Birdwatch Ireland has marked World Seabird Day with a map of the 73 most important areas it has identified for seabirds around this island.
The conservation NGO has identified 24 marine sites and eight terrestrial sites on the coast and on islands which host breeding colonies.
“These sites form part of a global network of the most significant sites for the conservation of birds that have been identified by BirdLife International and its national partners,”it says.
It says they are now part of an Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) network of 14,021 sites in 243 countries and territories, covering 11,195 bird species across 16 flyways.
“The 24 marine sites and eight of the terrestrial sites are newly identified IBAs,” Birdwatch Ireland says.
It says that the Government is “legally obliged under the Birds Directive to designate areas important for breeding, feeding and wintering for certain bird species, including migratory birds, as Special Protection Areas (SPAs)”.
“BirdWatch Ireland and BirdLife International are calling for these IBAs to be designated as SPAs. The 41 other terrestrial sites are existing IBAs or SPAs which should now be legally updated by the State,”it says.
“The Government has committed to protecting 30% of Irish marine waters by 2030. If the marine IBAs identified by BirdWatch Ireland and BirdLife International are designated, they will make a significant contribution to the 30x30 target,”it says.
“BirdWatch Ireland is also calling for the development of management plans for Ireland’s SPAs in an open and transparent way, in consultation with relevant stakeholders and with clearly defined and quantifiable, science-based conservation objectives and management measures, to ensure that seabird population can survive and thrive amid significant pressures and threats,”it says.
“Ireland is hugely important for seabirds with up to three quarters of a million birds gathering at colonies every year to nest,”it says.
“ It is of particular importance for breeding Manx Shearwater, Storm Petrel and Roseate Tern. 23 of our 24 breeding seabirds are Red or Amber-Listed Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland. Globally one third of seabirds are considered threatened and half are declining in population,”it says.
“Ireland is a very important place for seabirds like the Puffin and Black-legged Kittiwake, both of which are in trouble globally,”Birdwatch Ireland chief executive Andrew Kelly says.
“Pressures such as climate change, overfishing and marine plastic pollution, but also human disturbance and predation by rodents at breeding colonies are all having an impact. Today’s publication of Ireland’s Seabird IBAs provides critical information for government and industry to protect, conserve and restore areas for seabirds.”
Ariel Brunner, Director of BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, said that “the Irish Government now has the data showing the most critical areas for seabirds in Irish waters”.
“It must now designate these sites as Special Protected Areas and ensure that they are effectively managed. This means excluding harmful activities and using them to inform the location of new offshore renewables developments so they deliver real protection for seabirds,”Brunner said.
Oonagh Duggan, Head of Policy and Advocacy at BirdWatch Ireland, noted that there is “no sign of a bill on marine protected areas (MPAs)”.
“The Taoiseach said at the UN Oceans Conference that he wants Ireland to be a leader on maritime policy,” she said.
“Then we need to start with designating these IBAs and bringing forward the MPA bill as soon as possible,” she said.
The process to identify and map the IBAs was undertaken by BirdWatch Ireland and BirdLife International scientists, who collated all available seabird survey data, including the state funded ObServe aerial survey data, as well as seabird tracking data.
This data was then analysed against BirdLife International’s criteria for IBAs.
“Transparency was essential from the start and there was significant consultation with stakeholders, including other national and international seabird experts, government departments, the offshore wind sector, environmental consultants and NGOs,”Birdwatch Ireland says.
