BarentsPortal

Altogether 15 species of seabirds were monitored in 2008 at 18 different locations in the western and southern Barents Sea and the White Sea. The 2008 season was characterized by decrease in the breeding populations of several species in the western Barents Sea, especially along the mainland coast of Norway, from Nordkapp and westwards. The species that were most severely affected are fulmar, black-legged kittiwake, razorbill and common guillemot. The low number of birds attending both Norwegian and Russian colonies in 2008 do not only reflect low adult survival between years, but may also have been the result of  poor environmental conditions with reduced body condition and low colony attendance as the result. In contrast, seabird populations in the eastern and northern parts of the Barents Sea are generally stable or increasing.