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Plan launched to protect North-East Atlantic seabirds
“There is sound scientific evidence that the documented declines in many of our marine birds are the result of human activities” – Matt Parsons.
Actions will be taken to reduce the impact of human activities.

An international action plan has been launched to stop the decline of North-East Atlantic seabird populations.

The Regional Action Plan for Marine Birds (RAP-Bird) has been agreed by OSPAR, the mechanism by which 15 governments and the European Union co-operate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic.

OSPAR's Quality Status Report 2023 revealed that the majority of seabirds are struggling, with widespread declines in both population and breeding productivity.

While climate change was identified as having the largest impact, the report found that other human activities including fishing, shipping, and renewable energy production also had significant impacts.

The aims of the new action plan include reducing the number of birds incidentally caught by the fishing industry, tackling the impact of offshore wind developments, and protecting breeding colonies from invasive predatory mammals.

Monitoring highly pathogenic avian influenza also forms part of the action plan. OSPAR will act as a forum for sharing best practice in monitoring the virus and responding to outbreaks. Other emerging diseases worldwide that could significantly impact wild birds will also be monitored.

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has acted on behalf of the UK government during the development of the RAP-Bird and the organisation will be leading or co-leading four of the nine actions.

JNCC's Matt Parsons, who helped put together the RAP-Bird and will lead on flyways-scale conservation, said: “There is sound scientific evidence that the documented declines in many of our marine birds are the result of human activities.

“The good news is that through international collaboration - such as this ambitious OSPAR action plan – we can join forces across the region to apply our knowledge to improve the fortunes of these iconic species and the ecosystems they rely on.”

The full action plan can be read here.

Image © Shutterstock

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BEVA gives RVNs right to vote

News Story 1
 The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) is to allow its registered veterinary nurse (RVN) members the right to vote.

RVN members will now be able to take part in key decision-making processes and stand for BEVA council.

Marie Rippingale, chair of BEVA's Nurse Committee, said: "I am very proud to be a part of BEVA.

"This change will help to empower nurses to speak up and contribute, but more importantly, it will give them an opportunity to collaborate with other members of the equine veterinary profession to bring about change that is positive for all." 

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News Shorts
Farmer survey to reveal on-farm impact of bluetongue

A nationwide survey has been launched to better understand how the bluetongue virus is affecting UK farms.

Results will inform the support that farmers receive for bluetongue, as well as preparing the livestock industry for the future.

The short online survey is open to all livestock farmers, regardless of whether they've had a confirmed case of bluetongue on their farm. It asks how many animals have been affected, the severity of their clinical signs and how it has impacted farm business.

The survey takes five minutes to complete and is fully anonymous.

It is led by Fiona Lovatt, of Flock Health Limited, and the Ruminant Health & Welfare bluetongue working group, in collaboration with AHDB and the University of Nottingham.

Dr Lovatt says: "We need to find out what level of clinical signs farmers are seeing in their animals, whether they are experiencing mortality with BTV-3 cases, and what their appetite is to vaccinate in future for bluetongue serotype 3."

The survey can be found here.