Your Voice Matters: Help Shape Northern Ireland's Seabird Conservation Strategy

Protecting Northern Ireland's Seabirds

Guest blog, Erin McKeown, Senior Marine Policy Officer  

Northern Ireland is home to a variety of internationally important seabirds. From Northern Fulmar, an impressive grey and white bird whose closest relative is the majestic Albatross, to the iconic Atlantic Puffin, a must-see for visitors to Rathlin Island during the spring and summer. Northern Ireland is also a key area for waterbirds, such as Common Eider, and Belfast Lough hosts the largest Common Eider colony in Ireland.  

These species play a vital role in keeping our marine environment healthy and thriving, however many seabirds are facing drastic declines. The latest JNCC Seabirds Count showed a shocking 62% decline in breeding seabird species across the UK in the last 20 years. In Northern Ireland the most significant losses have been seen in Atlantic Puffin and Roseate Tern, declining by over 70%.  

Roseate Tern, Credit Brian Burke  

This is why Northern Ireland urgently needs a policy framework that will drive forward actions to protect and recover local seabird populations. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) currently have a draft Seabird Conservation Strategy out for consultation. This will play a pivotal role in helping save our seabirds, but it must be ambitious!  

You can read DAERA’s Seabird Conservation Strategy and take action for seabirds by responding here: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/SeabirdConservationStrategy Tell DAERA you want to see a strategy with:  

• Specific, measurable and timebound targets. Clear targets for each action in the strategy will provide a roadmap and allow us to monitor levels of success towards achieving the overall strategy aim.  

• ​The need for Species Specific Action Plans. Some species, such as Puffin, need immediate attention and specific focused actions to drive recovery. Species specific action plans will support this.  

• Development and funding of a rolling programme of island restoration and biosecurity legacy to ensure important seabird colonies are safe from invasive predators.  

• It is important that DAERA undertake a SPA Sufficiency Review and finalise the designation of the proposed East Coast and Carlingford Lough SPAs to ensure Northern Ireland’s Marine Protected Areas are supporting seabird recovery. 

• All activities at sea, including fishing and energy development, are sustainable. This will require the Seabird Strategy to work alongside effective fisheries management plans and a spatially prescriptive Marine Plan.  

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• Adequate resourcing and funding to ensure this strategy is well implemented.  

By including these asks, NI will have a robust, ambitious strategy that will truly work to save our seabirds.  

#ProtectOurSeabirds