seabirds and marine protected areas in the maltese islands...seabirds and marine protected areas in...
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Seabirds and Marine Protected
areas in the Maltese Islands
Paulo Lago, BirdLife Malta
LIFE BAĦAR for N2K Conference
Golden Sands, 12th September 2017
Sea-cliffs of Coralline Limestone
Medium sized In Malta from October to July
Breeding Feb – July
Deep crevices and caves of
inaccessible sea cliffs
Forages far out at sea for fish squid and crustaceans. Dive up to 30m
1370 - 2000 pairs in Malta 7-10% of the global
population ‘Vulnerable’ (IUCN Red list)
Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan, Garnija
Large Shearwater
In Malta from March to Nov
Breeding May – October
Nest in steep sea cliffs
4500 pairs in Malta 5% of global population Prey: Squid and fish
Large rafts in front of colonies Declining!
Scopoli‘s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea, Ċiefa
Smallest member of the tubenose family
In Malta from March to Nov
Breeding April – October
Nest in caves and crevices of boulder screes
5000 - 8000 pairs in Malta 50% of global population Prey: small fish and crustaceans
Mediterranean Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis, Kanġu ta‘ Filfla
H. Shirihai
Tubenose family Exclusively pelagic seabirds Strictly monogamous Long-lived Single egg per year Nocturnal at colonies
Seabirds are the group with the strongest population decline worldwide!
Long list of threats at land and at sea
Threats at land – introduced predators
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Threats at land – light pollution
...reduces suitable nesting habitat
Threats at land – light pollution Threats at land – light pollution
...disturbs nesting birds
Threats at land – light pollution
...leads to disorientation of fledglings
Threats at sea – fishery bycatch & overfishing
Threats at sea – maritime activities
...disturbs nesting birds
Threats at sea – Offshore development ‘Blue Growth’
Threats at sea – pollution
e.g. ingestion of anthropogenic debris
Threats at land and sea – direct persecution
BirdLife Malta LIFE projects on seabirds
• LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project (2006-2010)
• LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project: Creating an inventory of marine IBAs for Puffinus yelkouan, Calonectris diomedea & Hydrobates pelagicus in Malta
(2011-2016) • LIFE Arċipelagu Garnija: Securing the
Maltese Islands for the Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan
(2015-2020)
Malta in 2011 • Seabird colonies protected on land (SPAs) • Malta < 2% sea protected (25nm). Not for seabirds • Maltese Government to declare marine Special Protection Areas (SPAs) by 2016
• LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project: create an inventory of marine Important Bird and
Biodiversity Areas (mIBAs) Scientific data collection following methodology of the Marine IBA toolkit (BirdLife International)
Malta in 2011 • Seabird colonies protected on land (SPAs) • Malta < 2% sea protected (25nm). Not for seabirds • Maltese Government to declare marine Special Protection Areas (SPAs) by 2016
• LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project: create an inventory of marine Important Bird and
Biodiversity Areas (mIBAs) Scientific data collection following methodology of the Marine IBA toolkit (BirdLife International)
Collected data for mIBA identification
• Colony locations and size of colonies (three species)
• Monthly at sea survey data (three species)
• Tracking data (Yelkouan and Scopoli’s shearwater GPS tracks)
Med. Storm-petrel H. pelagicus melitensis
Scopoli’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea
Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan
Incorporation of colony data
• Monitoring of colonies 2012-2014
• Rafting areas: Species-specific radii (Yelkouan 7 km, Scopoli’s 5 km, Mediterranean Storm Petrel 1 km)
Vessel based surveys
Incorporation of Vessel based surveys data
• Seabird counts (ESAS) in FMZ, 25nm
• 14 transect lines, once per month, two years, March to October (224 days)
• Spatio-temporal seabird distribution
Analysis of Vessel based survey data
• Monthly counts related to environmental variables (productivity, SST, depth)
• Ensemble modelling approach based on 5 different algorithms (Oppel et al. 2012)
• Output: monthly predictions of distribution for each species
0.76
0.80
0.84
0.88SCOP
0.3
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0.6
YESH
0.1
0.2
MESP
GPS-tracking of Scopolis Shearwaters
GPS-tracking of Yelkouan Shearwaters
Incorporation of tracking data
• GPS tracking three breeding seasons (2012,2013,2014)
• Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan 55 foraging trips, 2 colonies
• Scopoli’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 225 foraging tracks, 3 colonies
Incorporation of tracking data
• GPS tracking three breeding seasons (2012,2013,2014)
• Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan 55 foraging trips, 2 colonies
• Scopoli’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea 225 foraging tracks, 3 colonies
Foraging during breeding season
95% Kernel densities
(from GPS-tracking data, n = 50)
Analysis of tracking data
• BirdLife International approach to estimate proportion of population using a grid cell for foraging
•Identified core areas for each foraging trip
• Count number of individual ‘core areas’ in each grid cell, and convert to proportion of the population
•Split data into incubation, brood-guard and post-guard periods for different colonies and species
Analysis of tracking data
• Curtailed data to Maltese waters (25nm)
• Output: for each month proportion of population ‘foraging’
in each grid cell
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0.05
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0.15
0.20SCOP
0.00
0.03
0.06
0.09
YESH
Strategic conservation planning: Zonation
• Objective approach to prioritise spatial areas
• Identifies areas of highest importance across all data sources (64 data layers)
Priority maps for each species
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1.00SCOP
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1.00YESH
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0.95
1.00MESP
Identified marine IBAs
Define boundaries:
• Biological and
conservation coherence
• Scientific criteria
(threshold numbers,
threatened species)
BirdLife International 2016
Natura 2000 marine SPAs
• Declared in 2016
• 27% Maltese waters
Natura 2000 marine network
• 8 SPAs
• 8 SCIs
Marine Natura 2000 management
LIFE + MSP After-LIFE Conservation Plan (June 2016):
• Assessment of threats, monitoring and conservation beyond management plans
- Seabird bycatch: SYN4MPA Interrreg Med
- Light pollution
- Invasive alien species
- Maritime transport
- Marine litter
- Illegal hunting at sea
- Monitoring at the colonies
• International collaboration for designation of international MPAs
Marine Natura 2000 management
• Management plans/measures process on going (ERA)
• BLM participate as stakeholder
Recommendations for Marine Management Plans (BirdLife International 2013)
Management plan main points:
• Described the threats and conflicts affecting a MPA
• Management measures
1. Guarantee the preservation of seabirds
2. Create a legal framework suited for seabird protection (promote surveillance processes,
and evaluate effectiveness of methodologies created)
3. Deepen the scientific knowledge regarding marine ecosystems and the
impact assessment of economic activities
4. Create the necessary conditions for sustainable economic activities
5. Involvement of local populations/stakeholders
• Monitoring the effectiveness of a Management Plan (Indicators)
• BUDGET!!!
Thank you for your attention! and to all project partners, employees, helpers, volunteers and interns
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