Climate related ecological changes have disrupted the food web of marine birds in Nordic waters. A decreasing number of birds have shown up in the colonies, and local populations are in trouble with few chicks being raised. Comprehensive and complex changes are now happening in the marine ecosystem, underlining more than ever the need to manage all other factors which affect seabirds such as commercial fisheries, oil spills, seabird harvest and environmental pollutants.

This is the conclusion from a group of seabird experts that met in the Faeroe Islands last week. The group consisted of a variety of experts from different scientific fields such as seabird ecology, oceanography and marine resources. The participants came from the Faeroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The main goal was to discuss and describe the status, causal factors of the negative impact, and mitigating actions relevant to seabirds in West Nordic waters.

The group is particularly concerned about recent trends documented in the North Sea and the southern parts of the Norwegian Sea.The Northern Fulmar, Black-legged Kittiwake, Arctic Tern, Common Guillemot and Atlantic Puffin are all seabird species under severe pressure in a large geographic area, from Iceland, via Scotland and the Faeroes to Norway. The experts believe that these changes are due to a combination of natural variations in climate and the human-induced changes which may be significant as well.

Climate changes have affected several key species in the marine ecosystem; for example the Sandeel, a very important forage fish for several seabird species. Depletion of Sandeel stocks causes food shortages for the birds.

More specific actions to prevent negative impacts will be described in the report from the workshop that will be presented later this autumn. New regulations in the management of commercial fish species of direct or indirect significance to seabirds must be assessed. The seabird harvest, efforts to prevent oil spills from shipping, and new initiatives to reduce seabird by-catch in fishing gear are issues on the list. The report will also discuss other pressures and threats to seabirds and describe possible actions.

The group’s work was based on a recommendation from a joint meeting of Nordic nature conservation NGOs in 2006 to the Nordic Council of Ministers.

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