Balearic Shearwater Survey
Volunteer survey to locate endangered Balearic Shearwaters off the Devon and Dorset coastsIn collaboration between Marinelife, the RSPB and the National Oceanography Centre, an offshore survey of the globally and critically endangered Balearic Shearwater is currently underway this summer off the coasts of Devon and Dorset. The aim of the survey is to find out more about the at-sea distribution and behaviour of Balearic Shearwaters, by placing volunteer observers on fishing boats and other ships of opportunity such as dive boats and angling boats. Any data collected will help inform future conservation strategies for this highly threatened seabird.
There has been a fantastic response fishermen to the survey from angling boats, dive boats and fishermen, and we would particularly like to acknowledge the help of Dave Sales of Southern Sea Fisheries Committee and Chris Caines of the Deep Sea Directory and skipper of the Tiger Lily http://www.deepsea.co.uk/boats/tiger_lily/index1.htm for help in organising places on boats and supporting the project in general. The Balearic Shearwater is one of the worlds most endangered birds, with just ca2000 pairs left in a restricted part of the Mediterranean. Population models predict a decline of 98% within 54 years (three generations). Balearic Shearwaters are one of the rarest seabirds to regularly visit the UK and are threatened by predation and built development on the Balearic Islands where they breed, and by lack of food and high death rates in the Mediterranean Sea. Threats in UK waters are largely unknown. They breed on the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, but up to a third of the world population visits our waters after breeding, between June and October. Balearic shearwaters are frequently recorded in the inshore waters of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, and are sometimes attracted to fishing boats when the nets are being hauled, where (unlike Manx) they scavenge amongst gulls and petrels. In addition, Balearic Shearwaters may also be seen from dive and angling boats, which travel through and moor up in areas frequented by the birds. The survey is running in parallel with SeaWatch SW, an exciting new project which is collating land-based sightings of Balearic Shearwaters from across the UK and carrying out continuous recording from a watch-point in west Cornwall. For more information go to www.seawatch-sw.org or contact Russell Wynn rbw1@noc.soton.ac.uk For more information about Balearic Shearwaters see the Birdlife International factsheet at http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=30026&m=0 Survey contacts For the latest sightings click here |
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