Biosecurity for England - MOA

Seabird islands are vulnerable to invasive predatory mammals (e.g., rats and mice) which can cause severe impacts on breeding seabird populations. Biosecurity measures to prevent accidental introductions, and to detect and respond rapidly to incursions, appear to be proving effective in improving the UK Marine Strategy (UKMS) indicator for marine birds on the presence of invasive mammals on important seabird islands.

However, seabirds continue to fail to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES), with pressures exacerbated by sustained outbreaks of avian influenza, declining prey abundance, spatial squeeze from offshore developments, and bycatch. The UKMS update specifically highlights improvements in the invasive mammal indicator as largely due to the UK-wide Biosecurity for LIFE (B4L) project (2018–2023), led by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) with Defra contributing via the EU LIFE fund, and now continuing via legacy regional programmes including Biosecurity for England (B4E).

Defra’s obligations under the UKMS are to achieve and maintain GES; continuation of seabird island biosecurity is therefore important to sustain progress and avoid regression. Biosecurity and island restoration measures are also identified as a priority action in the England Seabird Conservation and Recovery Pathway (ESCaRP) report.