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.”
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