The seabird monitoring programme for Svalbard was initiated in 1988 (Mehlum & Bakken 1994) and seven species are now (2009) included in the programme: northern fulmar, common eider, great skua Catharacta skua, glaucous gull Larus glaucous, black-legged kittiwake, common guillemot, Brünnich’s guillemot and little auk (Strøm 2006). Monitoring of population development is carried out annually for all seven species except little auk. Data on survival, breeding success and chick diet are monitored on Bear Island (Bear Island) for all species except northern fulmar; on Spitsbergen for black-legged kittiwake, Brünnich’s guillemot and little auk (Strøm 2006).