Ornithology Monitoring Poulnasherry

Tender description

As part of an ongoing programme involving the preparation and presentation of reports in support of Appropriate Assessments in Natura 2000 sites and in response to proposed mitigation measures of aquaculture activities, the Marine Institute has been tasked by its parent department, The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to engage in a work programme as follows: 1. This programme will focus on systematic monitoring of bird distribution in Poulnasherry Bay as part of Shannon and Fergus Estuaries SPA. It will, comprise a minimum of four low tide counts and a single high tide count at times to be agreed with the Marine Institute. 2. The 2018/19 waterbird surveys at Pounasherry Bay should follow the standard methodology developed by the NPWS baseline low tide survey programme . 3. Monitoring to encompass one ‘winter’ seasons 2018/2019 with final reporting due in April 2019. 4. The report should present a summary of site-use by the shorebird species while also providing a commentary on the likely interactions with aquaculture activities and other features, (e.g., heavy macroalgal fouling on the shore) specifically as it relates to species distribution at within the site.