To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline what action his Department is taking to protect and improve conditions for seabird populations.

My Department recently launched a public consultation on a Seabird Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for Northern Ireland which outlines a number of objectives and associated actions that are required to address the various threats and pressures faced by seabirds to improve their resilience and make steps towards recovery. This includes increasing the evidence base, in particular, for at-sea records, and delivering targeted management for issues related to habitat loss from sea level rise or reducing impacts from invasive non-native mammalian predators.

This strategy, alongside others my Department has produced, was developed in a co-design approach with key stakeholders, and it is by working together that we can deliver the actions outlined.

The consultation closes on 16th December and I would like to take this opportunity to strongly encourage anyone who feels they can contribute, in words and also in actions, to respond.