Sandeel fishing ban gives boost to UK’s puffins
BRITAIN’S puffins have been given a lifeline thanks to a ban on sandeel fishing in the North Sea and Scottish waters.
Wildlife experts have long fought for the new law as the small silver fish are a main food source for seabirds and their chicks.
Dave O’Hara, site manager at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, East Yorks, said: “These populations of seabirds are at the forefront of the climate emergency, and they are in significant decline.
“Puffins’ resilience is being pushed to the limit, which is why we can breathe a sigh of relief that industrial sandeel fishing in UK waters has ended.
“This lifeline will help to secure vital food sources for these amazing birds.
“Whilst many other factors continue to affect our seabird populations, including the impacts of climate change, and bycatch from fishing, we have renewed hope that sandeels will increase in numbers and help to save our beloved puffins.” Sandeels are also a vital part of the food chain for larger fish and other marine creatures like dolphins but are harvested for oil, fertiliser and animal food.
Meanwhile, scientists have discovered a landscape of rocky hills and smooth plains beneath Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica.
They used special imaging to map the area where the ice sits on the bed, giving new insights into the future of the glacier, the size of the UK.
Professor Olaf Eisen, who led the study, said: “This is the first time we’ve had a clear picture of such a large part of the ice bed. This has huge ramifications for modelling ice flow and understanding how much the Glacier might contribute to sea level rise.”
PUFFINS are the red squirrels of the bird world.They are among the distinctive creatures of the British Isles – but how many of us have seen one in the wild?
It would bring joy to the nation if the Puffin population is revived, and the ban on sandeel fishing could fuel such a recovery.
We hope that future generations will see many more of these beautiful birds with their brightly coloured beaks.
They must not go the way of the dodo.