Scottish seabird conservation action plan: consultation analysis

Annex 2: Campaign responses

This annex provides information about the RSPB campaign which provided suggested text for use in responding to the consultation. The campaign text is provided below. Information is also provided on how the text has been allocated to individual consultation questions for the purposes of analysis.

All campaign responses received in the consultation were checked and classified as ‘standard’ or ‘non-standard’ (i.e. personalised in some substantive way by the respondent). All non-standard responses were copied into the analysis database and have been included in the quantitative and qualitative analysis presented in Chapters 2 to 6 of this report.

Text of campaign response

Dear Seabird Action Plan Team,

I am very concerned about the crisis facing Scotland’s seabirds. We urgently need a strong and effective seabird action plan which addresses the range of pressures facing these unique and irreplaceable species.

Please find below my response to the consultation.

Question 1: Do you support the implementation of the Scottish Seabird Conservation Action Plan?

Yes.

Question 2: Do you agree that the key pressures to seabirds in Scotland are identified?

Yes.

Question 3: Have we captured the key actions needed to deliver the vision, aim and objectives and are there any missing?

I believe many of the key actions are captured in the action plan, however there are some exceptions, including the following:

• To end seabird bycatch there needs to be a clear commitment to roll out the use of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) with cameras on all fishing vessels, with long liners as a priority, alongside effective bycatch mitigation.
• In support of safe places for seabirds, in addition to capturing all the important sites for seabirds, the protected site network must also be well managed and effectively monitored and enforced
• A clear commitment that offshore wind will only be progressed in a manner that helps deliver nature positive outcomes, including development of robust policies requiring strategic compensation and biodiversity enhancement.
• The plan needs to increase its scope to include two important Scottish seabird species – the Common Gull and Black-headed Gull – as both species have suffered major declines in Scotland

Question 4: Do you have any views on what measures we should use to monitor progress and success?

The annual review of the Action Plan by the Seabird Conservation Delivery Partnership should be published to maintain focus on progress of the many urgent actions outlined and on what funding is being made available to deliver these. The actions should include commitments to when they are to be delivered as this would help guide both implementation and monitor progress.

If implemented with urgency, effective funding and the additional asks above, this action plan can meet the key needs to bring our seabirds back from the brink of disaster.

I hope you and your colleagues, working together across government and with other stakeholders, will ensure the Scottish Seabird Conservation Action Plan delivers transformative and timely change for our seabirds.

Allocation of campaign text to the consultation questions