Finally, the action plan for seabirds has arrived. After 8 years of work, the Government's action plan to improve the situation for seabirds was finally presented today, January 14, 2025. The most important goal for the next ten years in the action plan is to reduce seabird mortality.
The goal of the plan
The goal of this plan is to reduce the negative impacts on seabirds by 2035, says Minister for Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen. He points out that this requires good and targeted cooperation between authorities, business and local communities. In addition, more knowledge is needed about how different activities affect seabirds. Through the action plan, the government is committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure that future generations can experience the diversity of seabirds in Norway's coastal and marine areas.
“Climate change is the most important reason why seabirds have disappeared. This requires us to do more to take care of our seabirds, and not least understand more about why it is happening,” said Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen when the plan was presented.
Measures include more research, expansion of petroleum-free areas, establishment of expert groups and stricter regulations for fisheries, aquaculture and tourism. More research into the consequences of kelp trawling is also among the measures.
SoS for the eiders
The Vegaøyan World Heritage Foundation has taken the concerns of birdwatchers seriously. Over the past few years, there has been a dramatic decline in the eider population in the Vegaøyan World Heritage Site. Through the project “Sound of Silence – lydden av stillhet” (The Sound of Silence), the Foundation has collaborated with UiT – The Arctic University of Norway and their project Fuglan veit https://uit.no/project/fuglan
The most important measures in 2024 were to hold seabird conferences in Bodø and on Vega to focus on the dramatic situation for seabirds. The conferences generated great engagement and have been the starting point for collaboration with birdwatchers, expertise groups, researchers and managers.
The Vegaøyan World Heritage Foundation will follow up on the work in 2025 and has entered into a partnership with Nordland Eider Ducks Association https://eiderducks.no/ . The goal is to strengthen the collaboration between birdwatchers along the Nordland coast to increase awareness of this tradition and the situation of the seabirds, provide training for children and young people and others who want to become birdwatchers, film and material to create local commitment to helping the seabirds to nest successfully.
If you want to help the seabirds, keep an eye on the initiatives that are being taken in the future.