Pentland Proposed Special Protection Area (pSPA) NO. UK9020317

SPA Site Selection Document: Summary of the scientific case for site selection

Document version control

Version and Amendments made and author Issued to and date date Version 1 Formal advice submitted to Marine on Marine Scotland draft SPA. 10/07/14 Nigel Buxton & Greg Mudge Version 2 Updated to reflect change in site status from Marine Scotland draft to proposed in preparation for possible 30/06/15 formal consultation. Shona Glen, Tim Walsh & Emma Philip Version 3 Updated with minor amendments to address Marine Scotland comments from Marine Scotland Science in 23/02/16 preparation for the SPA stakeholder workshop. Emma Philip Version 4 New site selection document drafted for Andrew Bachell, amended new site at following Katie Gillham & decision to split the Pentland Firth and Scapa Greg Mudge Flow dSPA further to the SPA stakeholder 03/05/16 workshop. Kate Thompson & Emma Philip Version 5 Version control updated & bio-geographical Scientific populations added, references checked. Advisory Kate Thompson & Emma Philip Committee sub- group 05/05/16 Version 6 Updated to reflect comments received by SNH Management Scientific Advisory Committee sub-group. Team Emma Philip and Kate Thompson 18/05/16 Version 7 No revisions required further to Management Protected Areas Team consideration Committee 13/06/16 Version 8 Updated to include Arctic skua further to JNCC, approval from SNH Scientific Advisory Greg Mudge Committee sub-group and Protected Areas 20/06/16 Committee Final draft for JNCC MPA sub-group acknowledgment of joint advice. Emma Philip Version 9 Greg Mudge Emma Philip 22/6/16 Version 10 Final draft for approval Andrew Bachell Emma Philip 22/06/16 Version 11 Final version for submission to Marine Scotland Marine Scotland 24/06/16

Contents

1. Introduction ...... 1 2. Site summary ...... 2 3. Bird survey information ...... 5 4. Assessment against the UK SPA Selection Guidelines ...... 6 5. Site status and boundary ...... 10 6. Information on qualifying species ...... 11 7. References ...... 16 Annex 1. Site map ...... 19 Annex 2. Citation ...... 20

1. Introduction

This document provides Scottish Natural Heritage’s (SNH) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) advice on the proposed classification of a Special Protection Area (SPA) in the marine waters of “Pentland Firth” for foraging areas for breeding Arctic tern, Arctic skua and aggregations of common guillemot. It summarises the evaluation for each of the species of interest according to the SPA site selection guidelines (JNCC, 1999) and provides an overview of how the site boundary was developed.

Pentland Firth has been selected to provide protection to an important foraging area used by Arctic tern, falling within foraging range of the breeding colonies at Pentland Firth SPA as well as 12 other colonies including Haas and Glimps . Pentland Firth also attracts large aggregations of guillemot during the breeding season as well as other , many of these will be associated with nearby breeding colonies including those at North Cliffs SPA, SPA, SPA . During the breeding season Arctic tern, common guillemots and Arctic skua also contribute to an important assemblage of over 41,000 seabirds. The protection of this marine area will make a key contribution to the maintenance of these species in their natural range in UK marine waters and form part of a coherent network of sites at a European level.

The importance of the marine environment for birds which spend all or part of their lives around our is well recognised, particularly in Scotland. A total of 106 species of bird are thought to use UK marine waters of which 45 occur in numbers greater than fifty each year and are dependent on the marine environment for a large part of their lifecycle. All of these 45 species except one (black guillemot1) are considered rare or vulnerable bird species (Annex 1), or regularly occurring migratory species by the Birds Directive (EC Directive on the conservation of wild birds (amended) - 2009/147/EC). This means that all Member States are obliged to take account of the requirements of Article 4.1 of the Birds Directive for each of these 44 species.

Article 4.1 states that “Member States shall classify in particular the most suitable territories in number and size as special protection areas for the conservation of these species, taking into account their protection requirements in the geographical sea and land area where this Directive applies”. EU guidance on the establishment of SPAs in the marine environment (2007) sets out the groups of marine birds for which SPAs should be considered in the marine environment. This includes sites for aggregations of seabirds and feeding areas for breeding terns, including those used by birds from existing terrestrial SPAs to ensure they have continued access to key food sources.

1 Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas were designated in August 2014 for black guillemot.

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In the UK, whilst some coastal SPAs include marine waters below the Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) there are only four entirely marine SPAs classified; Outer Thames SPA (England), Liverpool /Bae Lerpwl SPA (England/Wales) and Bae Caerfyrddin/Carmarthen Bay SPA (Wales) and Belfast Lough - Open Water SPA (Northern Ireland). In Scotland, 31 marine extensions to colony SPAs have also been classified. The existing suite of sites is not considered sufficient to meet the requirements of Article 4.1 because it currently does not include suitable territories at sea for all of the species that the UK has a responsibility for.

This site is being proposed as part of a suite of marine sites that aim to fulfil the requirements for SPAs in the marine environment for rare or vulnerable birds and regularly occurring migratory birds in the UK. As required by Article 4 of the Directive, the classification of this site will enable the application of special conservation measures concerning the habitat of Annex 1 and regularly occurring migratory birds in order to ensure their survival and reproduction in their area of distribution.

Full details of the site survey methodologies, data and analysis used to inform the proposed selection of this site are provided in Kober et al (2010 & 2012) for common guillemot and Arctic skua and Wilson et al (2014) and Win et al (2014) for breeding Arctic tern. All scientific work received full external independent peer review at key stages throughout the process. Site selection documents have been reviewed by SNH Scientific Advisory Committee, Management Team and Protected Areas Committee as well as Marine Scotland Science.

2. Site summary

The Pentland Firth proposed Special Protection Area (pSPA) (Figure 1) includes waters within the Pentland Firth between the north of Caithness and the south of Mainland and a contiguous area of the to the southeast.

The area included within the pSPA supports a population of European importance of the following Annex 1 species:

 Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea)

It also supports regularly migratory populations of European importance of the following species:

 Common guillemot (Uria aalge) 2  Arctic skua (Stercocarius parasiticus)2

2 The Pentland Firth pSPA comprises in total an area of 973.25km .

The Pentland Firth links the to the North Sea and is characterised by very strong tidal flows, with spring tide peaks of 4.5ms-1 in the Outer between and Stroma. Depths in the main are typically 60-80m but exceed

2 Named qualifier of a breeding seabird assemblage 2

90m in places with shallower waters extending around Stroma and in the vicinity of Swona and the Pentland . The strong tidal flows strongly influence seabed morphology and habitats, which include areas of bedrock and boulders scoured by coarse sediment and cobbles, with the sediment collecting in pockets and dusting some rock surfaces, and areas of shelly formed into waves (Moore 2010). Extensive areas of sandy/gravelly deposits in the eastern part of the pSPA support notable populations of scallops (Barne et al 1996; Chapman, 2004).

The pSPA also encompasses spawning/nursery grounds for sandeels (Ellis et al 2012). Sandeels are small and nutritious fish of particular value to seabirds such as Arctic terns, guillemots and Arctic skua during their summer breeding seasons when chicks require abundant supplies of high energy food. Swona and the are important breeding sites for Arctic terns and there are large breeding colonies of guillemots adjacent to the pSPA in both Orkney and Caithness (Mitchell et al, 2004). Arctic skua also breeds on Orkney and Caithness close to the aggregations of auks and terns from which they obtain their food by piracy.

Arctic terns are exceptionally long distance seasonal migrants, breeding in Arctic and subarctic regions and wintering throughout the Southern Ocean to the edge of the Antarctic ice sheet. In Scotland, they are at their breeding colonies between May and July. Arctic terns feed on small fish, crustaceans and zooplankton which they take from near the water surface by plunge-diving or surface-dipping.

Common guillemots in Orkney, and eastern Scotland breed in dense colonies in the summer months, dispersing east and south across the North Sea in winter. They are pursuit divers, capable of reaching depths in excess of 200m in search of the fish, including sandeels and fish of the herring family, on which they principally feed.

Arctic skua has a restricted distribution in , confined as a breeder to north and west Scotland, at the southern extremity of their range (Mitchell et at, 2004). Arctic skua feed by stealing food from other seabirds, fast and agile in flight they pursue seabirds returning to their nests causing them to disgorge their fish catch which they then then eat.

The presence of significant Arctic tern, guillemot and other seabird breeding colonies within and adjacent to the Pentland Firth indicates the value and importance of this productive marine area to fish-eating seabirds.

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Figure 1. Location of the Pentland Firth pSPA

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3. Bird survey information

Aggregations of seabirds: Common guillemot and Arctic Skua3 The European Seabirds at Sea (ESAS) database is the most comprehensive and longest running data-set for the distribution of seabirds at sea in north-west European waters (Pollock and Barton 2006). The data were derived from transect surveys collected during targeted boat surveys and from vessels of opportunity. Observers counted all birds on the water within a 200m or 300m wide line transect parallel to the vessel’s track. The data were used to provide sequences of point locations along transects, each holding information about seabird numbers and survey effort deployed at that particular location.

Subsequent analyses, to identify potential hotspots of activity for individual seabird species and seasons throughout UK waters, used continuous seabird density distribution maps generated from these point data. These analyses enabled areas holding consistently large aggregations of seabirds, relative to surrounding areas, to be identified (Kober et al 2010 & 2012). This identified a hotspot for common guillemot but not Arctic skua.

To estimate the seabird population size in a given hotspot, the boundary of the hotspot was superimposed on the relevant seabird density map, and population size was calculated from the map (i.e. adding up the number of birds within each grid cell within the hotspot boundary).

Feeding terns: Arctic tern4 The starting point for identifying marine sites for foraging terns was the existing breeding colony SPAs. These sites have already been identified as holding >1% of the Great Britain (GB) populations of breeding large terns (all Annex 1 species) and therefore, it stands to reason that the marine area within the birds foraging ranges (30km for Arctic tern) will provide essential foraging habitat for the breeding colony SPA populations. There are 12 Arctic tern SPAs in Scotland.

Breeding Arctic terns forage close to their colonies and a modelling approach was used to detect and characterise marine feeding areas in the vicinity of colony SPAs.

Data collected between 2009 and 2011 from a sample of Arctic tern SPAs were used to characterise the types of marine environment used by these birds when foraging in the vicinity of their colonies. Statistical models were then developed from these survey data to quantify the relationship between a wide range of environmental characteristics and tern foraging locations and identify which aspects of the

3 Full details of the methodologies, data and analysis used are provided in the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Reports 431 and 461: Kober et al 2010 and Kober et al 2012 and in the JNCC generic document ‘Identification of possible marine SPAs for seabirds: The European Seabirds at Sea database, analysis and boundary delineation’. JNCC Report 431 received an independent peer review by Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNBOs). Report 461 received full external independent peer review. 4 Full details of the methodologies, data and analysis used are provided in the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Report 500: Wilson et al 2014, Win at al 2014 and in the JNCC generic document ‘Tern marine SPA identification: Tracking data collection and analysis’. JNCC Report 500 received full external independent peer review. 5 environment were most strongly associated with presence of feeding terns. These models were then used at other Arctic tern colonies, including the Pentland Firth Islands SPA, to calculate the relative likely usage of the waters around the colonies, based on the environmental characteristics of each location (Wilson et al 2014, Win et al 2014.

Sites were only progressed to assessment against the site selection guidelines where these overlapped with areas of interest to other marine bird species and where there was confidence that colonies continue to hold good numbers of birds.

Estimating numbers of seabirds within an SPA boundary

SPA boundaries were drawn only for those species (Arctic tern and common guillemot) which occurred in qualifying numbers in the areas of search (section 4) and for which suitable at sea distributions data were available (section 5). ArcGIS was used to calculate the area [km2] of each cell (6km x 6km for ESAS), or partial cell, located within the new boundary. For each cell the total number of individuals for each species was then estimated by multiplying the cell area with the species densities within each individual cell. The total of individuals for each species within the new boundary was provided by summing all cell totals within the boundary by species and season. During this analysis any species that occurred in numbers exceeding 1% of their GB reference population (Arctic skua) and/or more than 2000 individuals were also considered for inclusion in the breeding seabird assemblage.

The number of birds within the SPA boundary was then reassessed against the UK SPA Selection Guidelines to ensure the site still qualified for consideration as an SPA.

4. Assessment against the UK SPA Selection Guidelines

The UK SPA Selection Guidelines establish a two stage process for SPA identification (JNCC, 1999). Stage 1 allows identification of areas that are likely to qualify for SPA status.

Stage 1

To qualify under Stage 1 the area needs to meet one or more of the following four guidelines:

1.1. The area is used regularly by 1% or more of the Great Britain population of a species listed in Annex I to the Birds Directive in any season. 1.2. The area is used regularly by 1% or more of the biogeographical population of a regularly occurring migratory species (other than those listed in Annex I) in any season. 1.3. The area is used regularly by over 20,000 waterfowl (waterfowl as defined by the Ramsar Convention) or 20,000 seabirds in any season. 1.4. The area meets the requirements of one or more of the Stage 2 guidelines in any season, where the application of Stage 1 guidelines 1.1-1.3 for a species

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does not identify an adequate suite of most suitable areas for the conservation of that species.

Stage 2

Those areas that meet one or more of the Stage 1 guidelines undergo further consideration using one or more of the ecological judgements set out in Stage 2. There are seven Stage 2 judgements. These judgments are used to facilitate the selection of the most suitable areas from the areas identified at Stage 1 to produce a network of marine SPAs in Scotland. The Stage 2 judgements are:

2.1 Population size and density 2.2 Species range 2.3 Breeding success 2.4 History of occupancy 2.5 Multi-species area 2.6 Naturalness 2.7 Severe weather refuges

Assessment against Stage 1 of the UK SPA Selection Guidelines

Arctic tern is an Annex 1 species present in numbers at or above 1% of the Great Britain population and met Stage 1.1 of the guidelines (Table 1).

Common guillemot and Arctic skua are regularly occurring migratory seabirds but did not occur in numbers at or above 1% of their biogeographical populations and therefore did not meet Stage 1.2 of the guidelines. The Pentland Firth is particularly notable however as the only area in the seas around Great Britain found regularly to support a concentration of common guillemot exceeding 1% of the total British population. Numbers of Arctic skua within the pSPA also exceeded 1% of the GB population. Together with Arctic tern, they comprised a seabird assemblage of more than 41,000 individuals during the breeding season. Common guillemot and Arctic skua therefore qualify as named assemblage species under Stage 1.3 of the guidelines (Table 1).

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Table 1. Assessment against Stage 1 of the UK SPA Selection Guidelines

Species and season Annex 1 or Population % of GB Stage 1 migratory size in site5 population6,7 guideline Arctic tern (breeding) Annex 1 1,000 pairs 2.0 1.1 Common guillemot Migratory 34,410 2.0 1.3 (breeding) (0.60) Arctic skua (breeding) Migratory 75 1.2 1.3 Seabird assemblage 41,181 1.3 (breeding) >20,000

Assessment against Stage 2 of the UK SPA Selection Guidelines

One or more of the Stage 2 guidelines are used to identify the most suitable areas for classifying as SPA from those areas that meet the Stage 1 guidelines. The focus for considering which areas were most suitable concentrated on three of the seven judgements; population size, species range and multi-species areas, with emphasis placed on identifying areas that function as “hotspots” for many rather than just a few or only one species.

Further details on the selection process and the final suite of sites being proposed is provided in the SNH supplementary document ‘Site selection of the marine SPA suite’ (SNH, 2016).

5 The population sizes are based on the mean maximum population estimates provided in Kober et al 2010 & 2012 for aggregations of seabirds, Wilson et al 2013 and Win et al 2013 for Arctic tern and common tern and amended, where appropriate to the site boundary. All numbers are individual birds unless otherwise indicated. 6 Reference populations are from Mitchell et al 2004. 7 % of biogeographical population given in parenthesis 8

Table 2. Assessment against Stage 2 of the UK SPA Selection Guidelines

Stage 2 judgement/ Population size Species range Influence on site boundary? Qualifying features Arctic tern Pentland Firth Largest concentration in the north Influences northern and western (breeding) Islands holds the of their range in GB. boundary. largest population of breeding Arctic tern in Scotland. Common guillemot Largest Largest concentration in the north Influences southern and eastern (breeding) aggregation of their range in GB. boundary. identified in Scottish waters. Arctic skua 2nd largest known Important component in the south Qualifying numbers present within (breeding) aggregation of their range in GB. pSPA during breeding season, but identified in do not influence the site boundary. Scottish waters. Stage 2 judgement (whole site) Multi- Annex 1 species Arctic tern uses the waters within the Pentland Firth during the breeding season and a species further two migratory species (common guillemot and Arctic skua) occurs in large numbers in the area Pentland Firth and adjacent waters.

History of Arctic terns have nested on the Pentland Firth Islands since at least the late 1960s. Common guillemot occupancy colonies in the vicinity are known to have been present for decades and probably centuries. The breeding distribution of Arctic skuas has hardly changed in the last 150 years with most recent records (1999-2002) being almost identical to those recorded in the 19th century (Mitchell et al, 2004)

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5. Site status and boundary

The proposed name for this site is the “Pentland Firth SPA”.

Marine sites present no visual surface features by which boundaries within the sea can be identified. A site boundary was developed by reviewing the modelled Arctic tern distributions and the common guillemot hotspot.

The Pentland Firth islands SPA, encompassing the islands of Swona and Muckle , is designated for its colonies of breeding Arctic terns. Over 1000 pairs were present when the site was designated in 1995. Despite subsequent declines in Arctic tern numbers across Orkney, further surveys over the past decade have confirmed that The Pentland Firth islands SPA is still regularly used by large numbers of Arctic terns. There are also additional substantial Arctic tern colonies within mean maximum foraging range of the pSPA. Hence there is high confidence in regularity of use of the site for foraging by important numbers of Arctic tern. The Arctic tern foraging models (see section 3) generated maps of predicted likely usage of the waters around Swona and . A maximum curvature analysis was then applied to enable areas exceeding a specific probability threshold to be identified. This generated two overlapping areas in the Pentland Firth which defined much of the site boundary, in particular within the Firth itself.

The southern and eastern boundary of the pSPA is defined by the common guillemot aggregation (Kober et al 2010 & 2012), which overlaps with the feeding area identified for terns around Muckle Skerry.

The final boundary was created by drawing the boundary as tight as possible to the two species distributions ensuring all cells exceeding density thresholds were included within the boundary. To avoid creating an over-complex boundary however some rationalisation of the final boundary was required, resulting in small areas outwith the density thresholds also being included in the final boundary. Whilst these areas did not exceed the density threshold, they are still likely to support lower densities of the species of interest.

During the development of a draft SPA at Pentland Firth and , the initial proposed boundary extended to include inshore wintering waterfowl (qualifying under guideline 1.1 and 1.4) and foraging areas for breeding red-throated divers (qualifying under guideline 1.1). Further to the SPA stakeholder workshop a decision was taken to split the waterfowl species from the two seabird species. Two sites are now being proposed; one at Scapa Flow for inshore wintering waterfowl and breeding red- throated divers, the other, at Pentland Firth for breeding Arctic tern and common guillemot. Further details on the proceedings from the SPA stakeholder workshop are provided in the workshop report (SNH, 2016).

The proposed site extends to 973.25km2. Boundary co-ordinates for the pSPA are given on the site map in Annex 1.

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6. Information on qualifying species

Common guillemot During the breeding season of May and June large numbers of common guillemots congregate towards the north-eastern tip of Caithness at the mouth of the Pentland Firth, between the Scottish mainland and (Figure 2). Some birds also occur there later in the year but in much lower numbers.

Population size and density The Pentland Firth is the only area in the seas around Great Britain, demonstrated from European Seabird at Sea (ESAS) data analysis, to support a regularly occurring concentration of common guillemot (34,410 birds; 2.0% of the GB population, Mitchell et al 2004) during the breeding season. The Pentland Firth also has the second greatest density of birds (44.1 birds/km2) of all the ESAS concentrations.

Distribution within the site The distribution of the common guillemot hotspot influences the southern and eastern extents of the boundary, extending the site beyond 12nm. Common guillemot overlaps with Arctic tern in the outer Pentland Firth and notably around the Muckle Skerry (Figure 2).

Species range During the breeding season the common guillemot occurs widely around Great Britain in areas largely associated with the breeding colonies. Birds are known to forage up to 135km from their colony but most do so within 50 km (Birdlife International, Thaxter et al 2012). The Pentland Firth pSPA lies within the core range of the species in the north of Scotland.

History of occupancy The specific colonies of origin for these birds are not known but probably they originate from the north mainland and Orkney. All such colonies have been in existence for decades (Cramp et al 1974, Sharrock 1976) and, almost certainly, centuries. Consequently, as this concentration of guillemots has occurred regularly in the short term, it can reasonable be assumed it has also been a feeding ground for the colonies over the longer time period.

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Figure 2. The major concentration of common guillemots in the Pentland Firth pSPA.

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Arctic tern Feeding Arctic terns were concentrated in two overlapping areas lying to the south of the Orkney Islands in the Pentland Firth (Figure 3a&b). These areas overlap with the area used by breeding guillemots to the east of the Pentland Firth.

Population size and density Arctic tern populations throughout Scotland have fluctuated quite dramatically over the past thirty years. Since 1990 there has been a general decline although recent trend information (since 2011) shows a slight increase (JNCC, 2015).

At classification (1995), the breeding colonies at Pentland Firth Islands SPA held 1,000 pairs of Arctic terns (2% of the GB population) and was one of a group of 7 SPAs in the supporting over 1,000 pairs of Arctic terns; only 2 other colonies in Great Britain were so large.

The SPA population has typically fluctuated since classification. The last count of the colony at Muckle Skerry (one of the two colonies that form the Pentland Firth Islands SPA) was carried out in 2011. Population counts for Muckle Skerry and Swona from 2005 to 2011 are provided in Table 3.

Table 3: Arctic tern population counts at Muckle Skerry and Swona, 2005-2011

Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Mean of years occupied Muckle 733 47 0 nc 400 nc nc 393 Skerry (pairs) Swona 667 453 0 nc 400 nc 147 417 (pairs) nc – no count, * - no count on Swona

Data obtained from the Seabird Monitoring Programme database and Orkney Bird Reports.

In years when Muckle Skerry and Swona are occupied Arctic tern averaged 810 pairs which using the national population (53,000 pairs, from 2000) is 1.5% of the GB population. Whilst this most recent SPA population is lower than at classification there has been a corresponding fall in the national population over the same period so that this is still one of the most important colonies in the UK. Hence the Pentland Firth remains one of the most important areas for feeding Arctic terns.

There are also additional substantial Arctic tern colonies within mean maximum foraging range of the pSPA. Hence there is high confidence in regularity of use of the site for foraging by important numbers of Arctic tern.

Distribution within the site The predicted distribution of Arctic tern influences the western extent of the boundary, overlapping the common guillemot distribution in the outer Pentland Firth and notably around the Muckle Skerry (Figures 3a and b).

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Species range The breeding range of the Arctic tern is substantially the north and west of Great Britain, but concentrated in Scotland, especially the Northern Isles. Hence the Pentland Firth pSPA lies in the core range of the species.

History of occupancy Arctic terns have nested on the Pentland Firth Islands since at least the late 1960s; a period of almost 50 years (Cramp et al 1974, Sharrock 1976).

Figure 3a. The modelled distribution of Arctic terns in the Pentland Firth (Muckle Skerry)

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Figure 3b. The modelled distribution of Arctic terns in the Pentland Firth (Swona).

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Arctic skua The ESAS analysis suggests that Arctic skua aggregations do not tend to be very pronounced and consistent. Nevertheless, highest densities can be found at the north and east coast of Britain, in particular around Shetland and Orkney.

Population size and density The Pentland Firth is one of only two areas in the seas around Great Britain, demonstrated from European Seabird at Sea (ESAS) data analysis, to support a regularly occurring concentration of Arctic skua (75 birds; 1.3% of the GB population, Mitchell et al 2004) during the breeding season.

Distribution within the site There is no distribution map for Arctic skua because a species-specific boundary was not identified for this species. It is distributed through much of the pSPA during the breeding season.

Species range In Great Britain Arctic skua are confined to the north and west of Scotland; Orkney and being the strongholds with smaller populations on the west coast. Pentland Firth is at the southern extremity of their range.

History of occupancy Arctic skua breeding distribution is reported to have remained static over the last 150 years (Holloway, 1996).

7. References

Barne, J. H., Robson, C. F., Kaznowska, S. S., Doody, J. P. & Davidson, N. C. eds 1996. Coasts and seas of the . Region 3: North-east Scotland: Wrath to St Cyrus. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee. (Coastal Directories Series.)

Birdlife International. Seabird.wikispaces.com/Common+Guillemot

Chapman, C.J. 2004. Northern North Sea shellfish and fisheries. Strategic Environmental Assessment - SEA5. Technical Report for Department of Trade & Industry.

Cramp, S., Bourne, W. R. P., & Saunders, D. 1974. The Seabirds of Britain & Ireland. Collins, London

Ellis, J.R., Milligan, S.P., Readdy, L.,Taylor, N. and Brown, M.J. 2012. Spawning and nursery grounds of selected fish species in UK waters. Sci. Ser. Tech. Rep., Cefas Lowestoft, 147: 56 pp.

European Commission (2007) Guidelines for the establishment of the Natura 2000 network in the marine environment. Application of the Habitats and Birds Directives.

16 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/marine/docs/marine_guidelines.p df

Holloway, S. 1996. The historical atlas of breeding birds in Britain and Ireland 1875- 1900. T & A.D. Poyser, London.

JNCC. 1999. The Birds Directive. Selection Guidelines for Special Protection Areas. Peterborough, JNCC. 6pp.

JNCC 2015. Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986-2014 Report.

JNCC generic documents: Identification of possible marine SPAs for seabirds: The European Seabirds at Sea database, analysis and boundary delineation Tern marine SPA identification: Tracking data collection and analysis

Kober, K., Webb, A., Win, I., Lewis, M., O`Brien, S., Wilson, L, J. & Reid, J.B. 2010 An analysis of the numbers and distributions of seabirds within the British Fishery Limit aimed at identifying areas that qualify as possible marine SPAs. JNCC Report No 431. JNCC, Peterborough.

Kober, K., Wilson, L.J., Black, J., O’Brien, S., Allen, S., Win, I., Bingham, C. and J.B. Reid, 2012. The identification of possible marine SPAs for seabirds in the UK: The application of Stage 1.1 – 1.4 of the SPA selection guidelines. JNCC Report No 461.

Mitchell, P.I., Newton, S.F., Ratcliffe, N. & Dunn, T.E., (2004), Seabird Populations of Britain and Ireland. Poyser, London.

Moore, C.G. (2010). Preliminary assessment of the conservation importance of benthic species and habitats off the west coast of Orkney and in the Pentland Firth in relation to the development of renewable energy schemes. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 352.

Pollock, C. & Barton, C. 2006. An analysis of ESAS seabird surveys in UK waters to highlight gaps in coverage. Report to the DTI, Cork Ecology.

Sharrock, J. T. R. 1976. The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland. T. & A. D. Poyser.

SNH 2016. ‘Site selection of the marine SPA suite’. Supplementary document.

SNH, JNCC & MS 2016. Summary report of the marine Special Protection Area (SPA) stakeholder workshop.

Thaxter, C. B., Lascelles, B., Sugar, K., Cook, A.S.C.P., Roos, S., Bolton, M., Langston, R.H.W. & Burton, N.H.K. 2012. Seabird foraging ranges as a preliminary tool for identifying candidate Marine Protected Areas. Biological Conservation. 156: 53-61.

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Wilson, L., Black, J., Brewer, M. J., Potts, J. M., Kuepfer, A., Win, I., Kober, K., Bingham, C., Mavor, R. & Webb, A. 2014. Quantifying usage of the marine environment by terns Sterna sp. around their breeding colony SPA. 113pp. JNCC Report No 500.

Win, I., Wilson, L & Kuepfer, A 2014. Identification of possible marine SPA boundaries for the larger tern species around the United Kingdom . Supplement to JNCC Report 500.

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Annex 1. Site map

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Annex 2. Citation

Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of wild birds (this is the codified version of Directive 79/409/EEC as amended)

CITATION FOR PROPOSED SPECIAL PROTECTION AREA (SPA)

PENTLAND FIRTH (UK9020317)

Site Description: The Pentland Firth proposed Special Protection Area (SPA) comprises the inner and outer Pentland Firth, separating the Orkney Islands from the northern coast of mainland Scotland. The Pentland Firth links the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea and is characterised by very strong tidal flows particularly between Swona and Stroma. Depths in the main channel are typically 60-80m but exceed 90m in places with shallower waters extending around Stroma and in the vicinity of Swona and the Pentland Skerries. The Pentland Firth Pentland Firth is deeper. Sediments are primarily sandy and muddy but become coarser or rocky in areas where tidal currents are stronger as in the Pentland Firth.

Qualifying Interest: The Pentland Firth proposed Special Protection Area (SPA) qualifies under Article 4.1 by regularly supporting a population of European importance of the following Annex 1 species during the breeding season: Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea (1,000 pairs in 1995; 2% of the Great Britain population).

The site further qualifies under Article 4.2 by regularly supporting in excess of 20,000 individual seabirds during the breeding season including nationally important populations of the following migratory species during the period 1980- 2006: common guillemot Uria aalge (34,410 individuals; 2.0% of the Great Britain population) and Arctic skua Stercocarius parasiticus (75 individuals; 1.2% of the Great Britain population).

Area: 973.25 km2 (97,325 ha). Location: 58o 79.093’ N 3o 06.978’ W OS Sheet 1:50,000 – 6 & 7

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