The RSPB is asking on the UK Authorities to behave now to assist safeguard the way forward for threatened seabirds following record-breaking marine temperatures off the UK and Irish coasts.
In a letter to Defra minister Lord Benyon, the UK’s largest nature conservation charity has warned that latest sea temperature rises of 4-5°C above common for this time of yr might pile added strain onto already fragile populations, like our globally essential seabirds.
Seabirds are a key indicator of the well being of our seas and coastal surroundings, the canaries within the coalmine. Shockingly, the UK record of Birds of Conservation Concern has 24 of the 25 UK breeding seabird species prone to native or international extinction and throughout the UK, the variety of breeding seabirds has fallen by nearly 1 / 4 within the final 30 years. Superb birds similar to Puffins, Kittiwakes and Fulmars will proceed to say no with out motion to deal with key threats and restore already fragile marine ecosystems.
Kittiwake, copyright Glyn Sellors, from the surfbirds galleries
Local weather change is a serious risk to seabirds, in addition to people. Rising sea temperatures could have radical impacts on marine ecosystems and everybody who relies on our seas for his or her well-being and livelihoods. But because the heatwave pushed up sea temperatures, the Committee on Local weather Change highlighted ‘worryingly gradual’ progress to deal with the local weather emergency right here within the UK.
Alongside efforts to deal with local weather change and decarbonise all sectors, the RSPB needs to see pressing motion to handle the cocktail of threats dealing with the UK’s globally essential seabird populations. The charity is asking on the UK Authorities to publish and implement the long-awaited English Seabird Conservation and Restoration Plan and the UK Marine Technique Programme of Measures to assist restore seabirds to its indicator of Good Environmental Standing, which it’s presently shifting away from.
Particular actions to guard and restore the UK’s seas are very important and lengthy overdue. Implementing a ban on industrial sandeel fishing within the North Sea to make sure extra meals is accessible for seabirds, a nationwide programme to revive and enhance the biosecurity of seabird islands, and motion to deal with unintended deaths of marine life in fishing gear would all assist enhance the fortunes of seabirds.
Jeff Knott, director of coverage and advocacy on the RSPB, mentioned: “These document temperatures aren’t an early warning signal. They’re yet one more instance of local weather change on our doorstep, disrupting ecosystems in sudden and surprising methods. If we’re to present our seabirds a combating likelihood we should act shortly to construct resilience of their populations and enhance the well being of our seas.
“Restoring our particular seabird islands, slicing unintended deaths attributable to longline and gillnet fishing and pushing forward with bans on industrial sandeel fishing throughout the UK are all measures that may and must be taken now. Chook flu has had a devastating impression on our seabirds over the past two years however they’ve additionally confronted many years of accelerating human-induced pressures. It’s time to throw them a lifeline.”
Met Workplace figures revealed yesterday confirmed June as the most popular on document for the UK. The implications of a warming planet embody elevated marine heatwaves, which have already got a document of getting catastrophic impacts on marine life. Between 2015 and 2016, warming of simply 1-2°C off the west coast of the USA (attributable to a heatwave referred to as ‘the blob’) left seabirds ravenous, ensuing within the loss of life of 1 million frequent Guillemots. Warming seas and more and more frequent excessive climate occasions impression the entire marine meals chain – from tiny creatures like plankton upwards, with knock-on penalties for the species that rely on them for meals.
The present marine heatwave follows final yr’s record-breaking temperatures in waters off the south and east coast of England. It provides to the rising physique of proof underlining the impact of human exercise on our seas from local weather change, badly deliberate improvement and unsustainable fishing.
The RSPB can also be seeing an rising variety of uncommon indicators from coastal breeding websites throughout the UK which has raised considerations.
- Kittiwakes, a key species on the frontline of the local weather and nature emergency, at the moment are threatened with international extinction. At Bempton Cliffs, the center of the UK’s largest mainland seabird colony, the Kittiwake inhabitants is flatlining with the variety of chicks efficiently fledged right down to a mean of round 0.6 chicks per nest over the past decade.
- Massive numbers of emaciated, lifeless and dying auks, significantly Guillemots, had been reported alongside North Sea coasts throughout the autumns of 2021 and 2022. Though so-called ‘seabird wrecks’ should not unusual, they sometimes occur after poor winter climate. The reason for these unusually timed wrecks stays unknown.
- Seabirds have been reported breeding sooner than traditional at some key websites this yr and later than traditional at others. The complete image throughout the UK gained’t be identified till monitoring for the 2023 breeding season is full.
Jeff added: “Whereas anecdotal reviews can solely ever act as a information, the amount and impression of points coming to gentle are trigger for critical concern. Scientific monitoring to assist us perceive what we’re seeing continues, however within the meantime, we’d like the UK Authorities to take discover of the warning indicators and act now.
“We hope to lift all these points in particular person with the Defra Secretary of State and work collectively to handle the impression that local weather change and different pressures are having on our surroundings, nature, individuals and their livelihoods.”
