§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent assessment he has made of the effects on the bird population of the Sea Empress accident off Pembrokeshire in February. [40397]
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansThe daily counts of dead and oiled birds made in the wake of the accident have ceased. The Countryside Council for Wales is undertaking a range of research projects commissioned by the Sea Empress Environmental Evaluation Committee to establish what impact there has been on both breeding and wintering bird populations.
Initial results suggest that Auk colonies on St. Margaret's island and the Castlemartin coast have been severely affected while the internationally important seabird concentrations on Skokholm, Skomer and Grassholm have been relatively unaffected. The impact on the Common Scoter is difficult to assess due to considerable variations in estimated numbers prior to the accident. In all cases longer term data are required.
All results will be reported to Government by SEEEC in its final report due in autumn 1997.