After five years of coordinated action across the Mediterranean, the LIFE PanPuffinus! project celebrated its conclusion in Malta with a closing conference attended by partner representatives, government officials and stakeholders. Led by BirdLife Malta, this has been the organisation’s largest LIFE project to date, uniting two government entities and five BirdLife partners from Malta, Portugal, Spain, France, and Greece to protect two of Europe’s most threatened seabirds: the Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) and the Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus).
Launched in 2020 and partially funded by the EU LIFE Programme, the project focused on two critical threats to these seabirds: bycatch at sea, where birds are accidentally caught in fishing gear, and predation at nesting colonies by invasive species such as rats. Covering 100% of the Balearic Shearwater’s range and 40% of the Yelkouan Shearwater’s range, the project combined research, mitigation, and community engagement to ensure the survival and recovery of these iconic seabirds.
In Malta, LIFE PanPuffinus! implemented the largest local effort to date aimed at studying seabird interactions with fisheries. Through data collection efforts and mitigation measure trials, the project identified practical ways to reduce accidental bycatch, work that has been replicated in Portugal, Spain, France, and Greece.
On land, invasive rat control was a key priority. In Malta, rat management at nesting colonies helped safeguard Yelkouan Shearwater nests, while in Greece, complete rat eradication at select colonies resulted in a 79% increase in nesting activity of Yelkouan Shearwaters. Biosecurity training and the development of Response Hubs in Malta, Greece and Spain has equipped local authorities and site managers with the resources and knowledge to continue protecting colonies long into the future, and be able to address threats of rat predation at key sites.
The project also placed strong emphasis on community engagement. Awareness-raising activities included media campaigns, school programs, trainings and workshops, exhibitions, public events, and policy briefings, fostering greater understanding of seabird conservation and stewardship of local wildlife.
Speaking at the closing conference, Project Manager Manya Russo said: “Species conservation can only be achieved through transboundary collaboration, and the LIFE PanPuffinus! project has united five countries to do just that. This community-led approach has brought together fishers, policymakers, government entities, and NGOs for a shared goal.”
On Malta’s contribution, she added: “This project has paved the way for continued collaboration with the fishing community to safeguard Yelkouan and Balearic Shearwaters for generations to come. Seabirds are sentinels of our seas, and the threats they face remind us of the urgent need to commit further to marine and coastal conservation.”
The event also featured an opening address by Hon. Alicia Bugeja Said, Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights, highlighting Malta’s role in leading regional efforts to conserve these threatened species. Through its combined actions, LIFE PanPuffinus! has not only contributed to the recovery of seabird colonies but also supported Malta’s obligations under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and EU reporting on seabird bycatch. The project partnership will now be setting its sights to expand the work of the project into the future, tackling the complex issue of bycatch and addressing other threats impacting local seabird colonies.
The project, formally titled “Improving the conservation status of endemic Balearic and Yelkouan shearwaters by ensuring safe land and sea” (LIFE19 NAT/MT/000982), is co-financed by the LIFE Programme of the European Union, with a total budget of €3.5 million and an EU contribution of €2.12 million (60%). In Malta the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights co-financed Malta-based actions, along with the active participation of Aquatic Resources Malta as project partners.
