Boat based visual tracking study of several tern species breeding on Rockabill SPA and Lady’s Island Lake

Tender description

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible for the conservation of natural habitats and species and the protection of biological diversity in Ireland. Lady’s Island Lake SPA and Rockabill SPA holds both nationally and internationally important numbers of breeding tern species including Sandwich, Roseate, Arctic and Common Terns. The boundaries of the aforementioned SPAs focus largely on the breeding sites and, specifically with regard to Rockabill, the immediate marine waters which are used for foraging and other purposes. Recent survey work provides some evidence that the Rockabill population of Roseate Tern undertake foraging trips beyond that SPA’s boundary and that concentrations of terns off the Wexford coast are likely to be associated with the Lady’s Island Lake’s tern colony (see Perrow et al 2019 and Jessop et al 2018 respectively). Ireland’s process of identifying and classifying marine Special Projection Areas under the EU Directive 147 of 2009 is ongoing. Furthermore gaining more knowledge on the movements and foraging ranges of Ireland’s marine birds is a priority in order to enable evidence based conservation management. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage now invites tenders for provision of a boat based visual tracking study of several tern species breeding on Rockabill SPA and Lady’s Island Lake SPA during the 2021 breeding season. A detailed specification of the Department’s technical requirements is set out in the RfT document. A strict schedule of deliverables will be agreed with the successful tenderer, with the contract expected to commence in April 2021 and conclude no later than September 2021.