Surfbirds News

The study, published in Science, shows that 40 per cent of the world’s oceans have been heavily affected, with the seas around north-west Europe suffering some of the worst impacts of man-induced damage, such as overfishing, pollution and coastal development.

Dr Sharon Thompson, an RSPB senior marine policy officer, said: 'Some of the most heavily used seas on the globe are around the UK. However, we still have some wonderful and beautiful marine species, such as seahorses, and habitats such as cold-water coral reefs, while the waters around our shores support millions of breeding seabirds every year.

Black Guillemot, Isle of Man © Pete Hadfield, from the surfbirds galleries

'So, now is the time to act to protect this wildlife from the pressures we put on the marine environment. The RSPB is urging UK Governments to deliver strong legislation to protect marine wildlife and habitats in the forthcoming Marine Bills. If this legislation is not strong enough then Government will have missed the opportunity to protect our natural marine heritage.'

A recent analysis has shown that UK seas regularly support 18 species of fish, mammal, bird or reptile that are considered at risk of global extinction. This compares with only three such endangered species on land or freshwater: two species of bat and a non-breeding migrant warbler.

The UK’s coastline is home to 18 exclusively coastal species of seabird, including puffin, gannet, kittiwake and guillemot.

The great skua, Manx shearwater, gannet and shag have their most important populations in the world in the UK. Within the European Union, nine species of exclusively coastal seabird also have their most important breeding populations around our shores: fulmar; Leach’s storm-petrel; Arctic skua; great black-backed gull; kittiwake; puffin; razorbill; guillemot and black guillemot.