§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what information he has of the level of breeding success for the red-throated diver, Arctic skua, great skua, puffin and kittiwake in Shetland in 1988; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what was the total population size of Arctic terns in Shetland in 1980; and what proportion this represents of the British and EEC populations, respectively;
(3) what information he has on research conducted or commissioned to identify the key factors that have influenced the breeding success of Arctic terns in Scotland; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if he will list the estimated number of young that the Shetland Arctic tern population has successfully reared in each of the last five years; and what the breeding success of this bird has been in other areas in the United Kingdom over the same period.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 9 February 1989]: The Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) commissioned Durham university to conduct a short preliminary study on arctic terns in Shetland in 1985. This found some evidence of breeding failure. In 1986, NCC and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds jointly 753W commissioned Glasgow university to carry out further studies on arctic terns in Shetland, and specifically to examine the role of food supply in breeding performance. This project is still in progress, but results indicate that there has been a shortage of a specific size class of sandeel in surface waters of Shetland during a crucial phase of the Arctic tern breeding cycle.
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland are collaborating with other interested parties on co-ordinated research to investigate sandeel mortality and factors affecting the availability of sandeels for food. They are to increase substantially their effort on sandeel research in 1989–90 including, exceptionally, three research ship cruises.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total population size of Arctic terns in Shetland in 1980; and what proportion this represents of the British and EEC populations, respectively.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 9 February 1989]: According to the Nature Conservancy Council the population was about 32,000 pairs. This represented some 43 per cent. of the British population and some 37 per cent. of the EEC population.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what information he has of the level of breeding success for the red-throated diver, Arctic skua, great skua, puffin and kittiwake in Shetland in 1988; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 9 February 1989]: The Nature Conservancy Council has supplied the following information:
- Red-throated diver—poor breeding success
- Arctic skua—poor breeding success
- Great skua—poor breeding success
- Pulfin—mixed breeding success
- Kittiwake—very poor breeding success
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the estimated number of young that the Shetland Arctic tern population hs successfully reared in each of the last five years; and what the breeding success of this bird has been in other areas in the United Kingdom over the same period.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 9 February 1989]: The Nature Conservancy Council has advised me that, on the basis of sample monitoring of Shetland Arctic tern colonies between 1984 and 1988, a low breeding success has been achieved. The species' breeding success in other areas in the United Kingdom over the same period was mixed.