How well is the EU protecting its seabirds? Progress in implementing the Birds Directive at sea. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ramirez, I.; Tarzia, M.; Dias, M.P.; Burfield, I.J.; Ramos, J.A.; Garthe, S.; Paiva, V.H.
• Is Part Of: Marine policy. Volume 81(2017)
• Page Start: 179
• Page End: 184
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: Seabird protection -- Marine IBA -- Marine SPA -- European Union -- Overlap analysis; Marine resources -- Economic aspects -- Periodicals; Fisheries -- Periodicals; Ressources marines -- Aspect économique -- Périodiques; Pêches -- Périodiques; Fisheries; Marine resources -- Economic aspects; Periodicals; 333.916405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2017.03.034
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-597X

Abstract

Abstract: The European Commission has repeatedly requested its Member States to fully implement one of the world's oldest nature legislation laws, the Birds Directive, by designating Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in the marine environment. The current work analyses the spatial coverage offered by the SPA network to the 82 species of seabirds that occur in EU waters, and compare it to that of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), as defined by BirdLife International. Marine SPAs represent 3.9% of the EU's marine area, while the IBA network represents 4.4%. On average, only 0.05% of the EU marine area is protected, and there are enormous regional differences. On average, SPAs and IBAs both cover 16.0% of the breeding distribution range of seabird species, but only1.4% of their non-breeding distribution range. SPAs cover more than 50% of the breeding range of only one seabird family, Procellariidae, and both SPA and IBA networks offer greater coverage to threatened species than to non-threatened ones. The year when Member States were legally obliged (2008 onwards) to declare their marine SPA networks is not significantly related to their network size, and that those species subjected to tracking studies or have well known breeding colonies benefit from higher coverage. Methodological challenges that were once posed to implement the Birds Directive at sea are largely overcome, and political will is the main driver for identifying, designating and managing a complete network of marine SPAs in the EU.