Save Scottish seabirds

This video is called Scottish Seabird Centre.

From Wildlife Extra:

Help protect our seabirds RSPB tells Scottish Government

Help is urgently needed to stop Scotland’s struggling seabird populations from declining further the RSPB have warned.

The Charity is concerned about the lack of protection for seabirds at sea and is asking the Scottish Government to designate seven key sites as Special Protection Areas (SPA) for seabirds, as a first step toward safeguarding important feeding areas and reducing the potential impact of damaging developments at sea. The proposed sites include sandbanks located off the Firth of Forth, an area of the Pentland Firth and the sea north of St Kilda.

Three decades after the deadline to create SPAs under European legislation, and four years since the Marine (Scotland) Act promised to protect our seas, RSPB Scotland is warning that the Scottish Government, as well as other UK governments, risks failing to meet its obligations under Scottish and European legislation if it does not take action now to conserve important seabird populations.

Although the Government has already designated 33 SPA colony extension sites, most of the critical areas where seabirds feed at sea remain unprotected and, as the seas become busier with proposed developments, guidance on sensitive areas is urgently needed.

Stuart Housden, Director of RSPB Scotland, said: “Scotland has a fantastic opportunity to show the world that we value our wildlife and natural environment. Unfortunately this is not the case when it comes to our iconic seabirds, species for which Scotland in particular has a special responsibility to protect. We are calling on the Scottish Government to designate these 7 areas as a first step to creating the full network needed to fulfil the requirements of EU and Scottish legislation. With numerous proposed windfarm developments ‘queuing up’ in the areas that overlap key feeding sites for birds, we cannot wait any longer. The best feeding sites for seabirds must be given the protection the Government’s own scientists say they deserve. The time for action is now.”

According to the Government’s own figures out of the 11 seabird species, nine have shown sustained declines since 1996. Arctic skua have plummeted by 80 percent Arctic tern by 72 percent and kittiwakes by 68 percent.