Risk Assessment of Seabird Bycatch in UK waters

Tender description

Internationally, interactions between fisheries and seabirds are frequent, widespread and include incidental bycatch of seabirds this can cause levels of seabird mortality which “pose a serious threat to many seabird populations” (EU COM. 2012). This project will use existing data to help assess the risk to marine birds in UK waters of being caught and killed by commercial fishing gear. It will identify UK sea areas with a high risk to marine bird populations due to mortality caused by bycatch. The work will enable Defra, the Devolved Administrations and their agencies to assess whether bycatch will prevent the achievement of Good Environmental Status (GES) under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD - Directive 2008/56/EC). The results of the project will also be used to inform what further monitoring of bycatch is necessary to assess impacts and to instruct management measures. By meeting these aims, the project will also help to progress the aim of the EU Action Plan for reducing incidental catches of seabirds in fishing gears (EU-PoA) to minimise and, where possible, eliminate the incidental catches of seabirds.