Could island scheme end up driving seals away?
to visitors to raise awareness of the island’s importance as a nature reserve and try to minimise disturbance.
But it claims the viewing platforms will increase disturbance of the wildlife from raised noise levels and visual disturbance from people being at an elevated level.
“Recommendations have been made throughout the consultation period that the viewing platforms should be constructed in a sympathetic manner appropriate to a wildlife-sensitive site, including being enclosed or high sided and/or have a design similar to a wildlife hide with long, narrow viewing windows, using opaque glass – or something similar – to obscure the appearance and movement of visitors, with mitigation measures for the increase in noise,” says the group.
“While our primary focus is the study and protection of the grey seal population and haul out on St Mary’s Island our conservation efforts also include the ornithological features of the island. The island is an important roosting and foraging site for thousands of birds and sizeable numbers of bird species.”
The group is also critical of a claim in the scheme’s Environmental Statement which states “that it is likely that the seals will habituate to a degree to the increased visitor presence atop of the platforms as … [they] become accustomed to their presence.” The group says: ”Monitoring has shown that the majority of the seals that use the island are juveniles using it in their first year. They do not have the time to become accustomed.” The group observed, over 70 days from April to August 2016, a total of 1,574 incidents where seals were flushed from the rocks. Over half of these incidents were caused by visitors and nearly a third by the sight and sound of people within the lighthouse perimeter wall. Paul Hanson, council deputy chief executive, said: “We have been looking after St Mary’s Island on behalf of the community for over 30 years. In that time we have worked hard to balance the needs of all its visitors including the seals and the rich bird life in the area. “Clearly, we have taken care to listen to a range of organisations with different views, passions and expertise and, at this stage, we are pleased that the Independent Environmental Impact Assessment, carried out as part of the bid, supported the proposed development.” St Mary’s Seal Watch spokesperson