REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON SEABIRD ECOLOGY (WGSE)

Agenda: • WGSE has summarized and commented on the current approaches on how to identifyand delineate protected areas for seabirds. This is a burning issue as many protectedareas according to the EU Birds Directive have still to be designated in marine areas,especially in offshore areas. The concepts for Special Protection Areas (SPAs),following the EU Birds Directive, and Important Birds Areas (IBAs), according toBirdlife International, are explained and their applications are demonstrated byseveral case studies, as are indications for future work needed.• A concept for a comprehensive seabird monitoring programm were developedfurther. New information could be included from an international workshop onseabird population monitoring in Europe and from recent results of the ScottishSeabird Monitoring Programm. A new section on the use of seabirds as bio-monitorsof change in the marine environment has been incorporated.• WGSE has reviewed how much evidence of climate-related changes exists forseabirds in the OSPAR Maritime Region. Parameters involved are changes indistribution, reproductive success, survivorship and different phenological aspects.