Multinational wildlife study off Channel Islands

The Balearic shearwater is Europe’s most threatened seabird with only 3,000 breeding pairs

A multinational research project is studying how seabirds and other wildlife use the waters off Jersey, Guernsey and Normandy.

The partnership between the French government and organisations in the Channel Islands initially aimed to monitor the endangered Balearic shearwater.

However, a team of specialised surveyors have been collecting data on all birds, mammals and fish from a dedicated boat since May and will continue until October.

Organisers said it was the first time this kind of research had taken place in the Channel Islands.

The surveyors, all birdwatchers from Guernsey and Jersey, were trained on the research techniques by staff from the UK’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

The work will be complimented by an aerial survey from a specialised plane, which will take high-definition photographs of birds on the water.

The project has been funded with contributions from the France’s Biodiversity Office, the States of Guernsey, the Government of Jersey, the Howard Davis Farm Trust, La Société Guernesiaise, and La Société Jersiaise.