LIFE PanPuffinus!

Objectives

Tag attachment deployment (Hannah Greetham)

Field team in action accessing nests (Sonia Vallocchia)

The overall aim of LIFE PanPuffinus! project is to improve the conservation status of the Yelkouan Shearwater and the Balearic Shearwater by tackling threats at land and sea through transboundary collaboration.

The project’s objectives are to:

– quantify the scale and extent of fisheries bycatch and pilot-testing of GFCM data collection methodology

– reduce fisheries bycatch of both species by using existing mitigation measures or developing new ones

– decrease the rate of predation by rats by implementing non-native invasive predator management and biosecurity plans

– drive changes in management through engagement with key stakeholders and by building awareness on seabirds with communities

Project partners

BirdLife Malta is collaborating with partner organisations to fulfil the project objectives. The project partnership is a mix of governmental and non-governmental organisations who have joined their efforts in past LIFE project partnerships, and which have the necessary roles and expertise to bring a desired change to the future of Yelkouan and Balearic Shearwater populations, throughout their range:

The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture from Malta (DFA) within the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights is responsible for managing fisheries in Maltese waters.

The Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS) is the Greek BirdLife partner and has vast experience in implementing projects for the conservation of seabirds and marine areas.

The Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO) is the French BirdLife partner and has long experience on protection of seabirds.

The Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO) is the Spanish BirdLife partner and has wide experience in research and conservation of seabirds, paying particular attention to the critically endangered Balearic Shearwater.

The Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves (SPEA) is the Portuguese partner of BirdLife International with vast experience in coordinating LIFE projects, invasive non-native predators eradication and control, and bycatch mitigation measures.

The Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (NECCA) is a newly established public body governed by private law, operating under the supervision of the Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy. NECCA’s mission is the implementation of national environmental policy via the management and governance of protected areas in Greece, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and promoting sustainable development.

Yelkouan Shearwater

Yelkouan Shearwater by Aris Christidis (BirdLife Greece, HOS)

Yelkouan Shearwater by Aron Tanti

The Yelkouan Shearwater (Maltese name: Garnija, Scientific name: Puffinus yelkouan) is a medium-sized seabird seen flying low over the water with rapid wingbeats.

During its breeding season, from February to July, individuals may be observed resting at sea alone or in small rafts. Malta’s population is estimated to be around 1,600 – 1,800 pairs, constituting approximately 10% of the global population.

The Maltese population has declined in recent years, mainly due to predation by rats, loss of breeding habitat, illegal hunting, disturbance and light and sound pollution. The IUCN classes the Yelkouan Shearwater as vulnerable.

Balearic Shearwater

Balearic Shearwater by Pep Arcos (SEO BirdLife)

Balearic Shearwater by Pep Arcos (SEO BirdLife)

The Balearic Shearwater (Maltese name: Garnija Balearika, Scientific name: Puffinus mauretanicus) is slightly larger than Yelkouan Shearwater and with greyish-brown colour on its back and upper half.

This species nests only in the Balearic Islands in Spain. The most recent estimates of the Balearic shearwater population are at 19000 individuals. The first birds arrive at breeding colonies in September, laying between February and March, and juveniles leave their nests in June.

This species is the most endangered seabird in Europe, classified by IUCN as critically endangered. It is mainly threatened by predation of adults by introduced mammals (cats and rodents) and accidental capture in fishing gear such as long-lines and seine fishing methods.

Conservation

Accessing remote shearwater colonies by boat (Photo by Solenn Boucher)

Fieldwork on the cliffs (Photo by LIFE Arċipelagu Garnija)

LIFE PanPuffinus! aims to decrease bycatch incidence and predation at breeding colonies by non-native invasive predators, the two main threats for the Yelkouan and Balearic Shearwater species. Conservation strategies will include the following:

– through a multi-approach methodology, collecting information on spatio-temporal characteristics of fisheries, seabird distribution and bycatch rates to produce bycatch risk maps

– presenting and trailing with fishers different bycatch mitigation measures to deter birds from fishing boats, reduce attraction or impede access of seabirds to a potential food

– selecting and adapting the most suitable bycatch mitigation measures to local realities

– Creating a database to detail previous invasive species management efforts and current biosecurity status of the Mediterranean islands

– assessing the status of breeding Yelkouan and Balearic Shearwaters and potential invasive alien species in sites identified as biosecurity priorities using the ‘monitoring toolkit’

– carrying out rodent eradication and control efforts in priority sites

– implementing biosecurity plans to maintain predator-free status of predator-free sites or increase the efficiency of control efforts already in place

– compiling knowledge and experience of partners working with seabird bycatch in the Mediterranean

– Increasing capacity of relevant authorities through awareness-raising activities and training to respond to country-specific threats to these species

Yelkouan near nest boxes captured by camera trap

Fieldwork on the Greek cliffs (Photo by G Papadas)

Rat bites on wax blocks (Photo by Solenn Boucher)

Fieldwork on the cliffs (Photo by BirdLife Malta)

Seabirds flying towards fishing boat (Photo by miragenews.com)

Rat near shearwater nest boxes captured by camera trap

Reducing trash…and predators (Photo by Hannah Greetham)

Yelkouan Shearwater chick (Photo by Hannah Greetham)

GPS tagging (Photo by Hannah Greetham)

LIFE programme

This €3.45 million project will run for five years, and the main co-funder is the European Union’s LIFE programme. The EU’s LIFE programme has supported environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects since 1992, and has funded previous BirdLife Malta seabird projects.

Project number: LIFE19 NAT/MT/000982

Other co-funders

In Malta the project is also co-funded by the  Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights.

There are also a number of other co-funders in project partner countries. These include the A.G. Leventis Foundation and the Green Fund in Greece.

In France the project is also co-funded by Food4Good and Office Français de la Biodiversité. Other French project partners are LPO PACA, Coopérative Du Levant (OP du Levant), CRPMEM PACA and the National Park of Port-Cros.

Project launch

LIFE PanPuffinus! was officially launched during an event held at BirdLife Malta’s Salina Nature Reserve on Friday 18 June 2021.

Below are the presentations delivered during the event by all the project partners. All presentations can also be found on our YouTube channel here.

More details in the press release we issued (EN and MT versions) on the day.

Project overview by LIFE PanPuffinus! Project Manager Manya Russo (BirdLife Malta)

Presentation by the Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture (Malta)

Presentation by the Sociedad Española de Ornitología, SEO (BirdLife Spain)

Presentation by the Hellenic Ornithological Society, HOS (BirdLife Greece)

Presentation by the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, LPO (BirdLife France)

Presentation by the Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, SPEA (BirdLife Portugal)

News & Events

6-8 October, 2021. Biosecurity training workshop and Steering Committee Meeting. In the first week of October, a biosecurity plan development training workshop led by RSPB was organised in Rochefort, France. Following the training, we held our first Steering Committee meeting which was hosted by project partners LPO France. Progress on the several project actions were discussed and every partner reported on the work carried out so far. These meetings will be held each year in a different partner country.

24-25 September, 2021. The Yelkouan Shearwater takes over at Science in the City 2021! The trials and tribulations of the Yelkouan Shearwater were the subject of a puppet show and a workshop for children held during this year’s Science in the City. During Kids Dig Science at Science in the City, a team from the project joined Spazju Kreattiv and ŻiguŻajg in this collaboration to raise awareness about the conditions of the Yelkouan Shearwater and the problems that these seabirds have to face every day. Through the performance, we demonstrated how even kids can actively save these seabirds that nest in the cliffs of the Maltese Islands and their chicks.

6-7 August, 2021. Shearwater Boat Trips with LIFE PanPuffinus! On the first weekend of August we held our sunset shearwater boat trips for 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we only held two trips and to celebrate the launch of LIFE PanPuffinus! this year we offered the trips for free to our members. Both trips were fully-booked with many members joining us for the trip to Ta’ Ċenċ, Gozo to enjoy the spectacular sight of the Scopoli’s Shearwaters ‘rafting’ on the water before returning to their nests in the cliffs. Watch the video we prepared about this year’s trips here.

18 June, 2021. Our LIFE PanPuffinus! project has been launched! The €3.45 million LIFE PanPuffinus! project was launched this morning at BirdLife Malta’s Salina Nature Reserve. The project launch was held under the distinguished patronage of Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food & Animal Rights Anton Refalo and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi who delivered speeches for the occasion. Following a video about the species and the project, all local and international partners delivered a presentation. The event also included a welcome message by BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana. Project Manager Manya Russo delivered a project overview to the audience present at Salina. The launch was also streamed live on Facebook. Read more in the press release we issued following the official launch.

1 June, 2021. We’ve announced the date of the official launch of LIFE PanPuffinus! The event will be held at BirdLife Malta‘s Salina Nature Reserve on Friday 18 June and due to space limitations and COVID-19 restrictions will be open only to a selected audience by invitation. However, the good news is that we’ll be streaming it live for all those interested who would like to follow. Click on the Facebook event we’ve created on the project’s FB page and follow it. This is where the official project launch will be virtually shared on the day!

17 December, 2020. BirdLife Malta to continue studying seabirds on land and at sea.  After decades of uninterrupted scientific studies about Malta’s seabirds, BirdLife Malta is proud to announce that it will continue studying seabirds on land and at sea following the start of a new project it has embarked on. This will be a Mediterranean-wide collaboration for the conservation of two endemic and threatened Mediterranean seabird species: the Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) and the Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus). Read the press release announcing the project which was issued in December 2020 here.

Exhibition: Safeguarding Seabirds in the Mediterranean Sea

BirdLife Malta’s LIFE PanPuffinus! project, in collaboration with Majjistral Nature and History Park, is proud to launch Malta’s first permanent seabird conservation exhibition. This interactive experience allows you to explore the park’s unique wildlife while highlighting the urgent need to protect Malta’s natural environment as a haven for seabirds.

You will have the opportunity to discover the fascinating world of seabirds—why they choose this area, their breeding and nesting behaviors, and the crucial conservation efforts to safeguard their populations. The exhibit brings to life the challenges seabirds face, from invasive species and light pollution to bycatch in fishing.

To enrich your experience, the audio guide offers insights into the park’s significance and introduces species like the Yelkouan and Scopoli’s Shearwaters, along with their calls.

After visiting the exhibition, you are invited to enjoy a scenic walk around the park. Along the way, you’ll find helpful tips for exploring responsibly, ensuring that your visit supports the protection of local wildlife. Take a moment to immerse yourself in nature and adopt eco-friendly practices that contribute to the wellbeing of the environment.

The Majjistral Visitor Centre welcomes you to explore this exciting exhibit, open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The park’s trails, however, are open 24/7 for your enjoyment.

Videos

This video was produced for the launch of the LIFE PanPuffinus! project which was held on Friday 18 June 2021 at Salina Nature Reserve. It provides details about the project species and also describes the project’s aims to protect these endangered shearwater species by tackling the two major threats that they face throughout their life cycles: predation by invasive mammals on land, and accidental bycatch in fishing gear at sea. You can watch the video in English and also in Maltese below.

This video was produced for International Day for Biological Diversity 2021 when BirdLife Malta and Majjistral Park joined forces to create a giant image of the Yelkouan Shearwater at Golden Bay. This was done as part of the international event withNature2020 – a global collaborative artwork seeking to engage people with biodiversity and to urge for its protection. To watch the spectacular aerial footage of the Yelkouan image which was created click here.

Contact

Contact details LIFE PanPuffinus! LIFE19 NAT/MT/000982 BirdLife Malta V.O. 0052

Address: 57/28 Marina Court, Triq Abate Rigord, Ta’ Xbiex XBX 1120

Website (coming soon): https://lifepanpuffinus.org

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +356 21347645/6

Mobile: +356 77615533

You can keep up with the team’s work on social media. Click the icons below to view our Facebook and Twitter page.

Team

Name: Manya Russo
Position: Project Manager
Manya has a background in marine conservation, having completed a bachelors in Biology and Chemistry, and a Masters in Conservation Biology from the University of Kent, UK. After her studies, Manya went on to working within international consultancies and NGOs in various fields of marine science, gaining experience in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. She has worked across different European funding frameworks and projects, and is currently the Project Manager for LIFE PanPuffinus!
Contact: [email protected]

Name: Martin Austad
Position: Seabird Research Coordinator
Martin has a Bachelor’s degree in Earth Systems and a Master’s in Ecology. Martin began volunteering with BirdLife Malta and later became a leader of the youth group Falko and helped out as a licensed bird ringer with the LIFE+ Malta Seabird project. Martin was for 4 years on the LIFE+ Arcipelagu Garnija team as Project Warden. Martin is now Seabird Research Coordinator on LIFE PanPuffinus!
Contact: [email protected]

Name: Rita Matos
Position: Project Warden
Graduated in Marine Biology and Biotechnology on the Aquaculture and Fisheries sector at Peniche, Portugal. Since 2016, has volunteered and worked with SPEA (Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds) with seabirds on LIFE Berlengas/LIFE Ilhas Barreira projects. In 2019, Rita joined Birdlife Malta on LIFE Arċipelagu Garnija project and currently works for LIFE PanPuffinus project as a Project Warden.
Contact: [email protected]

Name: Francesca Visalli
Position: Project Warden
Francesca has a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Science and a Master’s degree in Animal Behaviour, where she was investigating the reproductive behaviour of Scopoli’s Shearwaters in collaboration with ISPRA, Italy. She is passionate about seabirds and their fascinating lifestyle. In 2022, she joined the seabird team of BirdLife Malta as a Seabird Conservation Assistant within the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteering scheme, and now she has joined the LIFE PanPuffinus! project as Project Warden.
Contact: [email protected]

Name: Mark Sultana
Position: Chief Executive Officer
BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana’s role in this project is to assist the team, in particular the project manager and finance officer, in the decision-making process to direct this project to successful results; as achieved in previous EU LIFE-funded projects that BirdLife Malta has managed over the years.
Contact: [email protected]

Name: Nicholas Barbara
Position: Head of Conservation
Nicholas joined BirdLife Malta in 2009 to manage BirdLife Malta’s EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project and then moved on to manage the EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project, while also managing BirdLife Malta’s growing conservation department. During this time BirdLife Malta secured and concluded also the LIFE Arċipelagu Garnija project before embarking on LIFE PanPuffinus! Nicholas studied conservation biology in the UK, and biology and chemistry in Malta.
Contact: [email protected]

Name: Nathaniel Attard
Position: Communications Manager
Nathaniel is BirdLife Malta’s Communications Manager and joined the organisation in May 2016 after a successful 17-year career in the media. Together with his team he is responsible for dissemination of all the information regarding LIFE PanPuffinus! through a detailed communications strategy.
Contact: [email protected]

Name: Alessandra Loria
Position: Education Officer
After obtaining a Doctorate Degree in Evolutionary Ecology and completing a one-year Postdoctoral project, Alessandra wished to dedicate her knowledge and experience to Environmental Education. She believes that engaging the public in actions toward a more sustainable world is essential to contrast the global ecological crisis and find urgent solutions. Alessandra joined BirdLife Malta in 2022.
Contact: [email protected]

Name: Justine Borg
Position: Marine Policy Officer
After spending three years working offshore on research vessels in the Mediterranean, North and Baltic Seas as a marine mammal and fisheries observer, Justine felt a strong desire to pursue a career related to marine environmental policy. This prompted her to advance her academic journey by embarking on a Master’s program on Ocean Science, Conservation and Innovation. Now, as a Marine Policy Officer with BirdLife Malta since March 2023, she’s dedicated to protecting her home country’s marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
Contact: [email protected]

Name: Gabriella Seguna Galea
Position: Finance Manager
With a Degree level in the ACCA qualification and years of experience working within the Finance sector of various international companies, Gabriella joined BirdLife Malta in May 2024 and oversees the finance department and all accounting aspects of the organisation. She is also project administrator for multiple projects across all departments within the organisation, including LIFE PanPuffinus!.
Contact: [email protected]

Past Project Staff

Name: Abbie Ferrar
Position: Outreach Education Officer
Abbie has a BSc in Marine Zoology (2012) and a MSc in Marine Environmental Management (2015), but for the last five years has been working in Environmental Education. She is a strong believer that connecting people with nature helps protect and conserve it, as a connection inspires people to change their behaviours towards nature. She has been working in BirdLife Malta’s informal education and outreach programmes since 2018.

Name: Arturo Palomba
Position: Finance Manager
Arturo has a degree in Business and Economics and a Master’s degree in Economics, Finance and Markets. Arturo spent his first years at BirdLife Malta as an EVS volunteer within the finance department and recently was tasked with heading the finance department where he was also responsible for the previous seabird project LIFE Arċipelagu Garnija. He has since the start of the project has been working within LIFE PanPuffinus! supporting financial and administrative activities.

Name: Hannah Greetham
Position: Seabird Project Warden
Hannah has been involved in research and conservation since 2015 working and volunteering in the UK and abroad, such as the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project, City Clocks research group and SOS Cagarro. She Previously worked on the LIFE Arċipelagu Garnija project before doing her Master of Research in collaboration with BirdLife Malta at the University of Glasgow, investigating the migration strategy of Yelkouan Shearwaters. Now she is back on the new LIFE PanPuffinus! project as Project Warden.

Name: Polina Venka
Position: Marine Data and Policy Officer
Polina received a Master’s in Political Science and later on a Master’s in Ecology and Environmental Protection in Ukraine. Apart from interest in researching, Polina used to be a volunteer for WWF Ukraine and has a long interest in nature conservation and work experience in national parks in her home country. In 2019, she joined BirdLife Malta as a Policy Assistant under the EVS programme, after finishing which she got back to her PhD research on the topic of environmental policy.

Name: Claudio Agius
Position: Finance Manager
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounts and Marketing, and also an ACCA certification in accounting, Claudio joined BirdLife Malta in December 2022 and oversees the finance department and all accounting aspects of the organisation. He is also project administrator for multiple projects across all departments within the organisation, including LIFE PanPuffinus! Since joning the project team, he has been working within LIFE PanPuffinus! supporting financial and administrative activities.