The main objectives of the survey were: (1) to obtain distribution and population information for all 25 species of seabird that regularly breed in the UK; and (2) to get baseline figures for those species that have been surveyed poorly up to now. To meet these objectives a set of count sections were set up throughout Britain and Ireland and counts were made for all species. The dataset comprises detailed counts of seabirds together with: habitat information, predator information, count units, weather conditions on the day of the count. The spatial coverage was dependent on species with colonial nesting seabirds having virtually complete coverage; whereas, other species, notably some gull species having much less coverage. For a full description of the survey methodology, see 'Seabird Populations of Britain and Ireland' (2004), Mitchell, P.I., Newton, S.F., Ratcliffe, N. and Dunn, T.E. Published by T & AD Poyser. The Seabird 2000 dataset contains some additional attributes in addition to the general NBN Gateway attributes (see NBN metadata).