In total more than 1000 people, from 100 countries, have been involved in the marine IBA programme at varying stages of the data collection, analysis and site description. We thank all contributors immensely, without these contributions the geographic extent of sites and the level of detail achieved would not have been possible. This has been a truly collaborative effort with everyone sharing the common vision to provide scientifically supported sites which can be used to improve the future conservation of seabirds around the world. With so many contributors it is likely we have missed some individuals, please accept our apologies and let us know of any omissions.

Contributors can broadly be broken down into four categories:

1. Funders
The marine IBA work of the BirdLife Secretariat and regional offices has been supported by a range of funders including: the Lenfest Ocean Program, Boston Environmental, Tilia fund, EU LIFE, Jensen Foundation, Nippon Kedendren, Nairobi Convention, IUCN, Conservation International, Global Greengrants Fund, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Canadian Wildlife Service, Wallace Research Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Darwin Initiative, International Climate Initiative and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and the World Seabird Conference. In addition many national and regional marine IBAs projects have received funding from additional sources, it has not been possible to list them here but they are thanked for their contribution.

2. BirdLife Partners and Secretariat Staff
Until recently many BirdLife Partners have lacked the capacity to engage in marine issues and IBA identification in the marine environment. Since 2007 the number of BirdLife Partner countries engaged in the programme has risen from four to over forty, we thank all Secretariat and Partner staff and volunteers who have contributed to the marine IBA process including those located at:

Africa – NatureKenya, Nature Seychelles, BirdLife South Africa (BLSA), Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST), Asity Madagascar

Americas - Aves Argentinas (AOP), Bahamas National Trust (BNT), SAVE Brasil, Bird Studies Canada, Nature Canada, Comité Nacional Pro Defensa de la Flora y Fauna (CODEFF), Aves & Conservación, SalvaNATURA, Falklands Conservation, Pronatura, Panama Audubon Society (PAS), National Audubon,

Asia - Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Burung Indonesia, Wild Bird Society of Japan (WBSJ), Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA), Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), Haribon Foundation (HF)

Europe - BirdLife Belgium (Natuurpunt - natagora), BirdLife Cyprus, Dansk Ornitologisk Forening (DOF ), Eesti Ornitoloogiaühing (EOÜ),Faroese Ornithological Society (FOS), BirdLife FINLAND, Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS), Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS), Fuglavernd – BirdLife Iceland (ISPB), BirdWatch Ireland, Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli (LIPU), Latvian Ornithological Society (LOB), Lithuanian Ornithological Society (LOD), BirdLife Malta, Netherlands Society for the Protection of Birds (VBN), Norwegian Ornithological Society (NOF), Polish Society for the Protection of Birds (OTOP), Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA), SEO/BirdLife, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Doga Dernegi (DD)

Pacific - BirdLife Australia, Te Ipukurea Society (TIS), Nature Fiji, Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie (MANU), Société Calédonienne d’Ornithologie (SCO), Royal Forest & Bird New Zealand, Palau Conservation Society (PCS), O le Si'osi'omaga Society Incorporated (OLSSI)

In addition a series of regional and national capacity building workshops have been held as follows, we thank all attendees for their contributions:

East Asia – 14-16 April 2010 - Tokyo, Japan
Don Geoff E. Tabaranza (Haribon Foundation, Partner in Philippines), Fairul Izmal Jamal Hisne (Malaysian Nature Society, Partner in Malaysia), Dwi Mulyawati (Burung Indonesia, Affiliate in Indonesia), Yat-tung YU (Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, Affiliate in Hong Kong), Than Than Aye (BANCA, Affiliate in Myanmar), Seiji Hayama (WBSJ, Partner in Japan), Yutaka Yamamoto (WBSJ, Partner in Japan), Shuihua Chen (Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, a member of Zhejiang Wild Bird Society,China), Evgeny Syroechkovskiy (Birds Russia, Russia), Yuri Artukhin (Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Institute of Geography, Russia), Akinori Takahashi (National Institute of Polar Research, Japan), Manabu Takeda (KNCF, Nippon Keidanren, Japan), Kohei Hibino (Japan Wildlife Research Center, Japan), Nobuo Kokubun (National Institute of Polar Research, Japan), Takashi Yamamoto (National Institute of Polar Research, Japan), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), Gary Langham (Audubon California), Cristi Nozawa (BirdLife Asia), Mayumi Sato (BirdLife Asia), Simba Chan (BirdLife Asia).

Mediterranean - 20-23 Oct 2009 - Valletta, Malta
Aissa Moali (Université de Béjaīa, Algeria), Ivan Budinski (Association for Biological Research, BIOM, Croatia), Kresimir Mikulic (Association for Biological Research, BIOM, Croatia), Bernard Deceuninck (LPO, France), Jacob Fric (HOS, Greece), Ivan Ramirez (BirdLife Europe), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), Jose Pedro Tavares (RSPB, UK), Ana Meirinho (SPEA, Portugal), Sébastien Renou (Conservatoire de Littoral, France), Lobna Ben Nakhla (RAC/SPA), Carles Carboneras (RAC/SPA), Yuri V. Albores-Barajas (University of Venice, Italy), Nicola Baccetti (ISPRA, Italy), Jacopo Cecere (LIPU, Italy), Abdulmaula Hamza (Environment General Authority, Libya), Jaber Yahia (Environment General Authority, Libya), Andre Raine (BirdLife Malta), Joe Attard Tabone (BirdLife Malta), Joe Sultana (BirdLife Malta), Joseph Mangion (BirdLife Malta), Mandi Bennetti (BirdLife Malta), Matthew Borg Cardona (BirdLife Malta), Nicholas Barbara (BirdLife Malta), Tolga Temuge (BirdLife Malta), Joyce Oosenbrug (Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Malta), John Borg (Heritage Malta), Maria Elena Attard (LIFE+ Focal Point, Malta), Michael Darmanin (Malta Centre for Fisheries Sciences), Raymond Caruana (Malta Centre for Fisheries Sciences), Carmen Mifsud (Malta Environment & Planning Authority, MEPA), Christopher Cousin (Malta Environment & Planning Authority, MEPA), Darrin Stevens (Malta Environment & Planning Authority, MEPA), Duncan Borg (Malta Environment & Planning Authority, MEPA), Gilbert Haber (Malta Environment & Planning Authority, MEPA), Joanna Borg (Malta Environment & Planning Authority, MEPA), Krista Farrugia (Nature Trust Malta), Alan Deidun (Physical Oceanography Institute, University of Malta), Aldo Drago (Physical Oceanography Institute, University of Malta), Josephine Deguara (Tourism and Sustainable Development Unit, OPM, Malta), Darko Saveljic (Centre for Protection and Research of Birds in Montenegro), Borut Rubinic (DOPPS, Slovenia), Pep Arcos (SEO/BirdLife, Spain), Hichem Azafzaf (Association Les Amis des Oiseaux, AOO, Tunisia), Burca Arik (Dolgadernegi, Turkey).

West Indian Ocean – 26-28 Oct 2011 - Mombasa, Kenya
Sophia l. Masuka (Chumbe Island Coral Park, Tanzania), Dixon Waruinga (Nairobi Convention), Nancy Soi (Nairobi Convention), Sebastian Jaquemet (University of Reunion), John M. Wambura (Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania), Bacar Dussem Mdallah (Groupe d'etude et de protection des oiseaux de Mayotte), Zeno Wijitten (Global Vision International), Nirmal Shah (Nature Seychelles), Aurelie Duhec (Island Conservation Society, Seychelles), Riaz Auheeruddy (Nature Seychelles), Ademola Ajagbe (BirdLife International Nairobi), Bronwyn Maree (BirdLife South Africa), Christina Moseley (BirdLife South Africa), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), Tim Reid (Percy Fitzpatrick Institute, South Africa)

North East Pacific (Barrow to Baja)– 19-21 Jan 2009 - Big Sur, California, USA
Stan Senner (Audubon Alaska), Matt Kirchhoff (Audubon Alaska), Don McIvor (Audubon Washington), Bob Sallinger (Portland Audubon & Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary), Paul Engelmeyer (Portland Audubon & Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary), Graham Chisholm (Audubon California), Gary Langham (Audubon California), Anna Weinstein (Audubon California), Andrea Jones (Audubon California), Bill Monahan (Audubon California), John Cecil (National Audubon Society), Iain Stenhouse (National Audubon Society), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), Iván Ramírez (BirdLife Europe), Peter Davidson (Bird Studies Canada), Julie Thayer (PRBO Conservation Science), Jaime Jahncke (PRBO Conservation Science), Eduardo Palacios Castro (PRONATURA), Miguel Angel Cruz (PRONATURA), Marlenne Rodríguez (Conservacíon de Islas), Scott Hatch (USGS)

Baltic - 3-7 Oct 2007 - Jurkalne, Latvia; 10-11 mar 2009, Riga, Latvia.
Heidrun Fammler (Baltic Environment Forum, BEF), Konstantin Kreiser (BirdLife International Brussells), Jim Reid (Joint Nature Conservation Committee, UK), Inga Belasova (Ministry of Environment, Latvia), Liina Vaher (Ministry of Environment, Estonia), Algirdas Klimaviius (Ministry of Environment, Lithuania), Hanna Paulomäki (HELCOM), Ian Burfield (BirdLife International Brussells), Mindaugas Dagys (Institute of Ecology of Vilnius University, Lithuania), Ivan Ramirez (SPEA, BirdLife Portugal), Pep Arcos (SEO/BirdLife Spain), Henrik Skov (DHI, Water Environment Health, Denmark), Jan Kube (Institute of Applied Ecology, Germany), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International Cambridge), Ruud Noordheim (Institute for Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment, Netherlands), Žymantas Morkvnas (Baltic Environmental Forum, Lithuania), Herman Hötker (NABU/BirdLife Germany), Jochen Bellebaum (Institute of Applied Ecology, Germany), Helen Raine (BirdLife Malta)

North East Atlantic (FAME) - 5-7 March 2012 - Santander, Spain
Amelie Boue (LPO, France), Thierry Micol (LPO, France), Bernard Deceunick (LPO, France), Phil taylor (BirdLife International), Joana Andrade (SPEA, Portugal), Iván Ramírez (BirdLife Europe), Nuno Barros (SPEA, Portugal), Nuno Oliveira (SPEA, Portugal), Jose Vingada (SPEA, Portugal), Joana Miodonsky (SPEA, Portugal), Ana Catarina (SPEA, Portugal), Steve newton (Birdwatch Ireland), Albert Cama (SEO/BirdLife, Spain), Pep Arcos (SEO/BirdLife, Spain), Gonzalo Muñoz (Spain), María Mateos (Spain), Antonio Sandoval (Spain), Elías García (Spain), Xulio Valeiras (Spain), Salva García(Spain), Andrés de la Cruz (Spain), Dilek Sahin (Doga Dernegi, Turkey).

Meso America – 24-27 Jan 2012 - Gamboa, Panama
Francisco Prieto (BirdLife South America /Aves & Conservación, Ecuador), Gustavo Jiménez (Fundación Charles Darwin, Galapagos), Miguel Cruz Nieto (Pro natura Noroeste, Mexico), Alvaro Moisés (SalvaNATURA, El Salvador), Rosabel Miro (Panama Audubon Society), Yenifer Diaz (Panama Audubon Society), George Angher (Panama Audubon Society), Darien Montañez (Panama Audubon Society), Pilar Velásquez-Jofré (Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas, CONAP, Guatemala), Felipe Estela (Wake Forest University, USA), Michel Montoya (Asociación Ornitológica de Costa Rica, AOCR), Mayllely Cabrera (Fundacion Natura, Panama), Isis Pinto (Fundacion Marviva, Panama), Efrain Castillejos Castellanos (Pro natura Noroeste, Mexico), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), Esteban Frere (BirdLife South America), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife Pacific), Nathan Walker (Audubon Alaska, USA).

3. Tracking data contributors
The project has benefited from the generous support of the wider seabird community and the provision of seabird distribution data collected from tracking devices by a wide range of individuals. This has seen the BirdLife managed seabird tracking database (www.seabirdtracking.org) double its data holding and become the primary global resource for seabird tracking data. We thank all data contributors.

Tracking Analysis Steering Committee
Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey, UK), Henri Weimerskirch (CEB CNRS, France), David Thompson (National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand), April Hedd (Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada), Matthieu Le Corre (University of Reunion), Scott Schaffer (University of Santa Cruz, USA),  Ben Sullivan (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK), John Croxall (BirdLife International Cambridge), Cleo Small (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International Cambridge), Phil Taylor(BirdLife International Cambridge), Mark Miller(BirdLife International Cambridge)

Tracking Data Contributors
Kath Walker (Albatross Research, New Zealand), Todd Landers (Auckland Council, NZ), Dave Watts, Graham Robertson (Australian Antarctic Division, Australia), David Nicholls (Bandicoot Recovery, Chisholm Institute, Australia), Rachael Alderman, Rosemary Gales (Biodiversity Monitoring Section, DPIPWE, Australia), Ivan Ramirez (BirdLife Europe, Brussles), Andre Raine, Helen Raine, John Borg (BirdLife Malta, Malta), Ross Wanless (BirdLife South Africa, South Africa), Richard A Phillips, Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey, UK), Paul Scofield (Canterbury Museum, New Zealand), Henri Weimerskirch, Jean-Baptiste Thiebolt, Karine Delord, Patrick Pinet, Vincent Bretagnolle (CEB CNRS, France), Clara Péron, David Grémillet (CEFE CNRS, France), Patrick Jodice (Clemson University, USA), Rob Ronconi, Robert Alfredo Ronconi (Dalhousie University, Canada), Dave Anderson (Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, USA), Graeme Elliott, Graeme Taylor (Department of Conservation, New Zealand), Robert Crawford (Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa), Scott Shaffer (Designated representative of Seabird Working Group, Tagging of Pacific Predators program - Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University, USA), Paulo Catry (Eco-Ethology Research Unit, ISPA-IU, Portugal), Nic Huin (Falklands Conservation, Falklands), Frank Zino (Freira Conservation Project, Portugal), Veronica Neves (IMAR-acores, Portugal), Javier Arata (Instituto Antártico Chileno - INACH, Chile), Amanda Freeman (Lincoln University, New Zealand), Martin Wikelski, Sebastien Cruz (Max Plank Institute of Ornithology, Germany), April Hedd (Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada), José Pedro Granadeiro (Museu Nacional de História Natural, Portugal), Jean-Claude Stahl, Susan Waugh (Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, New Zealand), Akinori Takahashi, Takashi Yamamoto (National Institute of Polar Research, Japan), David Thompson, Paul Sagar (National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand), Nicholas Carlisle  (Office of Environment and Heritage, Australia), Rob Suryan (Oregon State University, USA), Chris Perrins (Oxford University, UK), Peter Ryan (Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, SA), Richard Cuthbert (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK), José Manuel Arcos (SEO, Spain), Teresa Catry (Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal), Leandro Bugoni (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Brasil), Jacob Gonzalez-Solis (Universitat de Barcelona, Spain), Matt J Rayner (University of Auckland, NZ), Michelle Kappes (University of California, Sanata Cruz, USA), Lorna Deppe (University of Canterbury, NZ), Jaime A Ramos, Vitor Paiva (University of Coimbra, Portugal), Janos Henicke (University of Hamburg, Germany), Tim Guilford (University of Oxford, UK), Malcolm Nicholls (University of Reading, UK), Matthieu Le Corre (University of Reunion, Reunion), Mark Hindell (University of Tasmania, Australia), Jill Awkerman (Wake Forest University, USA), Christopher Robertson (Wild Press, New Zealand), Flavio Quintana (Wildlife Conservation Society, Argentina), Elizabeth Bell (Wildlife Management International, New Zealand), Deon Nel (WWF South Africa, South Africa), Akira Suzuki.

4. Technical Workshop contributors
The identification and delineation of marine IBAs has required the development of new databases and analysis techniques. These have been advanced through a series of technical workshops which have brought together world experts to discuss various approaches and make recommendations regarding the methods to be used for defining marine IBAs. We thank all workshop attendees.

Lisbon-villanova
Santiago Urquijo-Zamora (Nature & Biodiversity), Lincoln Fishpool (BirdLife International Cambridge), Stefan Garthe (University of Kiel), Andrew Dodd (RSPB, UK), Geoff Hilton (RSPB/SPEA), Carles Carboneras (SEO/BirdLife), Pep Arcos, (SEO/BirdLife), Kees Camphuysen (Royal NIOZ), Martin Poot (Bureau Waardenburg), Joel Bried (DOP Açores), Maria Carvalho (DOP Açores), Jaime Ramos (University of Coimbra), Antonio Luis (University of Aveiro), Manuela Nunes (ICN), Yorgos Strautoudakis (INIAP/IPIMAR), Maria Manuel Angelico (INIAP/IPIMAR), Henrik Skov (DHI, Water Environment Health), Jim Reid (JNCC), Maria Pitta (DRA Açores), Iván Ramírez (SPEA), Pedro Geraldes (SPEA), Ana Meirinho (SPEA), John Croxall (British Antarctic Survey, UK), Ben Sullivan (RSPB/BirdLife, UK), Ian Burfield (BirdLife International, NL), Octavio Infante (SEO/BirdLife), Barry Weeber (RF&B Soc./BirdLife, NZ), David Hyrenbach (Duke University, US), Daniel Oro (IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Vincent Bretagnolle (CEBC-CNRS, France), Jacob González-Solís (Univ. Barcelona), Sarah Wanless (CEH-NERC, UK), Eduardo Mínguez (Univ. Miguel Hernández), Carlota Viada (SEO/BirdLife), Jamie Skinner (IUCN-Centre Med. Cooperation), Daniel Cebrián (RAC/SPA), Plácido Hernández-Aguilar (European Commission), Philip Owen (European Commission), José L. Herranz (Ministry of Environment, Spain), Ma Jesús de Pablo (Ministry of Environment, Spain), José Álvarez (Astrale Geie – IDOM), Xulio Valeiras (IOE, Spain), Pere Abelló (ICM-CSIC, Spain), Jordi Salat (ICM-CSIC, Spain), Mar Cabeza (University of Helsinki), Juan C. Atienza (SEO/BirdLife), Juan A. Lorenzo (SEO/BirdLife), Susana Requena (SEO/BirdLife), Beneharo Rodríguez (SEO/BirdLife).

Chize tracking workshop
Ivan Ramirez (BirdLife Europe), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), Philip Taylor (BirdLife International), Ana Meirinho (SPEA, Portugal), Bernard Deceuninck (LPO, France), Maria Bogdanova (CEH), Henri Weimerskirch (CEB CNRS, France), Vincent Bretagnolle (CEB CNRS, France), Charlie Bost (CEB CNRS, France), David Pinaud (CEB CNRS, France), Karine Delord (CEB CNRS, France), Jean Baptiste Thiebolt (CEB CNRS, France), Clara Peron (CEB CNRS, France), Maite Louzao (CEB CNRS, France), David Grémillet (CEB CNRS, France), Hélène Gadenne (CEB CNRS, France), Amélie Lescroël (CEB CNRS, France), Vitor Paiva (University of Keil), Frances Taylor (Sea & Sky Project/Soft Frog), Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey), Claire Tancell (British Antarctic Survey), Annette Scheffer (British Antarctic Survey), Autumn-Lynne Harrison (University College of Santa Cruz/TOPP), Susan Waugh (Forest & Bird, New Zealand), Janos Hennicke (University of Hamburg), Patrick Pinet (Laboratoire ECOMAR-Université de la Réunion).

Coimbra habitat modelling workshop
Richard Phillips (British Antarctic Survey (BAS)), Henri Weimerskirch (Centre national de la recherche scientifique CNRS, Chize), Scott Shaffer (San Jose State University/Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP)), April Hedd (Memorial University of Newfoundland), Matthieu Le Corre (University of Reunion/ECOMAR), Ivan Ramirez (BirdLife Europe), Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), Philip Taylor (BirdLife International), Ana Meirinho (SPEA, Portugal), Mark Miller (BirdLife International), Maite Louzao (Spanish Institute of Oceanography), Autumn-Lynn Harrison (University College of Santa Cruz/TOPP), Vitor Paiva (Institute of Marine Research (IMAR/CMA), University of Coimbra), Jaime Ramos (Institute of Marine Research (IMAR/CMA), University of Coimbra), José Xavier (Institute of Marine Research (IMAR/CMA), University of Coimbra), Ramunas Zydelis (DHI Water and Environment), Leigh Torres (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)), Steffen Oppel (Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB)), Henrik Skov (DHI Water and Environment), Clara Peron (Centre national de la recherche scientifique CNRS, Chize), Karine Delord (Centre national de la recherche scientifique CNRS, Chize), Carlos Silva (SPEA), Nuno Oliveira (SPEA), Mark Bolton (Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB), Albert Cama (SEO/BirdLife).