Safeguard our sea life

COP26: Beginnings of a green energy revolution for offshore wind

2021-11-08T18:02:00Z

Offshore wind will play a crucial role in the UK’s efforts to reach net zero, this was a key message at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow. However, installing this technology at the scale and pace needed to decarbonise our energy systems is no easy task. Policy Officer, Samuel Wrobel, explains how hopeful conversations at COP26 show the beginnings of a green energy revolution.

Northern gannet, two individuals mutually preening each other – Katie Nethercoat (rspb-images.com)

The UK Government has rightly set ambitious targets for offshore wind deployment requiring a four-fold upscaling by 2030. To enable the shift from fossil fuels, this rapid development is set to continue in the early 2030s and beyond.

Speakers at the COP26’s Offshore Wind and Biodiversity event made it clear that the nature and climate emergencies are indivisible; we cannot save nature without tackling climate change and we cannot reach net zero without a healthy environment – which includes our seas. The UK’s seas provide us with food, green energy, carbon stores and amazing nature which often underpins local economies. The alignment between stakeholders is evidence of the necessity and urgency with which we must adopt this approach. But government action remains the missing piece of the puzzle. The UK Government and devolved administrations need to show precisely how they plan to fill the gap between rhetoric and reality.

As yet, there is no roadmap for our energy transition. This is resulting in a scramble for sea space, delays to development and nature losses, including our globally important seabirds as well as the habitats which lock away carbon and provide homes for prey species like sandeels. We need government action for a holistic approach to marine spatial planning which takes into account the cumulative impacts from marine activities.

English Channel horizon view – Samuel Wrobel

The dual nature and climate emergency needs joint solutions which was emphasised by speakers at the offshore wind COP26 event, including representatives from industry, governmental bodies and conservation organisations. As host of COP26, the UK Government has an opportunity to show world leadership on sustainable climate action. We are calling for an end to poorly planned offshore development which jeopardises both nature and net zero. We need a new approach, one that integrates our renewable deployment and action to revive our seas to ensure a truly green energy revolution. This must include:

Marine Spatial planning to direct development to the least sensitive areas: Encourage collaboration between users of the marine environment; and, as for terrestrial development, identify the strategic actions requirements to facilitate long-term sustainable use of our seas. Although the 2009 Marine and Coastal Act introduced the process of Marine Spatial Planning, we are yet to see delivery of these fundamental components.
Renewed efforts to understand and reduce the impacts of renewables technologies: We need to continue and advance the programme of monitoring offshore windfarms, ideally using standardised data collection methods to aid comparisons, and use that data to better our understanding of impacts. We need to explore innovative technologies, such as floating offshore wind turbines, which could be positioned in deeper, less sensitive areas to reduce impacts. And we need to consider the role of strategic compensation in making good the losses already caused from offshore wind and marine development.
Government-led action to address the state of our seas: Improving the state of our seabirds is not in the gift of individual developers. We need to approach our seas strategically; recognising the cumulative and individual impacts of each development or activity. Any intervention needs to be targeted to tackle causes of decline rather than plastering over symptoms with short-term solutions.

Our seas and climate cannot wait; as also noted by COP26 event speakers, collaboration from all levels will be vital in tackling these challenges in the necessary timeframe. The RSPB is already working closely with other organisations and we look forward to increased joint efforts and cross-sector collaboration to set us on course for ocean recovery and net zero.

Offshore wind – climate cure or seabird struggle?

2021-10-27T09:25:00Z

In the race to reach net zero we must not forget nature, like the puffins and kittiwakes calling our cliffs and seas home. Unfortunately, the technology set to play a vital role in the shift from fossil fuels is being planned in a way that jeopardises both nature and net zero – so, how can we achieve a net zero future without harming our seabirds?

Atlantic puffin on cliff top – Ben Andrew (rspb-imges.com)

The state of our seas – puffins in peril

Every summer our seas and shores come alive with seabirds nesting in globally important breeding colonies. The UK is home to over 8 million breeding seabirds. For some, like the Manx shearwater, our coasts and seas support significant proportions of their global population, around 90%! Unfortunately, there is not always enough food (e.g. sandeels) for these birds to rear their chicks and this is driving huge declines.

Everything we know about the state of our seas tells us they need our help; stronger protection from harm and actions to allow recovery. However, the threat from poorly planned offshore wind threatens both the protection and future of our seabirds.

Offshore wind – what you need to know

Windfarms are measured in gigawatts (GW), 1GW could power around 110 million LED lightbulbs. Currently, across the UK seas, we’re generating around 10GW from offshore wind farms. The UK Government has rightly set ambitious targets for offshore wind by 2030; low carbon renewable technology needed to decarbonise our energy systems. If we are to reach the Government’s 2030 target, an additional 30GW must be installed during the next nine years. And this is just the beginning; the Climate Change Committee have advised that in order to reach net zero by 2050, we must deploy 100-140GW of offshore wind.

The scale of threat has been recognised by the UK Government, however the measures coming forward to make good the losses do not go far enough to turn the tide for seabirds.

Northern gannet pair courting on cliff edge – Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Seabirds and offshore wind

Offshore wind farms can impact seabirds in a variety of ways; collision with the turbine blades (e.g. kittiwakes and gannets), disturbance (e.g. red-throated divers), direct habitat loss, blocking important flyways (barrier effect) and preventing access to preferred foraging areas (displacement). The threats from multiple offshore windfarms alone threatens our sealife; combined with the pressure from fisheries, climate change and other development, there is a real risk that we will lose our seabirds.

A problem with planning

It is important to note that offshore wind has largely expanded in the absence of any robust marine planning. Successful marine planning would mean spatially managing activities at sea following an ecosystem-based approach, which is currently not the case. This has resulted in a disjointed approach to marine activities and a decision-making process that is struggling with the scale and rate of development. This outdated system now jeopardises nature and climate. For example, the current approach for offshore wind development, led by The Crown Estate (exc. Scotland), fails to adequately address ecological impacts at the outset ultimately locking developers into sites with unresolved issues. Furthermore, marine spatial planning in England, a process proposed following the Marine and Coastal Act (2009), is not currently spatial (i.e. it does not identify areas of the sea where development can and cannot take place – as is the case with planning on land). Spatial planning is a very basic requirement which would guide development to the least sensitive areas and identify which activities could share space providing important clarity for industry and investors.

Silhouetted razorbill at sunset – Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

World leadership?

The UK has a global responsibility for seabirds and is seen as a world leader in offshore wind. There is both challenge and opportunity; get it wrong and we risk losing our seabirds and the race for net zero. Get it right and we can establish a gold standard for offshore wind to share worldwide, shifting from a legacy of damage to healthy seas for people, climate and nature. Getting it right is going to take a new approach. The key issue surrounding spatial planning needs to be addressed strategically and not left for the offshore wind sector to deal with alone – the pressures from human activity, how we compensate for ecological losses and generate overall marine net gain all need to be addressed. We’re calling on the UK Government to lead the way on international cooperation by establishing a North Sea forum to facilitate international cooperation and tackle these big issues at scale. Ambition for net zero and nature commitments must now be translated into meaningful action.

With your support the RSPB, along with multiple partners across the North Sea coastal regions, are working together to transform the deployment of offshore wind, ensuring measures are put in place that make a difference for seabirds alongside offshore wind development. This will require technological innovation to avoid harm from the 2050 pipeline and urgent research to identify the least sensitive areas of sea for future development.

At the same time, governments must act to address the impacts emerging in this decade, ensuring strong protection remains and nature positive outcomes for seabirds are achieved. This will require ambitious, new approaches to how we plan and manage activities at sea. If done right, this could facilitate bigger and better outcomes for nature and climate.

Turning the tide for seabirds

2021-07-09T09:55:00Z

For decades our seas have been subjected to fishing which does not leave enough food for wildlife. Policy Officer Jacques Villemot explains why now is the time to turn the tide for our seabirds including the much loved puffin.

The UK is home to over 8 million seabirds. These birds return to our shores every summer nesting on cliffs, beaches and islands. They rely on our seas for food to feed their chicks (puffin chicks are called pufflings!).

Puffin with sandeels in its beak. Credit: Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

Unfortunately, there are problems out at sea making it harder for our seabirds to find enough food. This is causing population declines and leaving chicks hungry.

Globally, seabird populations have declined by 70% since 1950, making them the most threatened group of birds in the world.

The species suffering the most are those dependant on sandeels; puffins and kittiwakes. Sandeels are small shoaling fish, found in the North Sea and full of calories for growing chicks (if you have ever seen a puffin with fish in its beak, these might have been sandeels). The availability of sandeels is reduced by fishing which does not set aside enough food for wildlife. Reductions in sandeels are also linked to climate change making our seas warmer. This means less food for pufflings.

As well as declines in puffins, we’re seeing huge losses in our kittiwakes whose UK population has halved since the 1960s and these birds are regularly not rearing enough chicks to reverse the decline. Both kittiwake and puffin have been declared as at risk of global extinction by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Unfortunately further pressure is being added from poorly planned offshore wind development (Helen Quayle, Policy Officer, explains why we urgently need a new approach with joint solutions for the climate crisis and the ecological emergency in our The RSPB and offshore wind blog).

Unless we change how we manage our seas and plan much needed renewables, we risk losing our seabirds.

The good news is that it is not too late to turn the tide for seabirds - if we act now.

We are calling on the government to close UK waters to commercial sandeel fishing. This would help our puffins and kittiwakes as well as other wildlife relying on sandeels for food. Sandeels are not fished by UK fishing fleets or used for human consumption. And the UK has the power to make this happen.

If you would like to know more, there’s a guest blog by Dr Euan Dunn, ‘Shrinking sandeels? – shrink the fishery!’ and policy briefing ‘Sandeel fisheries in UK waters’. You can also find all the details in our full report, Revive our Seas: The case for stronger regulation of sandeel fisheries in UK waters.

You can also head over to the RSPB eBay shop for a new gorgeous puffling pin badge to show your support.

Invasive non-native species in the marine environment.

2019-05-15T11:27:00Z

We’ve reached the halfway point of this year’s Invasive Species Week and today our Nature Policy Officer, Sarah Hudson, is focussing is on the marine environment.

Why we should be worried about invasive non-native species

Non-native species are species living outside their natural range which have arrived there by direct human activity, deliberately or accidentally. Invasive non-native species (INNS) are those that negatively affect native biodiversity, ecosystem services and public health, through predation, competition or disease transmission.

The threats posed by INNS to biodiversity and ecosystems is one of the greatest challenges for conservation. In the recent Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) report, INNS were identified as one of five major drivers of global species decline.

Rates of establishment of new species and their negative impacts are increasing and accelerating at world, European and UK scales. Rising global trade – the single most important way of spreading INNS – is increasing species movements and rates of release, intensifying problems.

Cargo ship caption – Some invasive species hitch a ride on ship’s hulls or are transported in the ballast water, meaning they can travel huge distances (c) Martin Vorel

Invasive species in the marine environment

The International Maritime Organization has identified INNS as one of the four greatest threats to the world’s oceans. The main ways in which INNS are introduced to areas outside their native range in the marine environment are by shipping, recreational boating and aquaculture activities. For example, with ships travelling across the globe, species can either hitch a ride on ships’ hulls or be transported in ballast water (water that is taken in or let out of the ship to keep it balanced as cargo is loaded and unloaded).

Once introduced and established, invasive species are difficult to control or eradicate, particularly in the marine environment. Therefore, preventing the introduction and spread of invasive species and coordinating a timely and effective response if detected is essential.

Sea squirt caption – The carpet sea squirt (Didemnum vexillum) – while each individual organism is tiny (1mm long), it grows in colonies which can cover several square kilometres and will smother any other species in its way (c) CCW

Improving the health of our seas

The UK Marine Strategy is the UK’s overarching plan to ensure that our seas recover to a healthy state, known as “Good Environmental Status” (GES) by 2020. The strategy covers all UK waters (apart from estuaries) and is signed up to by all four nations as a common framework.

One of the 11 ‘descriptors’ of how to achieve GES is by reducing the impact of INNS in the marine environment and ensuring invasive species do not adversely alter the ecosystem. However, like many of the other descriptors (for example maintaining biodiversity, marine litter), the UK is currently failing to achieve GES when it comes to reducing the threat and impact of INNS.

A Government consultation on the UK Marine Strategy is currently running and we, along with our partners, are submitting a response on INNS and a number of other descriptors where we are failing to meet GES.

The UK Government states in its 25 Year Environment Plan that it wants our generation “to leave the environment in a better state than we found it and pass on to the next generation a natural environment protected and enhanced for the future”. The UK Marine Strategy needs to be much more ambitious if it is to live up to this aim, and for INNS specifically, we need a step-change in the resourcing and effectiveness of the Westminster government’s response to the growing threat of INNS to our environment and amazing marine wildlife.

For more information on Invasive Non-Native Species, the threats they pose and how you can help, take a look at our interactive storymap.

New protected seabird site formally classified

2018-11-28T10:10:00Z

Blog post by Isobel Mercer, RSPB Senior Policy Officer

Last week, rather quietly and with no formal announcement, the Flamborough and Filey Coast Special Protection Area (SPA) was officially classified. The designation of this internationally important site for seabirds is an important step towards the delivery of the UK Government’s vision of clean, healthy and well managed seas and is welcomed by the RSPB.

The site is the most important mainland nesting site in the UK for many threatened seabird species such as kittiwakes, gannets, razorbills and guillemots. It also includes Bempton Cliffs - the UK’s largest mainland gannet colony and an RSPB reserve. The classification extends the existing SPA protection to more of the nesting areas and also includes a strip of sea adjacent to the cliffs, which is used by the birds for preening and resting.

Bempton gannets (c) Michael Harvey

This announcement comes a couple of months after the UK’s Environment Secretary Michael Gove’s welcome call for 30% of the world’s oceans to be protected by 2030. The challenge for the UK Government will be to ensure that the UK lives up to this global standard of ambition at home and not just abroad. With a fourth leasing round for offshore wind now imminent, internationally important sites like Flamborough must be properly protected. Full consideration of any impacts to the special species and habitats that they support must be given before further deployment of offshore wind.

The UK’s seabirds are in trouble, with many species in severe decline. This is caused by the combined effects of climate change, loss of breeding habitat, displacement from key feeding areas by windfarms and other developments at sea, and unsustainable fishing practices that impact species on which seabirds feed. Even at places like our Bempton Cliffs Reserve, which is one of the UK’s most important places for breeding seabirds, and a site where gannets are currently doing well, species like kittiwakes are struggling in the face of these pressures.

Extended legal protection of this colony is an important step, but to tackle ongoing declines in seabird populations it is vital that the key foraging areas at sea used by internationally important breeding seabird colonies – including this colony - are also protected. Sadly, to date this is not the case.

Razorbill (c) Andy Hay

Exciting new seabird tracking research undertaken by the RSPB has helped to identify the most important areas at sea, or ‘hotspots’ for several seabird species. The tracking results showed that the seas off Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs are a major UK hotspot for kittiwakes, but human pressure on these foraging areas is already beginning to impact the kittiwake colony.

Designation is the first step. It is critical that Natural England now ensure that effective management measures for this site are in place and enforced. It is also crucial that Natural England quickly progress the designation of the underpinning Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), as parts of the extended SPA currently lack this essential layer of protection, leaving it vulnerable to inappropriate management.

Seabird tracking project

2018-10-19T16:50:28Z

The RSPB’s Nature Policy Officer Sarah Hudson tells us about a recently completed exciting new project tracking four species of seabirds. The study identifies the vital at-sea foraging areas of kittiwake, guillemot, razorbill and shag from colonies all around the UK.

The results build upon and complement an existing RSPB paper Wakefield et al. 2017 that developed sophisticated models to predict where these species forage during the breeding season. By clearly showing which areas of sea are important to breeding seabirds, we can work with developers and the planning authorities to protect them.

Razorbills were one of the four species tracked (c) Colin Wilkinson (rspb-images.com)

What is marine planning?

Our seas are increasingly busy and under pressure, with humans using the marine environment in a variety of ways, including fishing, shipping, leisure, and development such as offshore wind turbines. Marine planning is an essential tool to help make sure that the collective pressure of all these human activities at sea does not negatively affect marine ecosystems.

A good marine plan is one that recognises the importance of conserving the health of our marine environment by accommodating the needs of wildlife, including seabirds, waterbirds and other migratory species such as dolphins and seals. Marine planning allows decision-makers to determine the most appropriate and sustainable use of marine space by exploring how sensible design and location can avoid or minimise negative impacts. Either by avoiding sensitive areas, or by designing projects to have minimum impact helps sustain and restore our amazing marine environment.

The UK’s waters are divided into marine planning regions, with 11 in England and one each for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each plan area stretches up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. But the sea is interconnected and can’t always be viewed as separate defined areas. To be truly spatial, the marine plans need to encompass the marine environment as a whole, from above the surface to the seabed and fully consider impacts on highly mobile species such as seabirds.

How the data can help planners and seabirds

The tracking results have identified marine areas of high ecological value for seabirds, building a picture of how seabirds use the plan areas. The data are available for anyone working in the marine environment, from planners to developers, who should ensure development at sea works with nature, not against it.

Map showing the at-sea distribution of kittiwake from the tracking webpage

As well as being useful for marine planning, the tracking results can inform the process to support the management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and help to identify new sites which are important for our seabirds. However, while MPAs certainly play an important role, a fluid, adaptive marine planning system is essential to support mobile species such as seabirds across the marine environment, outside designated protected areas.

By better understanding where our seabirds go during the breeding season, we can improve the management of our seas, ensuring we have healthy and vibrant seabird populations for generations to come.

For more information on this amazing work, view our Following the Seabirds’ Trail webpage, where you can also download the tracking data from the Open Data Portal.

Tyne kittiwakes: What’s the RSPB doing?

2018-07-30T22:31:00Z

In recent weeks, a number of kittiwakes have become trapped in netting on buildings on the Newcastle Quayside, which has caused lots of concern locally.

Helen Quayle, the RSPB’s Marine Conservation Officer and Chair of the Tyne Kittiwake Partnership, explains how the RSPB and the Partnership have been working to protect kittiwakes and how people can help.

It’s been extremely upsetting for me to see these kittiwakes getting trapped and tangled in netting which is meant to act as a deterrent. Over the past few years I’ve been working hard to try and ensure this kind of thing doesn’t happen to these beautiful birds.

Tyne kittiwake flying, Dan Turner

At the RSPB we help kittiwakes, at their nests and out at sea, through our network of coastal reserves and by lobbying for greater protection of our seas.

In Newcastle, we work as part of the Tyne Kittiwake Partnership, which was formed to safeguard the Tyne kittiwakes. The Partnership’s role is to raise awareness of this species, to improve our understanding of kittiwakes in an urban environment and to take action when their nest sites are threatened.

In this urban environment, the noise and mess created by kittiwakes has resulted in some property owners installing deterrents such as netting which, although legal, can result in serious problems for the birds.

Where possible, we try to ensure that property owners carry out this work appropriately and make them aware of their legal responsibility to prevent harm coming to the birds.

The Tyne kittiwakes are surrounded by human activity and are often in the vicinity of building works. Through the Partnership, we’ve been particularly active in ensuring that these activities and developments don’t harm or disturb breeding kittiwakes. We also provide advice on creating alternative nest sites where possible.

A few years ago there were calls to remove the kittiwakes from the Tyne Bridge as they were seen as a barrier to the regeneration of the Quayside. Through the Partnership we successfully prevented the kittiwakes from losing this important nest site.

Recently, we provided extensive advice and support to organisers of the Great Exhibition of the North to reduce and prevent the risk of disturbance from their opening ceremony and celebration events.

Nesting Tyne kittiwakes, Dan Turner

Over the years, we’ve engaged a range of planning applications that had the potential to affect the kittiwakes, including objecting to the use of deterrents on the Tyne Bridge.

During the breeding season, the RSPB attends Newcastle Quayside market to inspire and educate local people and visitors about the birds.

Unfortunately, it’s not only the kittiwakes on the Tyne that have become trapped in netting.

We’ve also been providing advice to Scarborough Borough Council for a number of years in relation to kittiwakes and last winter we played an integral role in the removal of a dangerous section of netting on the Grand Hotel. Remaining netting will be removed at the end of the breeding season.

While we work hard behind the scenes to help kittiwakes, the RSPB is not set up to actually rescue trapped birds. We simply don’t have the resources to undertake this work.

Fortunately, the RSPCA - as an animal rescue and welfare charity - has the expertise and knowledge to undertake this work and has been busy rescuing the trapped kittiwakes.

For our part – through the partnership - we have been passing on reports of trapped birds to the RSPCA and liaising with their inspectors. When possible, we’ve also contacted the property owners to remind them of their legal responsibility to ensure the safety of the birds. At times, we have been extremely frustrated by the lack of action from the property owners.

Tyne kittiwakes, Dan Turner

We would urge any of you who spot trapped birds to contact the RSPCA immediately and alert the property owner – you have the power to make a difference.

There are instances when a rescue may appear to be delayed but that is not necessarily the case; such operations require careful thought to minimise disturbance to neighbouring breeding birds and ensure that the netting is left as safely as possible (removing netting during the breeding season, which nests have been built on top of, is not an option).

Kittiwakes nest in hard to reach places that usually require a cherry picker or the Fire Brigade’s assistance.

The need for any rescues could and should be avoided by property owners ensuring that all netting is correctly installed, fit for purpose and maintained.

Whilst the use of netting as a deterrent is legal – so long as it is installed outside the breeding season before nest building has commenced – the property owner has a responsibility to take action to release trapped birds.

When a net is known to be a hazard and to trap kittiwakes, the property owner must take action to ensure that it is safe and fit for purpose the following breeding season. Failure to remove or make safe such netting, would effectively be leaving a trap in place which could constitute a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

Ahead of the next breeding season, we’ll be continuing work on kittiwake guidance for property owners and hope to meet with businesses and property owners.

While this has been an upsetting time, I’ve felt heartened by the huge amount of support that has been displayed for the Tyne kittiwakes. I hope property owners on the Quayside have taken notice of how much these birds are valued by the people of Newcastle and beyond.

2000 miles of seabirds – day three at Coquet Island

2018-06-20T14:00:00Z

RSPB’s senior policy officer Gareth Cunningham is back with another tale of his seabird journey. In this blog post, Gareth braves the elements to see eider ducks.

After an exciting day in St Bees Head, I was looking forward to my visit to Coquet Island. The third day started with a relatively straightforward trip complicated only by the weather. A strong wind was blowing in from the East which although dry, meant a possible trip around the island on a boat was looking unlikely.

But the prospect of seeing on of England’s biggest colonies of eiders nestled along the Northumbria coast was not something I planned on missing!

A short time later, passing by Hexham and Newcastle, I arrived in Amble and met the RSPB Northumberland Coast Site Manager Steve Morrison, and Marine Conservation Officer Helen Quayle. Taking full advantage of Steve’s generous hospitality, we escaped to his loft and filmed some interviews, hoping the wind would drop enough for the boat to be able to get out of the harbour.

After an amazing lunch in the local fish and chip shop, we donned out waterproofs and life jackets and left the harbour to find some eiders. Sadly, the weather had swept the sea up into some pretty choppy water and the harbour mouth was well and truly alive! But while the turbulent waters prevented us from getting closer to Coquet, they did provide some spectacular views of diving terns feeding in the mixing waters.

Eiders are the UK's heaviest duck and the males have this handsome black and white plumage

The harbour itself did not disappoint, and before long I was looking at eiders aplenty. Their almost sarcastic call echoed round the harbour as groups of males chased females. Coquet Island is owned by the Duke of Northumberland, and managed by the RSPB for its important seabird colonies.

Eider ducks nest on the island and then make their way to the Coquet estuary, where they form crèches supervised by non-breeding females called ‘aunties’. The area is also used by eiders in the winter so a great place for all year round duck viewing. However, the eider are currently lack protection when they leave the island.

Thankfully the UK Government’s tranche 3 MCZ consultation (for a bit of background, have a look at my earlier blog) has recognised this gap and is proposing a new site that not only includes the eiders of Coquet, but also those of the Farnes. This is great news and if designated the site will provide year-round protection.

You can watch the short video of my visit below.

www.youtube.com/watch

After a cup of tea and a slice of cake (thanks Paul!), I headed South towards Whitby. Traversing the traffic of the Tyne tunnel, I passed through my old haunts of Middlesbrough and Guisborough before heading up into the North Yorkshire Moors towards my accommodation for the evening, another YHA in Boggle Hole.

Of course, I didn’t head straight there! Taking the opportunity of another fine evening, I traversed the moors in search of birds and was rewarded with some spectacular views of the sun setting across the heathland.

Keep up to date with the latest news on all things marine (including the tranche 3 MCZs) via twitter and the blog pages. In the meantime our friends at the Wildlife Trusts have launched an online action giving people the chance to have their say and support these new MCZ's. Please help by signing and get these special sites protected.

2000 miles of seabirds – day two at St Bees Head

2018-06-15T20:59:00Z

RSPB’s senior policy officer Gareth Cunningham is back with another tale of his seabird journey. In this blog post, Gareth visits the beautiful St Bees Head in Cumbria.

Back in May I travelled across England to visit a few of our best seabird sites. Some of these we asked to be included in the Government’s proposals to protect current Tranche 3 Marine Conservation Zone consultation (for a bit of background, have a look at my earlier blog).

The planned route across England for the first week

The good news is two of the sites I visited have been included in the proposals; St Bees Head and Coquet Island. But the work doesn’t stop there as we need to make sure these sites move from just proposals to being fully designated. Only then will the fantastic wildlife that lives and breeds here be fully protected.

It was serendipitous then that St Bees Head was the first seabird site I reached on my journey. I had, by a stroke of luck, managed to pick one of the hottest and driest weeks of the year so far. The chance of riding for hours in soggy gear was slim so I set off knowing my biggest challenges would be the tedium of motorways and making sure to stay hydrated.

The roads were quiet, and heading towards St Bees Head, it’s easy to see why the Lake District is such a popular place with walkers and other tourists. Rolling hills, wooded glades and picturesque streams greeted me at every turn. Soon St Bees Head loomed, home to England’s only nesting black guillemots.

The stunning cliff views from St Bees Head

Currently the land at St Bees Head is protected for its significant seabird colony - including nearly 10,000 common guillemot and lesser numbers of fulmar, kittiwake and puffin. However, the waters around the colony have no legal protection even though they are essential during the important breeding season.

This is why the site has been suggested as one of the amended Marine Conservation Zones in the Defra Tranche 3 consultation. We hope that it is given formal protection to ensure that this thriving seabird colony is safe whilst at sea as well as on land.

You can watch the short video of my visit below.

www.youtube.com/watch

Waving goodbye to St Bees Head I hit the road once more, travelling east towards Hexham. Eventually I found my accommodation for the evening; The Sill was an amazing YHA located in Northumberland just a stone’s throw from Hadrian’s Wall. As would become the norm for my trip, the evening consisted of downloading videos, charging batteries and checking the map.

Keep up to date with the latest news on all things marine (including the tranche 3 MCZs) via twitter and the blog pages. In the meantime our friends at the Wildlife Trusts will soon be launching an action giving people the chance to have their say and support these new MCZ's. Check here for updates.

Marine planners visit Yorkshire coastline

2018-06-13T19:45:21Z

In late May, Yorkshire’s seabirds received some special visitors seeking to learn more about this special coastline and its inhabitants. Despite the fog, the cliffs of Bempton and Flamborough provided a spectacular setting to discuss how marine planning can help our sealife.

The visit by marine planners from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), was hosted by the RSPB, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) and Flamborough Head Management Scheme.

Left to right: Amy Balding (MMO), Ali Barratt (RSPB), Zoe MacKay (MMO), Heather Davison (Flamborough Head Management Scheme), Bex Lynam (YWT), Ana Cowie (YWT) © Helen Quayle

The MMO is developing marine plans for England’s seas. These plans will:

Set out priorities and directions for future development.
Inform sustainable use of marine resources.
Help marine users understand the best locations for their activities.

The development of marine plans is a significant step in protecting our sealife and the MMO welcomes input from all stakeholders.

The Yorkshire coast is a particularly important area for seabirds which nest on 400ft chalk cliffs stretching 17 miles from Bridlington to the north of Filey. Every year, gannets, kittiwakes, puffins, razorbills, guillemots and fulmar return here to nest. Counts in 2017, revealed these are home to nearly 300,000 seabirds rearing over 100,000 chicks making it the largest mainland seabird colony in the UK.

RSPB Bempton Cliffs and Flamborough Head © Helen Quayle.

Looking out to sea from the cliffs, hundreds of birds can be seen bobbing on the waves and travelling back and forth in search of food – some travelling hundreds of kilometres. Below the waves Yorkshire’s seas are home to minke whales, harbour porpoise, octopus, lobsters, common and grey seals, over 100 species of seaweed including kelp forests, sea squirts, mussels and fish such as plaice and sandeel (sandeels are a favourite food for seabirds including puffins and kittiwakes).

Yorkshire’s cliffs offer a safe place to nest, but to ensure that seabirds have access to plentiful food supplies, the waters where they feed also need protection. We hope that marine planning, alongside other work to conserve sealife, including the creation of protected areas, will help to secure the future of this colony and others.

Puffin © Ben Andrew rspb-images.com

Zoe Mackay, Marine Planner (North East) said: “Our visit to Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs was a fantastic opportunity to see one of many very special parts of the north east marine plan area. Despite the recent poor weather conditions, the site housed thousands of nesting birds including puffins and the largest breeding population of gannets in the UK, which was an incredible sight to behold.”

The visit gave the marine planning team insight into how successful management plans, and positive working relationships between the site managers and marine users, have led to a combined effort to both protect the site and allow appropriate access for tourism and recreational users.”

Marine planning is also taking place in Scotland, Ireland and Wales and it will be important that marine planners consider how plans will work alongside each other as well as considering the movements of sealife and migrating birds across plan areas.

2000 miles of seabirds - day one

2018-06-05T21:01:00Z

As the Government gears up towards the latest round of protected marine zone consultations, RSPB’s senior policy officer Gareth Cunningham has been touring England’s best sites for seabirds. He’s ditched the formal trousers for leathers and hopped on his bike, on an exciting journey to highlight some of our amazing coastal wildlife.

Spring is a fantastic time to live in the UK, especially if you love seabirds. The cliffs and coasts come alive with the calls of seabirds frantically finding their mate and the ideal nesting spot. As you may already know Britain is home to over 8 million seabirds and is one (if not) of the most important countries in Europe for iconic species such as puffins, razorbills and gannets. Our rich waters provide feeding grounds for seabirds and their hungry chicks, including globally important populations of some species.

You may recall last year the RSPB called on the UK Government to fully protect the areas used by our seabirds. Apart from sites for over wintering Black necked Grebe, all the proposed sites are essential to protect our seabirds during the busy, but relatively short, breeding season.

Gareth at the start of his epic journey

To fully showcase these amazing sites and demonstrate just how accessible they are for us all, I travelled the coasts of England on my motorbike in May and visited each of our proposed sites. Filming not only some of the amazing wildlife that lives there, but also the people working to manage and protect these vital locations. In total I covered over 2000 miles in 10 days. A relatively short distance compared to the journeys made by the seabirds returning to our shores to breed.

This summer the UK Government will consult on its third and final tranche of Marine Conservation Zones, we hope that they too recognise the importance of these sites and afford them the protection they need to ensure our cliffs and coasts remain vibrant, noisy, homes for seabirds.

www.youtube.com/watch

In the meantime, here’s a short video I made after the longest day of riding of the whole trip (300+ miles of motorway!). Over the next few weeks I’ll be uploading a short video of each site and writing some blogs to go alongside. So, check back here for updates. Fingers crossed, by showcasing these fantastic sites the UK Government will agree with us and afford these sites the protection they so desperately need.

You can also check out the trip as it happened and keep up to date with the latest news via twitter: @seabirdbiker

Spare a thought for our urban kittiwakes

2018-04-24T21:04:00Z

Every year thousands of seabirds return to our shores to breed on cliffs and beaches but some of them travel further inland to our towns and cities where ledges on buildings and bridges provide suitable places to nest. Kittiwakes started nesting along the Tyne in 1949 and have been here ever since. The RSPB’s Helen Quayle, Tyne Kittiwake Partnership Chair, tells us more about these unique inland seabird colonies.

The Tyne kittiwakes create a wildlife spectacle in the heart of the Newcastle-Gateshead Quayside – the most inland nesting location for the species in the world. These unique kittiwakes have captured the hearts of many and become a tourist attraction in their own right. Usually kittiwakes nest at more remote cliff locations but here they can be easily viewed by local people and visitors.

Kittiwake in Newcastle-Gateshead Quayside (c) Ian Cook

However, kittiwakes can be noisy and messy which can bring them in to conflict with neighbouring businesses.

It is worth noting that kittiwakes winter at sea and are only here from late February to August; their return marking the start of spring. Whilst nesting on the Tyne, kittiwakes can make 100 mile round trips out to sea in search of food and do not interact with people.

In response to concerns regarding noise and mess, deterrents are often used by property owners to prevent kittiwakes from nesting. Over the years, the use of deterrents, renovations and demolition activity has resulted in the kittiwake population shifting as nest sites have been lost. In 1998 a “Kittiwake Tower” was built by Gateshead Council to provide a home for birds displaced by the redevelopment of the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Located a short distance downstream of the Baltic, the tower is now designated as a nature reserve.

The Tyne Kittiwake Partnership (TKP) formed to safeguard the Tyne kittiwakes, ensuring their future as a unique feature of the Newcastle-Gateshead Quayside cityscape. The TKP collaborates to raise awareness, improve our understanding of kittiwakes in an urban environment and respond when nest sites are threatened.

The TKP includes the RSPB, Natural History Society of Northumbria, Durham Wildlife Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, neighbouring Councils, Natural England, Newcastle University and independent ornithologists – including one who has been monitoring the Tyne kittiwakes for 25 years.

Every year the TKP responds to planning applications, provides advice on the safe use of deterrents and responds to concerns regarding netting including incidences of trapped birds. Adult kittiwakes, their active nests, eggs and chicks are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).

Once kittiwakes have started building new nests, or adding to old nests, these nests are legally protected and must not be removed or interfered with. Any action to prevent kittiwakes nesting on ledges must be taken outside the breeding season from September to February. Action taken during the breeding season could constitute a criminal act.

Deterrents may also be used to protect listed buildings of architectural or historic interest such as the Guildhall in Newcastle. It is worth noting that whilst exemptions can be made under General Licence to manage some gull species, this is only in specific circumstances and does not apply to kittiwakes.

Deterrents include netting and spikes which are intended to create a barrier between kittiwakes and the nesting ledge. However, kittiwakes can build their nests up, around and on top of spikes and, unfortunately, if netting is not put up correctly or properly maintained, it can become a danger to wildlife. Kittiwakes nesting near unfit netting may become entangled and unable to free themselves, often resulting in injury and/or death.

It is vital that those responsible for the netting ensure that it is fit for purpose and take prompt action to release kittiwakes should they become trapped. Failure of those responsible to take action when a net is known to trap kittiwakes, could have very serious animal welfare and legal implications.

Kittiwake with chick (c) Dan Turner

If you see a live kittiwake trapped in netting please alert the property owner and the RSPCA immediately. Please also report the incident to the TKP (see links below) as it allows us to follow up with property owners to raise awareness and ensure that action is taken to make the net safe. Similarly, we are also able to take action if alerted to deterrents that have been installed during the breeding season.

Globally, kittiwakes are thought to have declined by around 40% since the 1970s, and were added to the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List in 2015. This was followed by the species being uplisted from Least Concern to Vulnerable in 2017. In the UK, kittiwake numbers have plummeted, particularly in Orkney and Shetland where breeding birds have declined by 87% since 2000, and on St Kilda in the Western Isles where as much as 96% of the breeding population has been lost.

Climate change and fishing that sets aside too little for the birds are likely causes of serious declines in kittiwake numbers. Over 2,500 kittiwakes were recorded nesting on the Tyne in 2017; we need to safeguard these unique river- nesting colonies as part of the wider conservation effort for kittiwakes.

The TKP will continue to work with local businesses, developers and neighbouring Councils to safeguard existing nest sites and provide advice on alternatives when this is not possible. The overwhelming response of local people to safeguard the kittiwakes and their nest sites demonstrates the strong affection people have for these birds. We hope that by raising awareness with businesses we can ensure that kittiwakes continue to have a home along the Tyne.

For more information

Find out more about the Tyne Kittiwakes including the Partnership and 25 years of kittiwake monitoring here.

See the Tyne kittiwakes via Durham Wildlife Trust and Baltic nest camera.

A tale of two seabirds: kittiwakes and herring gulls in Scarborough

2018-01-24T21:24:00Z

Gulls have long been associated with coastal towns, particularly herring gulls, however, this proximity to people can lead to conflict exacerbated by misconceptions and ineffective management measures. The RSPB’s Helen Quayle reports on gulls nesting in Scarborough, responds to concern over netted birds and calls for positive action.

Within Scarborough there are two types of gull; kittiwakes and herring gulls. They might look similar but these birds behave very differently and have a different legal status.

There are a few key differences between kittiwakes (left) and herring gulls (right) including size, herring gulls being a much larger bird (Mike Langham, RSPB Images). Herring gulls are present all year round whereas smaller kittiwakes are only present on our shores from March to August. Herring gulls have pink legs and a red spot on their beak. Kittiwakes have black legs and a purely yellow beak. Herring gull wing tips have black with white `mirrors’ whereas kittiwake wing tips are solid black as though dipped in ink.

Kittiwakes are a truly oceanic bird returning to land only to nest and rear their chicks from March to August. These birds feed only at sea, making many long-distance trips fetching food for their young. Kittiwakes nest on the ledges of buildings and bridges – just like they would nest, somewhat perilously, on cliff edges.

Kittiwakes nesting on a building ledge (Ben Andrew, RSPB Images) and a cliff edge (Andy Hay, RSPB Images).

Herring gulls are larger birds and can be present in our towns all year round. These birds will feed on human food (provided intentionally or otherwise) and, as good parents, exhibit defensive behaviour towards perceived threats – in the urban environment the perceived threat can simply be people going about their business. This behaviour is very different to that of kittiwakes which do not interact with people. Herring gulls prefer to nest on flat and sloping roofs.

Kittiwakes and herring gulls are both protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). Kittiwakes (and their nests, eggs and chicks) are fully protected. Herring gulls are one of a few species included in a General Licence that permits authorised persons to remove/destroy their nests and eggs where necessary to preserve public health and safety.

The area around nesting kittiwakes can be noisy and messy during their stay on land, leading some property owners to install deterrents, usually in the form of spikes or netting. This installation is legal outside the breeding season (September to February) and is intended to create a barrier between the birds and the nesting ledge. However, kittiwakes can build their nests up around and on top of spikes and, unfortunately, if netting is not put up correctly or cared for, it can become a danger to wildlife. Kittiwakes nesting near unfit netting may become entangled and unable to free themselves, often resulting in injury and/or death. It is vital that those responsible for the netting ensure that it is fit for purpose and take prompt action to release kittiwakes should they become trapped. Failure of those responsible to take action when a net is known to trap kittiwakes, could have very serious animal welfare and legal implications.

Sadly, kittiwakes became trapped in netting during summer 2017 at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough and was reported by the RSPB to the RSPCA and the Police. It is upsetting that these kittiwakes died needlessly, and it’s concerning that no apparent action has been taken by the Grand to release trapped birds promptly and prevent further kittiwakes from becoming entangled. The RSPB has urged the Grand to ensure that the netting does not pose a hazard to kittiwakes returning this spring and that there is a thorough and effective maintenance plan put in place. If this is not possible, the RSPB has advised that the nets be removed.

It is important to note that netting and other deterrents are extremely unlikely to result in gulls relocating to nearby cliffs. It is much more likely, and has been demonstrated, that kittiwakes will simply nest on adjacent buildings if their previous structure becomes unavailable. Therefore, whilst the installation of deterrents may appear to reduce conflict, it shifts the birds into different parts of town.

In 2017, Scarborough Council trialled a programme of disruption and dispersal to reduce conflict with herring gulls. This work is planned to continue in 2018 extending into Filey and involves the repeated destruction of herring gull nests and eggs. It is extremely important to be aware that such work can only target herring gulls, not kittiwakes, and must be done in accordance with the conditions of the relevant General Licence. A General Licence can only be used to preserve public health and safety when all other measures have proven to be unpractical or ineffective. It is not permitted to undertake lethal control (removal of nests and eggs) of herring gulls for nuisance or damage to property under a General Licence. Additionally, the General Licence does not permit lethal control (removal or destruction) of herring gull chicks or adults. More information about General Licence can be found on the Natural England website. Anyone taking action under a General Licence is obliged to be able to demonstrate, if necessary, that their actions are legal.

The RSPB recognises the concerns of local people, businesses and visitors in relation to urban gulls and has been calling for long-term solutions that do not damage populations of these red listed species. The severity of the situation, both in terms of the problems faced by people and the implications for kittiwakes and herring gulls, warrants a considered, effective and evidenced based solution that is sustainable in the long-term. The RSPB will keep working with others, including the Council, with the hope of making this aspiration a reality.

For more information please contact:

Helen Quayle

Marine Conservation Officer

Blue Planet II and the Albatross task force

2017-12-11T14:00:00Z

Blue Planet 2 has been the most watched television programme of the year, and for good reason, with its stunning cinematography and charismatic cast of characters. Steph Winnard, International Marine Project Manager for the RSPB, discusses the highlights of the show for her, and why the stories of the human impact are the scenes she won’t be forgetting.

Over the last few weeks Blue Planet 2 has led us on an incredible journey of discovery of new weird and wonderful creatures from the deep oceans, shown us unknown behaviours like the octopus fooling the shark with its ingenious disguise of shells, and has provided us with new nightmare material in the form of the Bobbit worm!

For me and for many other people watching the show the thing that sticks most with me is the story telling around the huge impact we as humans are having on our oceans. I will readily admit to being reduced to tears more than once seeing the pilot whale mother clinging to her dead calf, which had possibly been poisoned by her toxic milk, and last night watching the sperm whale trying to eat a bucket, and the majestic wandering albatross chick killed by a plastic toothpick.

Albatrosses are one of the most endangered groups of birds in the world, with 14 of the 22 species facing extinction, so losing even a few because of plastic pollution, is really bad news. South Georgia is over 800 miles from the nearest land but still plastic is being found there, and for the albatross of the Pacific Ocean, many live chicks are brought up in nests made of plastics and are fed huge amounts of plastic, mistaken for food by their parents, with sometimes devastating consequences.

Wandering albatross with chick on South Georgia (c) Stephanie Winnard

On South Georgia the population of wandering albatross has halved over the last 35 years, and the main cause of this has been interactions with fishing, birds flock to the boats in search of a free meal, but sadly it can be their last. It is estimated that around 100,000 albatrosses are killed every year by longline and trawl fisheries around the world, when they are hooked and drowned, or struck by trawler cables and dragged under the water. This level of “bycatch” is hugely unsustainable for birds that can take up to 10 years to start breeding, and has led to worrying declines in albatross populations across the globe.

The RSPB has been working to save the albatross since 2005 when it set up the Albatross Task Force (ATF), an international collaboration of dedicated instructors working directly with fishermen in South America and Southern Africa teaching them simple ways they can avoid accidentally killing albatross. Measures such as fishing at night when birds are less active, weighting lines so they sink faster and using bird scaring lines to keep birds out of danger areas are all extremely effective.

The ATF have focused efforts on the ten worst hotspots for albatross bycatch, and have had some huge successes; reducing albatross bycatch by 99% in the South African demersal trawl fleet, getting regulations introduced to protect seabirds in 9/10 of the hotspot fisheries, and developing entirely new ways of stopping birds being killed in nets. You can find out more detail about our work in our annual report.

Bird scaring line with giant petrels in Argentina (c) Ruben Dellacasa

Despite this success, there is still much work to do to ensure that reductions in bycatch are sustainable into the future, and the ATF are still working closely with the fishing industry in many countries to ensure that albatrosses are kept off the hook.

You can join the fight to save the albatross by helping us raise funds by sending in your Christmas stamps. Each stamp has a very small value but we can sell them to collectors in bulk to raise funds for our vital work. Last year we raised over £20,000 from stamps allowing us to give the albatross a brighter future. To find out how to send your stamps in click here.

RSPB has been working in collaboration with the Government of South Georgia and the South Shetland Islands to conserve albatross, and a new first day cover set of albatross stamps has been produced to raise funds. There are available to buy this week from the RSPB’s ebay store here.

Blue Planet II and protecting our green seas

2017-11-27T02:50:00Z

Jonathan Hall, RSPB Head of UK Overseas Territories Unit, talks cheeky penguins, kelp forests and marine reserves in our latest sealife blog.

The ‘green seas’ featured in the latest spell-binding episode of Blue Planet II were dazzling. And the fact that many of these habitats, from shimmering sea-grass beds to epic underwater forests of kelp, are actually found in British waters is amazing.

This isn’t necessarily around the UK, but rather in the vast waters of our Overseas Territories, which collectively make up the fifth largest marine zone on the planet. And it is in these waters that the RSPB is working to hard protect some of the species and habitats shown, including green turtles and sea-lion filled kelp forests.

Our Overseas Territories marine programme has long been focussed on Ascension Island, home to the second largest green turtle nesting population in the Atlantic. Standing on one of the island’s beaches at night you can be surrounded by hundreds of large female turtles huffing and puffing as they dig holes to lay their eggs in. This provided an easy bonanza for sailors wanting fresh meat in the nineteenth century, but today the species is protected on land and its numbers are booming.

Ascension and the UK Government have now gone further and also pledged to protect at least 50% of Ascension’s rich waters in an ocean sanctuary the size of the UK by 2019. This is a visionary pledge and one we have been working to help make a reality through science and illegal fishing monitoring support.

Green turtle nesting on Ascension Island (c) Sam Weber

We are also focussing on supporting the remarkable community of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic to help protect their kelp forests and surrounding waters. This, the world’s most remote inhabited island, is home to a remarkable ocean ecosystem, with vast kelp stretching like the pillars of a cathedral up from the sea floor to the surface. In this magnificent silent jungle one finds huge shoals of fish, cheeky Northern rockhopper penguins and the most important Subantarctic fur seal population on the planet.

These kelp forests are the basis for an entire community of species, but perhaps most significantly are also the habitat for the unique Tristan rock lobster upon which the 270 Tristanians so heavily depends for their livelihoods. Their sustainable fishery is already Marine Stewardship Council certified, and we are working to help them further understand their lobster populations via a UK Government-funded Darwin Plus project so that they can manage them as well as possible. We are also studying the endangered penguins which call these forests home in order to help understand the potential reasons for their decline.

Over 80% of the world population of Subantarctic fur seals breeds in the Tristan da Cunha group, a UK Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic that is working towards a large-scale marine protection regime (c) Scott Hamilton

Most impressively, the Tristan da Cunha community has made its own visionary pledge to place its entire 750,000km2 marine zone into a marine protection regime by 2020. This will safeguard these inshore green seas for future generations of Tristanians, as well as protecting a vast area of ocean for sharks, albatrosses, seals, whales and dolphins. In order to help the community better understand their waters and inform their marine protection, we partnered with National Geographic Pristine Seas earlier in the year to conduct a joint expedition to the island, returning with new discoveries such as the fact that Tristan’s waters are a previously unknown blue shark breeding area.

The beautiful kelp forests of Tristan da Cunha being explored on the National Geographic Pristine Seas – RSPB marine expedition earlier this year (c) Roger Horrocks

So how can you help protect our incredible overseas green seas? Well the RSPB is part of a coalition called ‘Great British Oceans’, which this week has launched a campaign calling on the UK Government to take this unique opportunity to protect our blue planet, including by supporting the visionary marine protection pledges of Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.

These will both need continued UK Government political and financial support, but will protect some vast and amazing areas of ocean at very little cost. We are asking MPs to show their support for these marine protections by signing up to a Blue Belt Charter. Could you please take a minute to visit and show your support for our overseas green seas?