MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet
Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Wales, supports
internationally important breeding populations of seabirds,
thanks to its diverse coastal habitats, cliffs, and islands.
Skomer and Skokholm Islands, off the Pembrokeshire coast,
are among Wales' most important seabird habitats, supporting the
world's largest breeding population of Manx shearwater, around
450,000 pairs, alongside Wales' largest colony of Atlantic
puffins. Further offshore, Grassholm Island hosts one of the
largest Northern gannet colonies in the world, providing critical
habitat for this species.
The importance of Wales' coastline stretches north, including the
sweeping sands near the Dee Estuary in North East Wales, which
provide essential nesting space for little terns, forming the
second-largest colony of its kind in the UK. Seabird populations
across Wales and beyond, have faced sustained pressures
over many years including prey availability and lack of suitable
habitats, compounded by the climate crisis we all face
Populations are becoming less resilient, as illustrated by the
recent and severe impacts arising from Highly Pathogenic Avian
Influenza (HPAI). In 2022, this virus significantly affected key
tern and gull colonies, and most notably, the gannet colony on
Grassholm, where breeding pairs are believed to have declined by
approximately 50%.
In response to these challenges, I commissioned the development
of the Welsh Seabird Conservation
Strategy which will provide an evidence-based framework for
the long-term protection of our nationally and globally
significant seabird populations.
Development of the strategy has been a substantial collaborative
effort involving Welsh Government and key partners including
Natural Resources Wales, the British Trust for Ornithology, the
Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and the Royal Society for
the Protection of Birds. I extend my sincere thanks to all those
who contributed to this important work.
The Strategy encompasses 29 seabird species found in Wales - some
resident, some overwintering, and others breeding. Regardless of
their lifecycle stage, it is essential that these species have
access to suitable foraging grounds and nesting habitats.
Central to the Strategy are vulnerability assessments, which
consider the sensitivity of a species to a pressure and the level
of exposure the species has to that pressure; over 20 pressures
have been assessed using expert judgement and the best available
evidence.
From this evidence base, five main pressures have emerged as
critically impacting seabird populations recovery and resilience
in Wales:
- Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species
- Visual disturbance
- Introduction of microbial pathogens
- Reduction in availability, extent, or quality of supporting
habitat
- Uncontrolled increase of native competitor/predatory species
In light of these findings, the strategy outlines a series of
targeted recommendations with contributing actions addressing
these priority areas. I believe these actions represent a clear
and necessary path forward - one we must pursue collectively to
secure a resilient and sustainable future for Wales' seabird
populations.
While this marks the beginning of a longer journey toward seabird
conservation in Wales, it is a significant and welcome step.
Welsh Government remains committed to periodically reviewing the
evidence base and updating recommendations as new data emerges,
ensuring our approach remains responsive to the evolving needs of
these vital species.
