceptions around urban gulls.
• Work together to improve public and business attitudes and behaviours around marine and coastal litter.

Making a global contribution

Scotland cannot deliver our 2045 vision in isolation. The range of most seabirds covered by this action plan extend well beyond Scottish coastal breeding colonies or waters during the non-breeding season. Seabirds face ongoing pressures outside Scottish waters, often of multinational origin. While some challenges, such as climate change, require global solutions, others demand stronger international collaboration with countries sharing responsibility for the seabird species covered by this action plan.

Collectively we are:

Engaging and reporting on our global contributions through the OSPAR Convention, Bern Convention, the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (under the Convention on Migratory Species) and together with UK colleagues, leading on developing four of the thematic action plans stemming from the OSPAR Marine Birds Regional Action Plan; Enhanced measures for marine birds, Flyway scale conservation, Offshore wind mitigation/compensation measures and reducing the impact of mammalian predators. Plans developed through these international mechanisms allow collaboration on research, monitoring and management approaches to benefit biogeographical populations of our seabirds and hence optimise the resilience of Scotland’s seabirds to regional and flyway pressures.

We can make a difference globally with actions that contribute to and influence international decision making.

Priority actions include:

• Continue to work with international colleagues to deliver the OSPAR Regional Action Plan for marine birds.
• Continue to work with the international community to implement the OSPAR bycatch recommendations, share best practice and lessons learned to contribute to the understanding, minimising, and where possible eliminating seabird bycatch and entanglement globally.
• Continue to work towards achieving GES for seabirds at the north-east Atlantic scale.
• Continue to work with the international offshore wind community to establish compensation management options across breeding and non-breeding distributions.
• Work with the international community to establish conservation management options across breeding and non-breeding distributions.