The SMP assesses the status of Britain and Ireland’s internationally important seabird populations by monitoring trends in their abundance and productivity at both coastal and inland sites. Additional data are collected at Key Sites on survival, diet and phenology.
Background
The SMP is a partnership between JNCC and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in association with the Royal Society for the Protection on Birds (RSPB). JNCC founded the SMP in 1986 and is now a joint funder, member of the Steering Committee, and an active member of the SMP Advisory Group which informs the development of the programme.
The SMP would not be possible without the dedication and support of hundreds of talented volunteer and professional surveyors that monitor approximately 200 seabird breeding sites each year and count approximately 10,000 sites during seabird censuses.
Why do we monitor seabirds?
Each year, Britain and Ireland host over 8 million breeding seabirds of 25 species. The SMP plays a crucial role by collecting annual data on these to allow their conservation status to be assessed. This information is essential for understanding the drivers behind seabird population change, including environmental factors and human impacts. By identifying these, the programme can inform actionable steps for effective nature recovery and conservation efforts. Ultimately, the SMP contributes to safeguarding seabird populations and maintaining the health of marine ecosystems in the region.
The programme is also important for developing and maintaining an effective partnership of professional and volunteer contributors to seabird monitoring, facilitating increased public knowledge and appreciation of seabirds and their environment.
SMP data contribute to the JNCC Official Statistic for breeding seabirds, UK Biodiversity indicators C4a and C5, reporting on international conservation agreements such as the OSPAR Convention, and reports such as the State of the UK’s Birds 2020.
Importantly, SMP data provide the evidence base to identify trends in seabird populations and the causes for these, which underpins and informs conservation policy and management for these internationally important seabird populations.
Sampling approach/how are the data collected?
Annual data on seabird abundance and breeding productivity are collected at inland and coastal sites during the seabird breeding season. Data are collected by both volunteer and professional surveyors and enable annual trend reporting at the UK scale for most species and at country or region scale for a smaller number of species. Seabird monitoring methods vary by species and follow those prescribed in the Seabird Monitoring Handbook for Britain and Ireland. Supporting organisations also collect data on phenology, diet and adult survival at four Key Sites in the UK.
The programme is complemented by periodic censuses that provide more comprehensive assessments of the size and overall status of breeding seabird populations in Britain and Ireland. These are especially important for assessing the status of inland and urban breeding species which are rarely monitored annually.
How and where data/results are available to stakeholders
The SMP online database allows data on species abundance and breeding productivity to be viewed and downloaded. Additionally, specific data can be requested from the SMP Organiser.
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