Facts:

Climate change is affecting sea temperatures in a patchy, non-uniform way. Some areas in the oceans are remaining the same temperature, some have cooled down, and some have warmed up. Changes in sandeel populations that affect puffin populations in the north of Europe have been caused by both sea temperatures changes and overfishing. The UK government is considering a ban on sandeel fishing to allow the seabird population to recover.

There are no sandeel fisheries in Channel waters, therefore there is no data on population changes of local sandeels. However, puffins and other seabirds in Jersey are seen catching sandeels in the waters by the cliffs, and the closest puffin colony, in Burhou (Alderney), is faring well with a slight increase in 2023 to 180-200 pairs. The puffins of Jersey and Alderney share the same fishing waters, but Burhou, unlike the cliffs of Jersey, is free of rats and other introduced predators.

The only direct evidence of sand eels in Jersey are the several observations of large shoals at both Plemont and Greve de Lecq, and the accounts from local fishermen who tell us that ‘they have never seen so many sand eels as there are at the moment’. Additionally, a research project in 2022 produced a map of known and potential sand eel habitats around the waters of Jersey, which identified three confirmed (‘validated’) areas within a 3 mile-radius of Plemont, and one validated area in front of the present breeding range and proposed Reserve site. The whole coast between Grosnez and Greve de Lecq also was found of ‘medium’ probability of being a potential habitat for sandeels.

Facts:

Gulls and puffins have evolved to coexist in the same habitats. Gulls rarely kill adult puffins, as they have adapted to gull attacks by nesting in underground burrows. The puffin chicks do not come out during the day, and they even fledge during the night to avoid being attacked by the gulls

Rats, ferrets and other terrestrial predators introduced by humans are relatively new to many seabirds, who have no natural defences against them. This is why many seabird populations decline or even become extinct under the predation pressure of rats.

Facts:

It will not cost any public money. This project is only being funded with private donations, aimed at creating and managing the Reserve in the long-term.

Facts:

The fence would be placed below the coastal public footpath and run alongside it, between 20-40m below. The Plémont headland will not be part of the Reserve as the fence would start to the west of it. The fence would run below the gun emplacement bunker near the footpath so access to it will not be affected. Although the fence would only encompass part of coastal slopes and cliffs without any footpaths, it would have access gates for works, and members of the public with an interest in accessing the cliffs would be able to access through the gates – such as shoreline anglers and low water fishermen.

Facts:

The world’s first predator-proof fence was installed in New Zealand 22 years ago, and since then over 30 conservation projects have used this technology to protect habitats and species in coastal areas, inland, around national parks, and even public suburban areas. There is another dozen fence projects in the works in various parts of the world, with the knowledge and expertise gained over the past two decades being shared by organisations in New Zealand, Australia and the Hawaiian Islands.

Predator fences are tailored to the species they need to keep out, so the proposed fence for Jersey has been designed to prevent rats, ferrets, cats, hedgehogs and other terrestrial predators from going through it, climbing it, or burrowing under it. After it is installed and any predators caught inside the reserve are humanely removed, there will be biosecurity measures in place to monitor the fence and the reserve in the long-term, and protocols to deal with any potential re-invasions.

With the help of seabird decoys, artificial burrows, and the removal of bracken, it is believed that the puffin population will see a positive increase over the next 10-15 years, alongside many other native species.

We have every reason to believe that this project, if allowed to go ahead, will produce positive results for our puffins, other wildlife, and the people of Jersey. If however, it does not, the fence can and will be removed from the site.

Facts:

At the proposed reserve there are at least 35 species of native wildlife, including 13 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates with current Biodiversity Action plans, and 27 birds on the Red or Amber List of conservation concern. Almost all of them are under the same threat of predation by rats and ferrets, so by protecting the puffins, we will be protecting all of them at once -hence why the puffin is an ‘umbrella species’, one whose protection passes onto its whole community.

The reserve will also provide safe breeding grounds for species that have been exctinct locally such as the Guillemot, and potential new species that breed in other nearby islands, such as Storm Petrels and Manx Shearwaters.