13 June, 2025
BirdLife Malta’s LIFE PanPuffinus! Project Manager, Manya Russo, recently appeared on NET TV’s Ġimgħa b’Ġimgħa to share updates from the project. The EU-funded LIFE PanPuffinus! project is now in its final year, with conservation milestones achieved for Malta’s vulnerable seabird species.
During the interview, Manya highlighted the team’s latest work on protecting nesting sites for Yelkouan’s Shearwaters. This included research on the threat of invasive non-native species at seabird colonies, such as rats and other predators, which disturb the birds and prevent successful breeding.
She also spoke about new findings on seabird bycatch—when seabirds are accidentally caught in fishing gear. The project’s research shows that bycatch poses a real risk to shearwaters and other seabird species in Maltese waters and across the Mediterranean.
Over the years, the project has worked closely with fishers from Malta, Greece, France, Spain and Portugal to raise awareness and reduce these threats. Manya stressed the importance of continuing this cooperation and how public support plays a key role in seabird protection.
Watch Manya’s full interview here.
