Scottish Seabird Conservation Action Plan Delivery Partnership minutes: April 2026

Attendees and apologies

• Nanjika Nasiiro, Marine Directorate (Chair)
• Emma Philip, NatureScot
• Elaine Tait, Marine Directorate
• Blair Hunter, Marine Directorate
• Ashleigh Meikle, Marine Directorate
• Joel Hankinson, Offshore Wind Directorate
• Harry Huyton, Scottish Seabird Centre
• Hettie Pike, Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF)
• David Anderson, Aberdeen Fish Producer’s Organisation
• Liz Humphreys, British Trust for Ornithology
• Kate Bellew, Crows Estate Scotland
• Helen McLachlan, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
• Ellie Owen, National Trust for Scotland
• Elena Balestri, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation
• Alice Tirbooman, Scottish Renewables
• Daisy Burnell, Joint Nature Conservation Committee

Apologies

• Katie Gillham, NatureScot

Items and actions

Welcome and apologies

The Chair (NN) welcomed everyone to the meeting, noting those absent and those attending as deputies.

Review of actions

The Chair updated on the actions raised from the previous meeting:

• The Delivery Partnership Terms of Reference have been updated to include a diagram of the governance framework. This will be published on the Scottish Government website.
• JH covered offshore wind directorate update later in the meeting.
• A draft Delivery Pathway document was circulated to members, which would be discussed in the meeting
• Four meetings of the Partnership are in place for 2026.

Round-table updates

Updates regarding ongoing work were shared by members:

NatureScot:

• A cross government group has been established, which will act as a mechanism for facilitating alignment and coordination between the Scottish Seabird Conservation Action Plan and respective strategies/initiatives being delivered across the UK government and devolved administrations in relation to seabirds.
• NatureScot have recruited a Restoration and Resilience Seabird Officer, funded by SMEEF and CES, who shall be working on actions within the Plan regarding predator eradication and biosecurity. 
• Seabird monitoring coordination across NatureScot, NGOs and offshore wind industry continues. There are plans for monitoring 24 seabird colonies in summer 2026. The 2025 Seabird Monitoring report will be published later in 2026. The 2024 report is currently available.

RSPB:

• RSPB’s work on ‘Biosecurity for Scotland’s Seabird Islands’, funded by the Nature Restoration Fund, which ended in March of this year has been extended with a grant from SMEEF for a further 12 months, to March 2027.

SMEEF:

• HP covered a variety of grant offers that SMEEF are making. This included the biosecurity work being led by RSPB, and work that is being done by Atlantic 58 to build seabird resilience across the Summer Isles. One additional project has been awarded but SMEEF are awaiting contract signing before they can publicise.

JNCC:

• The inaugural meeting of the Seabird Conservation UK Advisory Science Forum (SCUAS) was held in November 2025, funded by SMEEF, which identified research priorities at a UK level. Among high priority areas was a biosecurity database for understanding effectiveness of measures and if they are being implemented. A report regarding this is out for comment and shall be published on the JNCC website.

Scottish Government:

• The consultation on the Future Catching Policy launched in February and ends in May. This includes technical proposals in relation to seabird bycatch in specific fleets, including long lines. Proposals presented in the consultation include the use of bird scaring lines and best practice measures.
• The Scottish Government has taken the decision to launch the consultation for Inshore Marine Protected Areas and the priority marine features most vulnerable to bottom contact gear after the Scottish Parliamentary elections in 2026.
• JH informed the Partnership that the offshore wind compensation Scottish Statutory Instrument will come into force on 25th May 2026 and applies to the Scottish inshore region. Guidance is being developed to accompany this which will be published at the same time. The Sectoral Marine Plan will be launched post election.

British Trust for Ornithology:

• LH informed the Partnership that the Seabird Monitoring Programme is due a new handbook, with intention for this to be an online, easily updated document.

Scottish Seabird Centre:

• HH talked about a proposal underway to promote the importance of building conservation success stories and appreciation for the seabird biodiversity in Scotland. The Scottish Seabird Centre will arrange an initial meeting of a small focused group to start sharing ideas and developing a seabird communication plan (Scotland loves Seabirds).

Delivery Pathway & Quarterly Progress Reports

A draft Delivery Pathway was shared with members ahead of the meeting. The Pathway is intended to be a live document to monitor and report on progress in delivery of CAP actions and will be updated on a quarterly basis using information provided by Delivery Leads (through progress reports). It has been updated to reflect feedback from the last meeting and will be used to guide discussions and action in future meetings. 

• action - All members agreed to review the Pathway in terms of its useful and provide updates using the progress report template for actions for which they are the Delivery Lead by 17 April 2026. All members also agreed to review and provide a steer on actions without Delivery Lead.  

There was discussion about funding for delivery of the CAP, with EP advising that an investment plan will be developed in partnership with the DP so costing can be developed for implementing actions.

• action - EP to make some minor amendments to the RAG rating including to add a ‘completed’ rating.

Annual Progress Report

As committed to in the CAP, an annual progress report will be published in October of each year. For the first report due in October 2026, the following reporting schedule is proposed:

1 June - Delivery Partners to complete quarterly progress updates and return to CAP Delivery Manager

1 June - CAP Delivery Manager to circulate draft annual report structure for review

10 June - Partnership to agree the annual report structure at the Partnership meeting on 10 June.

20 July - Draft annual report sent to Delivery Partners for comment and any update on actions.

10 August - Delivery Partners to return comments on draft annual report, including any progress updates not captured in the June progress reports to the CAP Delivery Manager.

17 August - Complete final annual progress report and send to Delivery partners ahead of August meeting.

25 August - DP to sign-off final annual progress report

mid-September - Seabird CAP final annual progress report to Ministers for clearance to publish

October - Publication of Seabird CAP annual report

 

All members agreed to the above timeline for completion of the annual report.

To ensure effective discussion and sign off at the annual report at the August meeting, it was agreed that the August meeting will be in person.

• action - MD to change the meeting to in person.

Any other business

The Chair thanked Helen M for her significant contribution to the Delivery Partnership and the development of the Seabird CAP and wished her well in her future endeavours. Paul Walton will be the new RSPB representative on the group. 

The next two meetings of the Partnership are scheduled for June and August.