Puffin (c) Chris Gomersal (rspb-images.com)
Today's blog comes from RSPB's Head of UK Marine Policy Kirsten Carter. Kirsten works across marine spatial planning, protected areas, fisheries, renewables, species policy and blue carbon. She also chairs the Wildlife and Countryside Link marine group.
Today marks a landmark moment in conservation history as finally, after years of research and campaigning, we see a significant step taken to protect an ocean hero, the small but mighty sandeel. Both the UK and Scottish Government’s have announced closure of sandeel fisheries in English waters of the North Sea and all Scottish waters respectively. As a result, we hope to see recovery of this keystone species which provides a rich and vital food source to our marine wildlife.
After working on this for 25 years, the RSPB welcome this move by the UK and Scottish Government’s as a step towards building resilience into our struggling seabird populations. Our internationally important seabirds have been hit with multiple pressures over the years contributing to their decline, most recently the devastating impacts of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
Kittiwakes (c) Adam Sison
A report from the RSPB, released in 2021, clearly demonstrated the link between seabird decline and reduced sandeel availability. It identified major flaws in the management of the North Sea sandeel fishery. Every year industrial fishing fleets remove hundreds of thousands of tonnes of these small shoaling fish from the North Sea making it harder for seabirds to find enough food to feed their chicks. The RSPB highlighted current management of the sandeel fishery was not providing the necessary framework for natures recovery and called on governments to throw a lifeline for some of the country’s most-loved birds, such as Kittiwakes and Puffins, by setting tougher controls on fishing for sandeel. A call to end sandeel fishing - which Sir David Attenborough echoed in the 2023 BBC TV series, Wild Isles co-produced by RSPB - was supported by around 44000 people from across the UK in our campaign actions responding to each of the Scottish Government and UK Government consultations last year. We are immensely thankful for the wholehearted support that has been so generously shown!
The recent Seabirds Count census, published in November 2023, paints a very grim picture for our seabirds, with almost 62% of seabird species in decline across the UK and declines across 70% of species in Scotland, our seabird stronghold (and this is before we know the true impacts of avian flu). Whilst the closure of the sandeel fishery in the English North Sea and Scottish waters is a crucial step towards securing the future of seabirds, both sandeel and seabirds are in such poor condition that it will take time for the impact of these decisions to be felt. There is an urgent need to press on with other changes to the way in that our seas are used and managed , such as the delivery of nature positive marine spatial planning, reducing the impact of development in areas crucial to marine wildlife (such as seabird foraging grounds) and the elimination of bycatch (the unintended catching of non-target species by fishers) to secure the long term recovery of our seabirds.
As apex predators, feeding at the top of the food chain, seabirds provide us with a window into the health of our seas. Their struggles demonstrate that the changing climate has reduced the availability of their food, highlighting the need for action to drive recovery and build resilience into our marine environment. We hope this will be one of many positive steps to drive change for seabirds.
Given today’s announcement has taken years in the making, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on those who have championed this journey, including considerable efforts from government conservation agencies, non-governmental organisations and you, our members and the public. This change would not have been possible without you. . Special thanks in particular go to my now retired predecessor as Head of UK Marine Policy, Dr Euan Dunn, who for many years championed this change for the RSPB and provided the foundations that have today allowed its delivery.
Editor's Note: Blog updated to reflect the Scottish Government's closure announcement.