Vital protection for Scotland’s seabirds delayed by UK Government

Scottish environment groups have expressed concern that an important consultation on the protection of special places for seabirds has been held back by the UK Government. Earlier this year in July the Scottish Government launched a consultation on 10 marine Special Protection Areas, a requirement under EU law to help safeguard areas crucial for internationally important bird populations. 

 

However, a further five proposed marine SPAs were not included in the consultation as the required agreement of the UK Government had not been provided. 

Now Scottish Environment LINK’s Marine Group has written to the UK Environment Minister, Thérèse Coffey MP, urging her to agree to the Scottish Government consulting on the sites without further delay. 

The delayed sites include the seas off St Kilda, the UNESCO World Heritage Site which supports the largest seabird colony in Europe. The wide range of marine birds that would benefit from proposals include puffins, which have seen rapid declines in numbers across Europe and are now classified as Endangered on the IUCN European Red List. 

Richard Luxmoore, Senior Nature Conservation Adviser at the National Trust for Scotland said: “The National Trust for Scotland has been monitoring seabird populations on its properties for over 40 years and has recorded alarming declines – over 90 per cent in the case of kittiwakes on St Kilda. Most of these are attributable to problems with their feeding areas at sea. Without effective protection for these birds, our monitoring amounts to little more than a protracted obituary.” 

Alex Kinninmonth, Head of Marine Policy at RSPB Scotland said: “Seabirds are amongst the world's most threatened group of birds, and with globally significant colonies dependent on the seas around Scotland for survival we have a duty to protect them. Yet right when we should be accelerating seabird conservation efforts, the UK Government appears to have pulled the handbrake. 

“It's now time for action and progressing these scientifically credible protected areas would be a clear demonstration of the government's commitment to improving our marine environment and achieving the UK vision for our seas and oceans.” 

Source 

RSPB Government misses chance to turn up the heat on wildlife criminals

Despite evidence that wildlife crime is a threat to some of our most threatened species, the Government has ignored the advice of a committee of MPs by refusing to provide long-term financial security for the National Wildlife Crime Unit. They have also ignored some simple recommendations to turn up the heat on wildlife criminals in England and Wales. Martin Harper is the RSPB's conservation director. Commenting on the Government's announcement, he said: "Every year threatened species are killed illegally, putting some species at a great risk. Despite ministerial assurances that tackling wildlife crime is a 'core priority' and the Government being given a clear roadmap by a group of MPs on how to tackle wildlife crime, Ministers have ignored these recommendations. The Government's rejection of even simple wildlife crime measures at this crucial time displays a worrying lack of commitment to tackle this significant conservation issue."

In October last year, the Environmental Audit Committee, under the chair of Joan Walley MP, investigated wildlife crime and made recommendations, including securing long-term funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit and tightening up controls on poisons used to kill birds of prey, allowing offences of possession to be linked to tougher sentences. Martin Harper said: "We're also very disappointed by the Government's response to introducing vicarious liability legislation, which would allow landowners to be prosecuted for crimes committed by their employees and make a real difference to tackling bird of prey persecution."

Read on :  http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=3688