This report is a contribution to the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA7) conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (now Department of Energy and Climate Change). The aims of this study were: To provide an overview of individual bird species offshore distribution in SEA 7; To identify, where possible, offshore areas in SEA 7 that are important for seabirds; To assess offshore seabird vulnerability to surface pollution in SEA 7; To provide a brief outline on the potential for offshore SPAs in the offshore waters of SEA 7; To highlight major gaps in understanding and survey coverage in the offshore waters of SEA 7.
Generally seabird densities were low in offshore waters. Important areas were along the shelf break, Rockall Trough and Rockall Bank. Species diversity of seabirds was low in offshore waters compared to inshore waters, although more species were recorded during the summer months. Offshore waters were defined as greater than 200 m in depth and the offshore distribution of seventeen species of seabirds were reviewed.