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Where Have All the Eiders Gone? - Food Resource Availability Assessment

Natural England

Buyer Contact Info

Buyer Name: Natural England

Buyer Address: Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street, London, UKI32, SW1P 4DF, United Kingdom

Contact Name: Dan Donald

Contact Email: daniel.donald@naturalengland.org.uk

Status
active
Procedure
open
Value
20833.0 GBP
Gross: 25000 GBP
Published
30 Oct 2025, 10:07
Deadline
04 Nov 2025, 17:00
Contract Start
n/a
Contract End
n/a
Category
services
CPV
71354500 - Marine survey services
Region
n/a
Awarded To
n/a
Official Source
Open Find a Tender

Description

At the GB scale, eider numbers have declined by c60% over the last 25 years. At an England scale, numbers have declined by c75% over 30+ years. Action to understand the causes of these declines and, if possible, to implement measures to halt or reverse the declines is urgent. Adult eiders preferentially feed on mussel, a resource which since 2012 has declined critically in Northumberland. This suggests that environmental changes leading to loss of mussel resources on this coast may have played some part in the eiders' decline. The present study is being commissioned to provide an assessment of food availability for eiders over the winter period. Eiders preferentially feed on mussels, a resource which since 2012 has declined critically in Northumberland. However, mussel beds persist in the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA, where wintering eiders occur. The study will determine the availability of mussels and alternate food sources at five sites in the region used by eiders. Intertidal rocky reef transect surveys will be conducted during the period of lowest possible tides in November or December (contingency) 2025. The period is chosen to assess the food availability to the overwintering eiders in the region. If interested, suppliers should provide: details of the methodology and approaches proposed to deliver the requirements of this project; qualifications and experience the proposed project team; a proposed timetable for the project, risk log, mitigation actions and a Gantt; and proposed project teams' experience and qualifications for operating safely in the environment and conditions required for the project.

Linked Documents

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Opportunity Context

More Information Links

External Link: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069627-2025

Link Description: Tender notice on Find a Tender

Lots

Lot 1 Status: active

Lot 1 Value: GBP 20,833

Lot 1 Value (Gross): GBP 25,000

Lot 1 Contract Start: 2025-11-07T00:00:00Z

Lot 1 Contract End: 2026-02-27T23:59:59Z

Lot 1 SME Suitable: Yes

Documents

Document Description: Request for quotation.

Document Description: Order form

Document Description: Specification.

Document Description: Commercial response form.

Document Description: Clarification to bidders questions

Document Description: Tender notice on Find a Tender

Raw Notice JSON

Expand raw payload
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    "title": "Where Have All the Eiders Gone? - Food Resource Availability Assessment",
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