Morus bassanus -- (Linnaeus, 1758) ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- -- Common names: ; Fou de Bassan; Gannet European Red List Assessment European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Tarzia, M., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

At both European and EU27 scales the range size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations).

For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern within both Europe and the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Belgium; Denmark; (to DK); Greenland (to DK); France; Germany; Greece; Iceland; Ireland, Rep. of; Italy; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Netherlands; Norway; Portugal; Russian Federation; Spain; Canary Is. (to ES); Sweden; Turkey; United Kingdom; Gibraltar (to UK) Vagrant: Austria; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Estonia; Finland; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Svalbard and Jan Mayen (to NO); Poland Population The European population is estimated at 683,000 pairs, which equates to 1,370,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 641,000 pairs, which equates to 1,280,000 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe and the EU27 the population size is estimated to be increasing. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology The species nests in large colonies on cliffs and offshore islands, but also on the mainland. This strictly marine species wanders mostly over continental shelves, feeding on shoaling pelagic such as herring (Clupea harengus), mackerel (Scomber scombrus), sprat (Sprattus sprattus) and sandeels (Ammodytes). Prey is mostly caught by plunge-diving from large heights. It also attends trawlers and will form large congregations where food is plentiful. Breeding is highly seasonal starting between March and April. Young will migrate to the extreme south of its range, whereas adults range less extensively but still regularly winter in the Mediterranean (Carboneras et al. 2014). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major breeding Marine Neritic - Macroalgal/Kelp suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Macroalgal/Kelp suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Pelagic major breeding Marine Neritic - Pelagic major non-breeding Marine Neritic - Seagrass (Submerged) suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Seagrass (Submerged) suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy suitable non-breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud suitable breeding Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud suitable non-breeding Marine Oceanic - Epipelagic (m) major breeding Marine Oceanic - Epipelagic (m) major non-breeding Altitude max. 200 m Occasional altitudinal limits Threats Overfishing and prey depletion is likely to affect this species, although populations in the U.K. and Ireland were not seriously affected by Shetland sandeel stock crash in the mid 1980s (Carboneras et al. 2014). Incidental capture in fishing gear, including in longlines and purse seines also poses a threat; and the species was the most commonly caught along the Portuguese mainland coast (Oliveira et al. 2015). The species is hunted for food in some places, for example, a small annual harvest is carried out on Sula Sgeir, off north- west Scotland. The small population of northern Norway has suffered local declines and extinctions thought to be mainly due to harassment by White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla). The species is considered at high risk from collisions with offshore wind turbines (Bradbury et al. 2014). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Biological resource Fishing & harvesting Timing Scope Severity Impact use aquatic resources Ongoing Unknown Unknown Unknown (unintentional effects: (large scale) Stresses [harvest]) Indirect ecosystem effects; Species mortality Biological resource Hunting & trapping Timing Scope Severity Impact use terrestrial Ongoing Unknown Causing/Could Unknown (intentional use - cause fluctuations species is the target) Stresses Species mortality Energy production Renewable energy Timing Scope Severity Impact & mining Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could Medium Impact cause fluctuations Stresses Species mortality Pollution Garbage & solid Timing Scope Severity Impact waste Ongoing Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown Stresses Species mortality Pollution Industrial & military Timing Scope Severity Impact effluents (type Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown unknown/ unrecorded) Stresses

Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Pollution Oil spills Timing Scope Severity Impact Past, Likely to Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could Past Impact Return cause fluctuations Stresses Species mortality Transportation & Shipping lanes Timing Scope Severity Impact service corridors Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Unknown Unknown Stresses Species disturbance Conservation Conservation Actions Underway The species is listed on the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreements. It is covered by the EU Birds Directive as a regularly occurring migratory species. It is currently listed within 34 marine Important Areas. Within the EU it is currently listed within nine Special Protection Areas.

Conservation Actions Proposed Identification and protection of important sites at sea. Collection of more information on individual movements to assist careful placement of offshore wind farms. On-board monitoring programmes on fishing vessels to determine the number of birds caught across the region, and implementation of bycatch mitigation measures where appropriate. Bibliography Bradbury, G., Trinder, M., Furness, B., Banks, A.N., Caldow, R.W.G. and Hume, D. 2014. Mapping sensitivity to offshore wind farms. PLoS ONE 9, e106366. Carboneras, C., Christie, D.A., Jutglar, F. and Garcia, E.F.J. 2013. Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2013. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Oliveira, N. Henriques, A., Miodonski, J., Pereira, J., Marujo, D., Almeida, A., Barros, N., Andrade, J., Marçalo, J., Santos, I., Oliveira, B., Ferreira, M., Araújo, H., Monteiro, S., Vingada, J. and Ramírez, I. 2015. Seabird Bycatch in Portuguese Mainland Coastal Fisheries: An Assessment through on-Board Observations and Fishermen Interviews. Global Ecology and Conservation 3 (January): 51–61. doi:10.1016/j.gecco. 2014.11.006. Map (see overleaf)