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

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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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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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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