Scottish seabird conservation action plan: equality impact assessment

Background

Scotland’s seabird populations are in decline, with the most recent seabird census ‘Seabird Count’ reporting a decline in almost two-thirds of breeding seabirds in Scotland over the last 20 years. The plan brings together ongoing and potential future actions that aim to address the pressures currently facing Scotland’s seabird populations, building seabird resilience and highlighting collective efforts to implement priority actions. By 2045, with the implementation of the action plan, it is hoped that Scotland’s seabird colonies are thriving and showing improved resilience and adaptation to climate change. Among the objectives of the plan are ensuring there are plentiful food supplies for seabirds, restoring and improving habitats, building resilience and maximising survival. Alongside this, conservation research and a coordinated monitoring programme will help to build evidence and understanding of seabird status and the effectiveness of managing the threats and pressures facing them. With these objectives in place, the action plan will raise awareness of the importance of Scotland’s seabirds, fostering societal behavioural changes that promote their long-term protection, and allows Scotland to be a key international partner in contributing to the enhancement, understanding and protection of seabird populations.