14 April 2025, Auckland New Zealand - ‘Seabirds are the least understood and most threatened group of birds globally’. These words rang out across the auditorium when the Ocean Seabirds 2025 Symposium opened in Auckland, New Zealand today.
Speaking was Easter Chu Shing, the Deputy Director General at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), based in Apia, Samoa. Her statement directly highlighted the importance of proceedings to come over the next few days at the Ocean Seabirds 2025 Symposium.
'Our goal is to conserve seabirds and their habitats, recognising the traditions and aspirations of the peoples of the Pacific Ocean and islands," continued Ms Chu Shing.
The Symposium is a first for seabirds in Oceania. It aims to bring the attention of the international and Oceania community to the importance of seabirds within the world’s largest body of water, the Pacific Ocean.
But how can this be done? Sessions at the Symposium will connect government policy makers, seabird conservation practitioners and scientists, land managers and communities from all Pacific Island countries and territories working with seabirds. There will also be a central focus to increase our collective understanding of the value of seabirds to Pacific economies and communities including cultural values.
Conservation and scientific initiatives currently underway or planned, to the benefit of region’s seabirds, will also be highlighted. Additionally, hands-on training and networking for increasing capacity for monitoring and managing Pacific seabird populations at community and national levels will be undertaken at the Symposium.
The Oceania Seabirds 2025 Symposium: talking, listening and hands-on Conference brings together over 100 stakeholders and partners working towards seabird conservation. Held at the University of Auckland, City Campus in New Zealand is hosted from 14 – 17 April 2025.
The primary source of funding for Ocean Seabirds 2025 is the Pacific BioScapes Programme which is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). It includes 30 focused activities taking place across a diversity of ecosystems in 11 Pacific Island countries that are addressing critical issues concerning coastal and marine biodiversity, and ecosystem-based responses to climate change adaptation.
Other supporters of this symposium who have contributed funding, expertise, staff, and are supporting our workshops and field trips including SPC, World Seabird Union, Wildlife Management International Limited, the Northern New Zealand Seabird Trust, NZ Department of Conservation, Australasian Seabird Group, Auckland Council, Dive Tutukaka and the University of Auckland.
For more information, please visit the conference website at: https://oceaniaseabirds2025.com/