The National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible for the conservation of natural habitats and species and the protection of biological diversity in Ireland.

Ireland is obliged to classify the most suitable territories in number and size as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for the conservation of regularly occurring migratory birds and those listed on Annex I to Directive 2009/147/EC. To date, terrestrial, freshwater and intertidal habitats constitute the majority of the habitats within Ireland’s SPA Network. Focus has now shifted to the marine environment to assess and identify further marine areas to go forward for classification as SPAs. Furthermore, effective conservation management of such areas requires a sufficient level of contemporary data on the on the focal bird populations as well as understanding the pressures and threats likely to be of most relevant to such populations.

The islands and marine waters of Slyne Head to Ardmore Point Islands SPA as well as other areas within the wider Connemara Islands region hold important habitats for a range of breeding tern species. The last comprehensive breeding tern survey of this region was conducted in 2016 and prior to that in 2010.

NPWS are seeking a suitably qualified and experienced team of two persons to build on the 2016 survey work by resurveying the region and to undertake contemporary assessments of its breeding seabird populations and their habitats.
Working to a nominated officer in the Science Advisory and Research Directorate of NPWS and in consultation with relevant members of Regional Management the following tasks are required:

By way of a survey over two complete visits provide a robust estimate of the breeding population of all relevant tern species i.e. Sandwich, Little, Arctic and Common terns centered on the islands of the Connemara Region.