Last Friday RSPB and Landmark trust hosted an MP visit to Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel … here’s why …
In a recent blog we talked about better protection for Lundy’s seabirds. We wrote that despite the site being one of the most significant seabird colonies in the UK and supporting one of the country’s most endangered species, it is barely protected. The island itself has been designated as a Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) for some of its species, but not all – and the level of protection afforded by this label is far from sufficient. Besides, beyond excluding some of the species nesting on this internationally significant island, the protection doesn’t extend to the waters around it either. In practice, this means that none of the seabirds’ feeding areas, food source or flyways are protected. This also means that the critically endangered Balearic shearwater doesn’t benefit from any protection.
With increasing pressures from climate change and human developments and activities at sea, it is urgent to address this clear gap in the country’s network of Marine Protected Areas.
As such, the RSPB is calling for Government to step up the protection of Lundy Island and its surrounding waters, so it may become a Special Protection Area (SPA). This new protected site needs to apply to all 11 seabird species nesting there to safeguard the incredibly significant seabird assemblage depending on the area, but also need to extend at sea to ensure their foraging ground and flyways are protected and include the increasingly rare Balearic shearwater to finally provide a protected area for this bird in UK waters.
Last Friday [26 May 2023] the RSPB and Landmark Trust hosted a visit to Lundy by MPs Selaine Saxby, Derek Thomas and Steve Double to start to build the case for greater protection …
Jacques Villemot, RSPB Marine Policy officer was onboard; “Lundy Island is an incredible site showing first-hand how, with the appropriate support, nature and our seabirds can recover. From just 6 000 seabirds breeding on the island in the early 2000s, an incredibly ambitious and successful island restoration project has allowed this number to increase nearly 5 times, and it is now no less than 27,000 individuals we had a chance to spot soaring past us during our visit on Friday, including manxies, puffins, razorbill or fulmars! This makes Lundy one of the most significant seabird colonies in England and in the UK.
“Yet, we need to ensure this recovery is sustained and furthered in time. Indeed, despite these impressive numbers, the site does not benefit from the high level of protection it needs. This is why we are calling for the site to be designated as a Special Protected Area, a status it easily meets the criteria for. This needs to not only include the island, but also the key foraging sites supporting the seabirds breeding on its shores to ensure these scenic cliffs don’t become safe places to starve for the birds and their chicks. For this to happen, we need the Government and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to call on Natural England to launch the designation process. Lundy and its seabirds need and deserve a high level protection, let’s make it happen!”
Selaine Saxby MP said: “It was a real privilege to visit Lundy with the RSPB and hear from so many experts about the bird population and see the significant growth of particularly puffins, but also Manx shearwaters and peregrine falcons on the island. I was surprised to find that the island has not qualified for benefited from Special Protected Area status despite qualifying for it, and hope that our visit will enable this matter to be addressed to ensure this unique habitat can receive the protection it needs to support its unique bird population.”
Steve Double MP said: “Thanks to the RSPB and the Landmark Trust for hosting our visit to Lundy Island; it was a truly inspiring visit learning about the conservation work being done to protect the unique habitat and restore the population of some of our most precious seabirds. It really bought home why it is so important that we do all we can to continue this important work so that Lundy continues to be a sustainable and vibrant natural habitat for the future”.
After shining a light on the gap that Lundy represent in our network of protected areas, we need to keep pressing Government to prioritise this issue and call on Natural England to launch the designation process. This will involve consulting local communities – be ready, Lundy will need your support!