The arctic skua is a kleptoparasitic seabird that has declined severely in Shetland. Sandeel prey collapse and reduced host seabird productivity have devastated this species.
Arctic skua welfare is at crisis point through prey-web collapse. Their kleptoparasitism means they depend on the productivity of other seabirds rather than directly foraging. When sandeel scarcity causes terns and other seabirds to return from sea with little food, arctic skuas receive nothing from their theft attempts and fail to provision chicks. The resulting chick starvation represents welfare harm at a population level. Restoring sandeel abundance through fishing restrictions is the only effective welfare intervention at scale.