Journal articles on the topic 'Seabird conservation'
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WOLF, S., B. KEITT, A. AGUIRRE-MUÑOZ, B. TERSHY, E. PALACIOS, and D. CROLL. "Transboundary seabird conservation in an important North American marine ecoregion." Environmental Conservation 33, no. 4 (November 1, 2006): 294–305. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0376892906003353.
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Many seabird species of conservation concern have large geographic ranges that span political borders, forcing conservation planners to facilitate their protection in multiple countries. Seabird conservation planning within the seabird-diverse California Current System (CCS) marine ecoregion presents an important opportunity for transboundary collaborations to better protect seabirds across the USA/México border. While seabird populations in the USA are relatively well-studied and well-protected, the status of seabird populations in the Mexican region of the CCS is not well known and seabird colonies have been virtually unprotected. This study synthesizes and supplements information on breeding seabird diversity and distribution, identifies and ranks threats to seabirds and evaluates conservation capacity in the Mexican CCS to provide a framework for transboundary seabird conservation throughout the CCS ecoregion. Island-breeding seabirds in México support 43–57% of CCS breeding individuals, 59% of CCS breeding taxa and a high level of endemism. Connectivity between populations in México and the USA is high. At least 17 of the 22 extant Mexican CCS breeding seabirds are USA/México transboundary breeders or foragers, 13 of which are federally listed in the USA or México. Introduced predators and human disturbance have caused multiple seabird population extirpations in the Mexican CCS because breeding colonies lack legal protection or enforcement. However, conservation capacity in this region has increased rapidly in recent years through the establishment of new protected areas, growth of local conservation non-governmental organizations, and increase in local community support, all of which will allow for more effective use of conservation funds. Transboundary conservation coordination would better protect CCS seabirds by facilitating restoration of seabird colonies in the Mexican CCS and enabling an ecoregion-wide prioritization of seabird conservation targets to direct funding bodies to the most cost-effective investments.
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Heswall, Ariel-Micaiah, Lynn Miller, Ellery J. McNaughton, Amy L. Brunton-Martin, Kristal E. Cain, Megan R. Friesen, and Anne C. Gaskett. "Artificial light at night correlates with seabird groundings: mapping city lights near a seabird breeding hotspot." PeerJ 10 (October 18, 2022): e14237. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14237.
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Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a growing conservation concern for seabirds, which can become disoriented and grounded by lights from buildings, bridges and boats. Many fledgling seabirds, especially Procellariiformes such as petrels and shearwaters, are susceptible to light pollution. The Hauraki Gulf, a seabird hotspot located near Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Aotearoa—New Zealand’s largest urban city, with a considerable amount of light pollution and regularly documented events of seabird groundings. We aim to identify the characteristics of locations especially prone to seabird groundings. We used an online database of seabirds taken to a wildlife rescue facility by the public to map 3 years of seabird groundings and test for correlations between seabird groundings and the natural night sky brightness. We found that areas with lower amounts of natural night sky brightness and greater light pollution often had a higher number of seabirds grounded. Further, we identified important seasonal patterns and species differences in groundings. Such differences may be a by-product of species ecology, visual ecology and breeding locations, all of which may influence attraction to lights. In general, seabird groundings correlate with the brightness of the area and are species-specific. Groundings may not be indicative of human or seabird population abundance considering some areas have a lower human population with high light levels and had high amounts of seabird groundings. These findings can be applied worldwide to mitigate groundings by searching and targeting specific brightly lit anthropogenic structures. Those targeted structures and areas can then be the focus of light mitigation efforts to reduce seabird groundings. Finally, this study illustrates how a combination of community science, and a concern for seabirds grounded from light attraction, in addition to detailed animal welfare data and natural night sky brightness data can be a powerful, collaborative tool to aid global conservation efforts for highly-at-risk animals such as seabirds.
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Borrelle, Stephanie B., Philipp H. Boersch-Supan, Chris P. Gaskin, and David R. Towns. "Influences on recovery of seabirds on islands where invasive predators have been eradicated, with a focus on Procellariiformes." Oryx 52, no. 2 (December 19, 2016): 346–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0030605316000880.
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AbstractProtecting seabirds is a global conservation priority given that 29% of seabird species are threatened with extinction. One of the most acute threats to seabirds is the presence of introduced predators, which depredate seabirds at all life stages, from eggs to adults. Consequently, eradication of invasive predators has been identified as an effective and commonly used approach to seabird conservation. Seabird recovery following the eradication of predators is influenced by complex and interacting environmental and demographic factors, and there are gaps in our understanding of species-specific responses. We reflect on the recovery of seabirds on islands cleared of predators, drawing on the equilibrium theory of island biogeography, and synthesize key influences on recovery reported in the literature. We present a regionally specific case study on the recovery of seabird colonies (n = 98) in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, which is a hotspot of seabird diversity (27 species), with a long history of eradications of invasive predators. We found that on islands cleared of predators seabirds recover over time, and such islands have more diverse seabird assemblages than islands that never had predators. Recovery appears to be influenced by a suite of site- and species-specific factors. Managers may assume that given enough time following eradication of predators, seabirds will recolonize an island. Although time is a factor, proximity to source populations and human activities has a significant effect on recolonization by seabirds, as do demographic traits, colonizing ability and habitat suitability. Therefore, integrating expected site and species-specific recovery responses in the planning of eradications should help guide post-eradication management actions.
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Mínguez, Eduardo, Daniel Oro, Eduardo De Juana, and Alejandro Martínez-Abraín. "Mediterranean seabird conservation: what can we do?" Scientia Marina 67, S2 (July 30, 2003): 3–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2003.67s23.
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Suazo, Cristián G., Roberto P. Schlatter, Aldo M. Arriagada, Luis A. Cabezas, and Jaime Ojeda. "Fishermen's perceptions of interactions between seabirds and artisanal fisheries in the Chonos archipelago, Chilean Patagonia." Oryx 47, no. 2 (April 2013): 184–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0030605311001815.
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AbstractInteractions between seabirds and commercial fishing activities have been well documented but little information is available regarding the impacts of more traditional fishing practices on seabird populations. We interviewed fishermen, administered questionnaires, and made field-based observations to determine the extent to which artisanal fisheries interact with and affect seabirds in the fjords and channels of the Chonos archipelago in southern Chile. Our surveys indicated a positive perception of seabirds as useful indicators of marine productivity and in their role scavenging fish waste and discards associated with fishing operations. However, the surveys also revealed that fishermen routinely establish seasonal camps for collecting seabird eggs and adults for food or bait and introduce feral predators to seabird breeding colonies on islands. Understanding the traditional practices of fishermen is critical for the future of community-based conservation of the region's marine resources and biodiversity.
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Yorio, Pablo, Esteban Frere, Patricia Gandini, and William Conway. "Status and conservation of seabirds breeding in Argentina." Bird Conservation International 9, no. 4 (December 1999): 299–314. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270900003506.
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SummaryWe present information on the current population status of seabirds that breed along the Patagonian coast obtained between 1993 and 1995. A total of 16 species, including two penguins, one petrel, five cormorants, three gulls, three terns and two skuas, breed along the 3,400-km coast from southern Buenos Aires (38°58'S) to Tierra del Fuego (54°50'S). Breeding seabirds are not as abundant in coastal Argentina as was previously thought. Eleven of the 16 species have less than 5,000 pairs. The most abundant seabird is the Magellanic PenguinSpheniscus magellanicuswith 964,000 pairs, an order of magnitude higher than all other species. As well as Magellanic Penguins, Kelp GullsLarus dominicanus, and Imperial CormorantsPhalacrocorax atricepsare relatively abundant and have a wide distribution. Other seabirds, such as Red-legged Cormorants P.gaimardi, Olrog's GullsL. atlanticus, and Dolphin Gulls L.scoresbii, have a highly restricted distribution or nest in small colonies at a few sites in Argentina. The Patagonian coast is one of the most pristine coastal ecosystems in the world and, thus far, few seabirds are seriously threatened. However, oil pollution and commercial fisheries are having a negative impact on some seabirds and some colonies have shown recent declines. Current threats and impacts, including pollution, fisheries, human disturbance, guano harvesting, and introduction of alien species are discussed. There are currently 34 protected coastal areas, although in many cases protection measures are not adequately enforced and some areas with high seabird diversity and abundance still lack legal and effective protection. Conservation actions and requirements, including direct actions, monitoring and research are suggested.
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Groff, Dulcinea V., Kit M. Hamley, Trevor J. R. Lessard, Kayla E. Greenawalt, Moriaki Yasuhara, Paul Brickle, and Jacquelyn L. Gill. "Seabird establishment during regional cooling drove a terrestrial ecosystem shift 5000 years ago." Science Advances 6, no. 43 (October 2020): eabb2788. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abb2788.
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The coastal tussac (Poa flabellata) grasslands of the Falkland Islands are a critical seabird breeding habitat but have been drastically reduced by grazing and erosion. Meanwhile, the sensitivity of seabirds and tussac to climate change is unknown because of a lack of long-term records in the South Atlantic. Our 14,000-year multiproxy record reveals an ecosystem state shift following seabird establishment 5000 years ago, as marine-derived nutrients from guano facilitated tussac establishment, peat productivity, and increased fire. Seabird arrival coincided with regional cooling, suggesting that the Falkland Islands are a cold-climate refugium. Conservation efforts focusing on tussac restoration should include this terrestrial-marine linkage, although a warming Southern Ocean calls into question the long-term viability of the Falkland Islands as habitat for low-latitude seabirds.
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Hata, Kenji, Mari Kohri, Sayaka Morita, and Syuntaro Hiradate. "Fine-scale distribution of aboveground biomass of herbaceous vegetation and soil nutrients on an oceanic island after goat eradication are correlated with grazing damage and seabird nesting." Pacific Conservation Biology 20, no. 4 (2014): 344. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc140344.
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We tested whether vegetation recovery on an oceanic island after the eradication of feral goats is related to disturbances by goats and recovery of seabird nesting in an island. To test, we investigated relationships among the aboveground biomass of herbaceous vegetation, nutrient concentrations in the soil after goat eradication, and vegetation degradation before goat eradication and seabird nesting after the eradication. The investigation was conducted on the island of Nakoudojima, a subtropical island situated in the northwestern Pacific Ocean with consideration of fine-scale variation of topography and structure of current vegetation. The aboveground biomass of herbaceous vegetation was correlated with the presence of vegetation degradation before goat eradication but not with seabird nesting after eradication. Concentrations of carbon and nitrogen in the soil were correlated with both the presence of vegetation degradation and seabird nesting. The concentration of available phosphorus in the soil was correlated with nesting seabirds but not with vegetation degradation. The presence of nesting seabirds was correlated with differences in dominant species in the vegetation after goat eradication and with topography. Our results suggested that fine-scale heterogeneities of the aboveground biomass of herbaceous vegetation and the concentrations of nutrients in the soil after goat eradication in an island could be related to vegetation degradation and subsequent erosion of surface soil caused by goats and seabird nesting after the goat eradication.
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Le Bot, Tangi, Amélie Lescroël, and David Grémillet. "A toolkit to study seabird–fishery interactions." ICES Journal of Marine Science 75, no. 5 (April 2, 2018): 1513–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsy038.
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Abstract Seabirds and fisheries have been interacting from ancient times, sometimes with mutual benefits: Seabirds provided fishermen with visual cues of fish aggregations, and also fed upon food subsids generated by fishing activities. Yet fisheries and seabirds may also compete for the same resources, and their interactions can lead to additional seabird mortality through accidental bycatch and diminishing fishing efficiency, threatening vulnerable seabird populations. Understanding these complex relationships is essential for conservation strategies, also because it could enhance and ease discussion between stakeholders, towards a common vision for marine ecosystem management. As an aid in this process, we reviewed 510 scientific publications dedicated to seabirds–fisheries interactions, and compiled a methodological toolkit. Methods employed therein serve four main purposes: (i) Implementing distribution overlap analyses, to highlight areas of encounter between seabirds and fisheries (ii) Analysing movement and behavioural patterns using finer-scale information, to characterize interaction types (iii) Investigating individual-scale feeding ecology, to assess fisheries impacts at the scale of bird populations, and (iv) Quantifying the impacts of seabird–fishery interactions on seabird demography and population trends. This latter step allows determining thresholds and tipping points with respect to ecological sustainability. Overall, we stress that forthcoming studies should integrate those multiple approaches, in order to identify and promote best practices towards ecosystem-based fisheries management and ecologically sound marine spatial planning.
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Grecian, W. James, Matthew J. Witt, Martin J. Attrill, Stuart Bearhop, Peter H. Becker, Carsten Egevang, Robert W. Furness, et al. "Seabird diversity hotspot linked to ocean productivity in the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem." Biology Letters 12, no. 8 (August 2016): 20160024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0024.
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Upwelling regions are highly productive habitats targeted by wide-ranging marine predators and industrial fisheries. In this study, we track the migratory movements of eight seabird species from across the Atlantic; quantify overlap with the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME) and determine the habitat characteristics that drive this association. Our results indicate the CCLME is a biodiversity hotspot for migratory seabirds; all tracked species and more than 70% of individuals used this upwelling region. Relative species richness peaked in areas where sea surface temperature averaged between 15 and 20°C, and correlated positively with chlorophyll a , revealing the optimum conditions driving bottom-up trophic effects for seabirds. Marine vertebrates are not confined by international boundaries, making conservation challenging. However, by linking diversity to ocean productivity, our research reveals the significance of the CCLME for seabird populations from across the Atlantic, making it a priority for conservation action.
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SENZAKI, MASAYUKI, AKIRA TERUI, NAOKI TOMITA, FUMIO SATO, YOSHIHIRO FUKUDA, YOSHIHIRO KATAOKA, and YUTAKA WATANUKI. "Long-term declines in common breeding seabirds in Japan." Bird Conservation International 30, no. 3 (August 28, 2019): 434–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270919000352.
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SummaryGlobal seabird populations are in decline, with nearly half of all seabird species currently in an extinction crisis. Understanding long-term seabird population trends is an essential first step to inform conservation actions. In this study, we assembled historical breeding records of seabirds throughout the Japanese archipelago and quantified the long-term population trends of 10 major breeding seabird species using a hierarchical Bayesian state-space model. The model revealed that six species had increasing or no detectable trends (Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus, Leach’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa, Pelagic Cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus, Japanese Cormorant Phalacrocorax capillatus, Spectacled Guillemot Cepphus carbo, and Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata). However, decreasing trends were found not only in nationally threatened species (Common Murre Uria aalge, and Tufted Puffin Fratercula cirrhata) but also common species that are often described as abundant (Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris and Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus). These declining species have declined to 3–35% of baseline levels over the past 30 years. This study provides the first evidence of long-term declines in common and widespread seabirds in Japan.
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Yorio, Pablo, Esteban Frere, Patricia Gandini, and Adrián Schiavini. "Tourism and recreation at seabird breeding sites in Patagonia, Argentina: current concerns and future prospects." Bird Conservation International 11, no. 4 (December 2001): 231–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270901000314.
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Seabird colonies often constitute valuable tourist attractions. Different species differ in their sensitivity to human disturbance and, although birds may habituate to visitors, inappropriate intrusions at poorly managed sites may result in adverse effects on breeding individuals. The rapid growth of wildlife-based tourism and recreation in coastal Patagonia, Argentina, presents opportunities for significant economic benefits but also raises concerns about the potential effects on seabird colonies. Sixteen seabird species breed along the Patagonian coast, with Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus being one of the main tourist attractions. At least 27 sites where seabirds breed are currently visited by people either through organized tourism or for recreational purposes, 19 of which are included in coastal protected areas. The number of visitors per year varies from 50 to more than 100,000, depending on the site. Negative effects on seabird reproduction in Patagonia are through direct destruction of nests or their contents and desertion of offspring, particularly at locations where seabirds nest in association with or near to colonies of avian predators. Tourism and recreation activities are growing in extent and intensity at most coastal sectors in Patagonia. Current trends in coastal recreation activities may result in negative effects on breeding seabirds unless management guidelines are developed and enforced. Information shows that tourism in coastal Patagonia is compatible with seabird conservation if appropriately managed. Given the rapid increase in the interest in visiting seabird colonies in Patagonia, several management tools such as sanctuaries, the limitation of visitor numbers and both temporal and spatial zoning, need to be implemented in the short term.
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Zhou, Can, and Nigel Brothers. "Interaction frequency of seabirds with longline fisheries: risk factors and implications for management." ICES Journal of Marine Science 78, no. 4 (March 1, 2021): 1278–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsab014.
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Abstract Fishery bycatch poses a serious threat to seabird populations globally. Traditional haul-only post-capture observations are inadequate and inefficient to document seabird bycatch due to the substantial bycatch loss known to occur. Pre-capture observations offer an alternative by documenting seabird interactions leading up to captures. Based on the long-term large-scale dedicated field observations, this study revealed significant risk factors for the pre-capture stages of the seabird bycatch process in pelagic longline fisheries using Bayesian methods. Rough sea conditions were found to correlate with more seabirds following fishing vessels. Species identity, density effect, inter-species effect, and sea condition were found to significantly affect how frequently seabirds aggregated around a fishing vessel engage in bait-taking interactions. Intra-species competition was found to be the dominant type of density effect. Moreover, a web of inter-species interactions was identified to facilitate the bait-taking of superior competitors at the expense of inferior ones. The findings of this study are relevant to fishery managers in updating current data collection protocols to alleviate data issues caused by bycatch loss, to conservation biologists in quantifying bycatch risks for susceptible seabird populations, and in aiding the design and evaluation of bycatch mitigation measures.
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Furness, Robert W., Helen M. Wade, Alexandra M. C. Robbins, and Elizabeth A. Masden. "Assessing the sensitivity of seabird populations to adverse effects from tidal stream turbines and wave energy devices." ICES Journal of Marine Science 69, no. 8 (September 1, 2012): 1466–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fss131.
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AbstractFurness, R. W., Wade, H. M., Robbins, A. M. C., and Masden, E. A. 2012. Assessing the sensitivity of seabird populations to adverse effects from tidal stream turbines and wave energy devices. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: . Tidal turbines and wave energy devices may affect seabird populations through collision mortality, disturbance and habitat loss. Given the pressures to harness tidal and wave energy, especially in Scottish waters, there is an urgent need to assess population-level impacts on seabird species. With a lack of deployed devices to monitor in areas of importance for seabirds, our approach uses data from scientific literature on seabird ecology and conservation importance likely to influence population vulnerability to “wet renewables” in Scottish waters. At this stage however, we can only infer likely interactions with tidal and wave devices. We identify black guillemot, razorbill, European shag, common guillemot, great cormorant, divers and Atlantic puffin as the species most vulnerable to adverse effects from tidal turbines in Scottish waters. We identify divers as the species most vulnerable to adverse effects from wave energy devices in Scottish waters. Wave energy devices seem likely to represent a lesser hazard to seabirds than tidal turbines, and both forms of energy capture seem likely to represent a lower hazard to seabirds than offshore wind farms (wind-power plants). The indices developed here for Scottish seabird populations could be applied to populations elsewhere. This approach will help in identifying likely impacts of tidal and wave energy deployments on seabirds, and in optimizing deployment of resources for compulsory environmental monitoring.
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Tuck, G. N., R. A. Phillips, C. Small, R. B. Thomson, N. L. Klaer, F. Taylor, R. M. Wanless, and H. Arrizabalaga. "An assessment of seabird–fishery interactions in the Atlantic Ocean." ICES Journal of Marine Science 68, no. 8 (September 1, 2011): 1628–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsr118.
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Abstract Tuck, G. N., Phillips, R. A., Small, C., Thomson, R. B., Klaer, N. L., Taylor, F., Wanless, R. M., and Arrizabalaga, H. 2011. An assessment of seabird–fishery interactions in the Atlantic Ocean. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1628–1637. Currently, 17 of 22 albatross species are listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Incidental mortality in fisheries is by far the most widespread cause of the population declines observed for these and other closely related species. In 2006, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) requested an assessment of the threat from their fisheries to all seabirds that breed or forage within their jurisdiction. Methods were developed to assess the potential consequences of fishing for more than 60 populations of seabird. The assessment framework involved the identification of at-risk populations, overlap analyses, estimation of total bycatch, and an evaluation of the impact of the bycatch on key selected populations for which there were sufficient data on bird distribution and demography. These were the wandering and black-browed albatrosses of South Georgia and the Atlantic yellow-nosed and Tristan albatrosses of Gough Island. Summary results from the seabird assessment are presented, revealing that ICCAT longline fisheries catch substantial numbers of seabirds, with potentially significant conservation implications. If this mortality is not reduced, the numbers of breeding birds in some populations will continue to decline, threatening their long-term viability.
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HIPFNER, J. MARK, MOIRA J. F. LEMON, and MICHAEL S. RODWAY. "Introduced mammals, vegetation changes and seabird conservation on the Scott Islands, British Columbia, Canada." Bird Conservation International 20, no. 3 (March 9, 2010): 295–305. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270910000043.
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SummaryThe Scott Islands, British Columbia, Canada, support the largest aggregation of breeding seabirds in the eastern Pacific Ocean south of Alaska. However, large seabird populations were eradicated by American Mink Neovison vison and Raccoons Procyon lotor introduced to Lanz and Cox islands in the 1930s, while the ecological consequences of the introduction of European Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus to Triangle Island in the 1920s are unknown. We have seen dramatic changes in the vegetation on Triangle Island in recent decades, chiefly a decrease in Tufted Hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa cover and a concomitant increase in Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis cover. We carried out vegetation surveys at Triangle Island (1989 and 2004) and its nearest neighbour, rabbit-free Sartine Island (1987 and 2006), to test the hypothesis that rabbits have caused these changes. We found, however, that similar changes have occurred at Sartine Island as at Triangle Island over the same time period. Because these two islands support the bulk of the world's breeding population of Cassin's Auklet Ptychoramphus aleuticus, a small seabird that selects grass-covered habitat but avoids tall Salmonberry for nesting, the vegetation changes raise serious concerns for a species that has experienced dramatic population declines in recent years. Restoration of seabird nesting habitat by removing American Mink and Raccoons from Lanz and Cox islands will be vital for long-term seabird conservation in the Scott Islands.
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Bi, Rujia, Yan Jiao, Haakon Bakka, and Joan A. Browder. "Long-term climate ocean oscillations inform seabird bycatch from pelagic longline fishery." ICES Journal of Marine Science 77, no. 2 (January 14, 2020): 668–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsz255.
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Abstract Seabirds are facing increasing threats in both marine and terrestrial habitats, and many populations have experienced dramatic declines over past decades. Fisheries bycatch is the most pervasive at-sea threat and is of increasing concern in fisheries management and marine conservation. We predicted spatial and temporal heterogeneities of seabird bycatch probability in the US Atlantic pelagic longline fishery (PLL) through an interactive Barrier model based on observer data from the National Marine Fisheries Service Pelagic Observer Program. The Barrier model prevents bias caused by physical barriers such as coastlines by defining the spatial correlation function as a collection of paths between points and eliminating any paths across physical barriers. The integrated nested Laplace approximations methodology and stochastic partial differential equations approach were applied to fit the model, greatly reducing execution time. Seabird bycatch had a hotspot of high bycatch probability in the mid-Atlantic bight in most years, and the hotspot varied in presence and location yearly. The inter-annual variations in bycatch hotspot are correlated with Gulf Stream meanders. Special area and time fishing restrictions predicted by relationships with Gulf Stream positions might enable the US Atlantic PLL to avoid peak areas and periods of seabird bycatch and thereby support seabird conservation.
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SZTUKOWSKI, LISA A., and DYLAN C. KESLER. "Bait consumption by Sooty Terns: implications for island eradication programmes." Bird Conservation International 23, no. 1 (May 18, 2012): 36–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270912000172.
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SummaryRat Rattus spp. predation is widely recognised as a major threat to insular seabird populations. Rodent eradication programmes have advanced over the last two decades with purported benefits to ecosystems and seabird conservation. However, the danger of non-target poisoning to seabirds has rarely been examined, despite hundreds of insular eradication efforts. We initiated research to assess the risk of rodenticide bait to nesting Sooty Terns Sterna fuscata on Wake Atoll Complex. Placebo bait with a fluorescing dye was used in a control treatment design to track exposure and ingestion. Camera-based observations and faecal samples, post-mortem inspections and live chick observations suggested that bait exposure and consumption occurred, but that it was infrequent. Results indicated that poison bait eradication should occur outside the chick rearing phase to minimise risks to nesting seabirds. Our study also documents previously unreported environmental fluorescence, which may increase false positive results in pre-eradication assessments of bait palatability, bait uptake rates, and bait application methods that use inactive fluorescing test baits. We recommend that future conservation efforts begin with an evaluation of environmentally-based fluorescence before formal biomarker studies.
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GANDINI, PATRICIA, and ESTEBAN FRERE. "The economic cost of seabird bycatch in Argentinean longline fisheries." Bird Conservation International 22, no. 1 (September 26, 2011): 59–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270911000219.
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SummarySeabird mortality in longline fisheries is believed to be an important cause of the reductions in many seabird populations worldwide, and results in reduced fishing efficiency and economic losses for fishing companies. We estimated the economic cost of not using seabird bycatch deterrents in Argentinean longline fisheries, with the intention of encouraging adoption of mitigation measures in those fisheries. We conducted the study in the Argentine ling Genypterus blacodes and Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides fisheries from 2001 to 2006 on three fishing vessels. Data on the incidence of seabird bycatch were collected by seabird observers specially trained in seabird identification and data on the catch rates of target species, cost of bait and fish were provided by the fishing company, supervised by Federal Inspectors from the Provincial Fisheries Agency. To estimate the bait loss, we set lines both with and without the use of deterrents (streamer lines, night setting and strategic discharge of offal) in both fisheries. Seabird bycatch varies temporally and geographically, so to estimate economic losses using deterrents in each fishery, we used different bycatch rates/1000 hooks registered for different periods and fishing areas. Bycatch rates in the absence of deterrents were two birds/1000 hooks and 1.53 birds/1000 hooks for the Patagonian toothfish and ling fisheries, respectively. These rates equate to the loss of more than 1.5 and 2 million dollars over a 10 year period for each fishery. When estimations are made with lower mortality rates, economic losses declined abruptly and were in the order of hundreds of dollars/fishing trip, for the same period of time. Results show that using deterrents, long term profits for the fishing company increase at a considerably high rate (the decrease in monetary loss is an order of magnitude), and the mortality of seabirds decreases by the same proportion (CPUE of seabirds decreases from tens of thousands to a few hundred). In these fisheries, the use of mitigation measures that reduce bait loss and seabird mortality represents a win-win situation with benefits to conservation and fishing companies.
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Woehler, Eric J. "The Distribution of Seabird Biomass in the Australian Antarctic Territory: Implications for Conservation." Environmental Conservation 17, no. 3 (1990): 256–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0376892900032409.
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The minimum total breeding seabird biomass in the Australian Antarctic Territory was estimated to be 9,971.1 t, dominated by Emperor Penguins, 3,863 t (38.7%) and Adélie Penguins, 5,825 t (58.4%). The 5° sector between 75°E and 80°E, in south-east Prydz Bay, held 35% of the total AAT seabird biomass. Prydz Bay has been shown to be an area of high productivity, and the concentration of seabird biomass in this area reflects the high biomass of prey species and the availability of nesting habitat in the Vestfold Hills, a large ice-free area adjacent to Prydz Bay. Activities associated With research stations are believed to be the only factors that have impacted on breeding seabird populations to date, but minerals activities, tourism and support facilities, and a Krill fishery, are future conservation issues that will have an impact on this major concentration of seabird biomass in East Antarctica.
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Rail, Jean-François, and Richard Cotter. "Seventeenth census of seabird populations in the sanctuaries of the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 2010." Canadian Field-Naturalist 129, no. 2 (August 4, 2015): 152. http://dx.doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v129i2.1695.
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Seabirds in the 10 migratory bird sanctuaries of the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec, Canada, which were created in 1925, have been censused regularly for the last 85 years. The sanctuaries support 16 seabird species, many of which are found in significant numbers. From 2005 to 2010, some notable population changes were observed: large increases in Common Murres (Uria aalge), Razorbills (Alca torda), and two species of cormorants and continuing declines in Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica). The status of Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) and Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) is extremely precarious because of their small breeding populations. Between 2005 and 2010, seabird numbers in the sanctuaries increased 19% overall and were stable in most sanctuaries (≤ 15% change); however, notable increases were observed at Îles Sainte-Marie (60%), Baie des Loups (47%), and Île à la Brume (44%). Nonetheless, considering historical records, increased surveillance and raising of awareness of seabird conservation in local communities near the sanctuaries of Île à la Brume, Baie des Loups, and Saint-Augustin would be most beneficial.
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Duda, Matthew P., Sylvie Allen-Mahé, Christophe Barbraud, Jules M. Blais, Amaël Boudreau, Rachel Bryant, Karine Delord, et al. "Linking 19th century European settlement to the disruption of a seabird’s natural population dynamics." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, no. 51 (December 7, 2020): 32484–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2016811117.
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Recent estimates indicate that ∼70% of the world’s seabird populations have declined since the 1950s due to human activities. However, for almost all bird populations, there is insufficient long-term monitoring to understand baseline (i.e., preindustrial) conditions, which are required to distinguish natural versus anthropogenically driven changes. Here, we address this lack of long-term monitoring data with multiproxy paleolimnological approaches to examine the long-term population dynamics of a major colony of Leach’s Storm-petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous) on Grand Colombier Island in the St. Pierre and Miquelon archipelago—an overseas French territory in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. By reconstructing the last ∼5,800 y of storm-petrel dynamics, we demonstrate that this colony underwent substantial natural fluctuations until the start of the 19th century, when population cycles were disrupted, coinciding with the establishment and expansion of a European settlement. Our paleoenvironmental data, coupled with on-the-ground population surveys, indicate that the current colony is only ∼16% of the potential carrying capacity, reinforcing concerning trends of globally declining seabird populations. As seabirds are sentinel species of marine ecosystem health, such declines provide a call to action for global conservation. In response, we emphasize the need for enlarged protected areas and the rehabilitation of disturbed islands to protect ecologically critical seabird populations. Furthermore, long-term data, such as those provided by paleoecological approaches, are required to better understand shifting baselines in conservation to truly recognize current rates of ecological loss.
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LOPEZ-DARIAS, MARTA, JAVIER LUZARDO, RAFAEL MARTÍNEZ, DANIEL GONZÁLEZ, EDUARDO A. GARCÍA, and JEREMÍAS CABRERA. "Poaching vs. patrolling: effects on conservation of Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea borealis colonies." Bird Conservation International 21, no. 3 (April 11, 2011): 342–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270910000559.
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SummaryNegative effects of poaching on seabird populations are not usually evaluated quantitatively when assessing seabird colony conservation status, nor are they generally considered a major concern. We demonstrate that poaching is still intense in the Canary Islands, and has negative consequences for the conservation of seabird colonies. We quantified the effects of poaching of Cory’s Shearwater fledglings on breeding success on different islands in the Canaries, comparing colonies that suffer from intense, medium, or no poaching. Poaching reduced the breeding success of affected colonies to almost a third, potentially causing the future extinction of the colony. Only colonies with intense wardening campaigns reached high values of reproductive success, showing that government surveillance in conjunction with volunteers from different NGOs is a very effective approach in reducing poaching. A population sensitivity analysis was also conducted to provide data on the factors that most affect the performance of the model. Although population growth and mean final population size varied with increases and decreases in mortality and carrying capacity, only harvesting resulted in a probability of 100% of extinction in 20–40 years. To promote seabird conservation in regions such as the Canary Islands, a core archipelago for seabird species in the Atlantic, poaching control should be elevated by society to a level of urgency, requiring dedicated funding and mobilisation of experts and volunteers to adequately address it through education, prevention and enforcement.
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Carlberg, Rachael A., Georgios Karris, Manish Verma, and Johannes Foufopoulos. "Food versus Disturbance: Contradictory Effects of Human Activities on an Opportunistic Seabird Breeding in an Oligotrophic Marine System." Diversity 14, no. 6 (May 25, 2022): 421. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14060421.
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The islands of the Aegean Sea are areas of high biodiversity and endemism and harbor globally important seabird communities. Resident seabirds breed on offshore islands, where they often form strong nesting colonies. Breeding seabirds are important determinants of an island’s ecosystem function while also being exposed to a plethora of human activities. Understanding how anthropogenic activities impact such populations is not just essential for seabird conservation but is also critically important for the management of small insular ecosystems and the native species communities they support. We quantify the effect of human activities on the size and locations of Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) colonies from the Cyclades and Sporades archipelagos. We gathered data on variables suspected to influence seabird colonies, including physical islet characteristics, resource availability, and type and extent of human disturbance. Analyses were conducted on the local (islet) and on the regional (island cluster) levels to identify proximate and ultimate factors shaping the breeding population sizes of resident colonies. On the local level, we identify a clear negative effect of the presence of invasive rats on gull nesting density. Similarly, the presence of feral grazing mammals such as goats and rabbits has negative impacts on gull populations, an effect that appears to be primarily mediated through nest disturbance. Access to landfills and fishing vessels both had positive impacts on gull nesting density. Our results suggest approaches to managing Yellow-legged Gull populations in the Mediterranean Basin by taking into consideration the roles of introduced mammals, fishing activities, and open-air landfills on seabirds in the region.
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Strøm, H., S. Descamps, M. Ekker, P. Fauchald, and B. Moe. "Tracking the movements of North Atlantic seabirds: steps towards a better understanding of population dynamics and marine ecosystem conservation." Marine Ecology Progress Series 676 (October 14, 2021): 97–116. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13801.
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Many seabird species undergo extensive seasonal migrations, often across large marine ecosystems or between marine areas under different national jurisdictions. With the advances of electronic tracking, especially of the application of Global Location Sensors (GLS or geolocators), it is now possible to study the seasonal movements of seabirds and link breeding populations to non-breeding habitats. To take full advantage of this development for better management and conservation, and to broaden the scope of scientific questions that can be assessed, there is a need for large-scale and multi-species programmes. The SEATRACK project with partners from 10 countries is ongoing and aims to identify the year-round distribution and movements of seabirds breeding in colonies across the northern part of the North Atlantic. By 2020, 14534 loggers were deployed on 11 species, and data from 5440 retrieved loggers have been analyzed and compiled. This Theme Section assembles original research articles based on data collected as part of the SEATRACK project from 2014 to 2019. A series of 11 papers advances the knowledge within 4 research themes: (1) variation in migration strategies among individuals, populations and species; (2) linking migration strategies and winter distribution to seabird demography and population dynamics; (3) linking migration and winter distribution to contaminants in seabirds and (4) the use of GLS data in marine spatial planning. We review existing literature within SEATRACK’s 4 themes with a focus on the temperate and arctic zones of the North Atlantic to provide a framework within which to discuss the 11 contributions and provide recommendations for future research.
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Strøm, H., S. Descamps, M. Ekker, P. Fauchald, and B. Moe. "Tracking the movements of North Atlantic seabirds: steps towards a better understanding of population dynamics and marine ecosystem conservation." Marine Ecology Progress Series 676 (October 14, 2021): 97–116. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13801.
Full textAbstract:
Many seabird species undergo extensive seasonal migrations, often across large marine ecosystems or between marine areas under different national jurisdictions. With the advances of electronic tracking, especially of the application of Global Location Sensors (GLS or geolocators), it is now possible to study the seasonal movements of seabirds and link breeding populations to non-breeding habitats. To take full advantage of this development for better management and conservation, and to broaden the scope of scientific questions that can be assessed, there is a need for large-scale and multi-species programmes. The SEATRACK project with partners from 10 countries is ongoing and aims to identify the year-round distribution and movements of seabirds breeding in colonies across the northern part of the North Atlantic. By 2020, 14534 loggers were deployed on 11 species, and data from 5440 retrieved loggers have been analyzed and compiled. This Theme Section assembles original research articles based on data collected as part of the SEATRACK project from 2014 to 2019. A series of 11 papers advances the knowledge within 4 research themes: (1) variation in migration strategies among individuals, populations and species; (2) linking migration strategies and winter distribution to seabird demography and population dynamics; (3) linking migration and winter distribution to contaminants in seabirds and (4) the use of GLS data in marine spatial planning. We review existing literature within SEATRACK’s 4 themes with a focus on the temperate and arctic zones of the North Atlantic to provide a framework within which to discuss the 11 contributions and provide recommendations for future research.
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Kushlan, James A., and Melanie J. Steinkamp. "Seabird Nesting and Conservation in the Northern Bahamas." Waterbirds 30, no. 4 (December 2007): 613–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1675/1524-4695(2007)030[0613:snacit]2.0.co;2.
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Melvin, Edward F., Kimberly S. Dietrich, Robert M. Suryan, and Shannon M. Fitzgerald. "Lessons from seabird conservation in Alaskan longline fisheries." Conservation Biology 33, no. 4 (February 15, 2019): 842–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13288.
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Bertram, Douglas F. "Oil spill settlement funds directed to seabird conservation." Marine Policy 108 (October 2019): 103622. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2019.103622.
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KARRIS, GEORGIOS, IOANNIS SAVVA, ELEFTHERIOS KAKALIS, KYRIAKI BAIRAKTARIDOU, CHLOE ESPINOSA, Matthew Stephen SMITH, PETROULA BOTSIDOU, et al. "First sighting of a pelagic seabird entangled in a disposable COVID-19 facemask in the Mediterranean Sea." Mediterranean Marine Science 24, no. 1 (January 16, 2023): 50–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.31918.
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Seabirds are increasingly recognized as important bio-indicators of marine ecosystems that are useful in assessing environmental disturbance on the marine biota. Over the period 2020-22 and during the first national systematic recording of the sea waters surrounding the Republic of Cyprus, we recorded the spatio-temporal presence, abundance and behaviour of seabirds using the ESAS (European Seabirds At Sea) methodology. Here we present the observation of an accidentally entangled pelagic seabird in COVID-19 material which to the best of our knowledge is the first incident in the Mediterranean Basin. The systematic recording of entangled marine birds in personal protective equipment (PPE) used to prevent COVID-19 transmission worldwide seems to be of crucial importance for one of the most important emerging threats for the conservation of seabirds at global scale.
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Ryan, P. G., and B. P. Watkins. "Estimating seabird bycatch by fisheries and its impact on seabird populations." Animal Conservation 11, no. 4 (August 2008): 260–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-1795.2008.00198.x.
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Huettmann, F., and A. W. Diamond. "Seabird migration in the Canadian northwest Atlantic Ocean: moulting locations and movement patterns of immature birds." Canadian Journal of Zoology 78, no. 4 (April 2, 2000): 624–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z99-239.
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All seabirds in the northwest Atlantic Ocean migrate, but timing and routes are not well understood. We evaluate existing knowledge on seabird migration with data from the Programme intégré de recherches sur les oiseaux pélagiques (PIROP) data base, using observations of immature and moulting seabirds to track migration of the following species: Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), Greater Shearwater (Puffinus gravis), Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus), Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides), Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus), Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus), Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), and Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia). The distributions of immature and moulting birds show strong seasonal patterns in the northwest Atlantic, and new transition zones and clear biological borderlines for seabird distribution were found. New data on timing and location of moulting Thick-billed Murres are presented. The southern Labrador Banks and Grand Banks (Thick-billed Murre, Northern Fulmar) and southeast Newfoundland and Georges Bank (Greater Shearwater) were identified as moulting grounds. In terms of marine conservation the following areas seem to be important for part of the life cycle of the species named: western Greenland, Cape Cod, Grand Banks, Labrador Banks, southwest Newfoundland, and the Grand Manan area.
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Robertson, Graham. "The culture and practice of longline tuna fishing: implications for seabird by-catch mitigation." Bird Conservation International 8, no. 3 (September 1998): 211–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095927090000188x.
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SummaryThe development of practical approaches to seabird by-catch reduction in longline tuna fisheries is dependent upon knowledge of fishing practices and the cultural and vocational nuances of fishermen. This overview, drawn from information gathered on Japanese tuna vessels in Australian waters, describes the Japanese method of tuna longlining and lists possible reasons for the reluctance shown by tuna fishermen in the adoption of measures to reduce the incidental take of seabirds. While the focus is on Japan there are reasons to believe that tuna fishing for long periods on the high seas is a culture of its own that transcends nationalities. The acceptance of change in fishing cultures, unless imposed by economic necessity or direct government policy, is slow. The overview also makes some suggestions for future efforts to reduce seabird deaths in longline tuna fisheries.
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Harvey, C. J., T. P. Good, and S. F. Pearson. "Top–down influence of resident and overwintering Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in a model marine ecosystem." Canadian Journal of Zoology 90, no. 7 (July 2012): 903–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z2012-059.
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Conservation of predators presents challenges when predators affect prey populations that provide ecosystem services. Near Puget Sound, resident and overwintering populations of Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus (L., 1766)) have expanded in recent decades. We modeled the potential impact of Bald Eagles on marine food-web structure. Bald Eagles caused trophic cascade dynamics through mid-level predators (seabirds) to lower trophic levels (fishes, benthic invertebrates), particularly when seabirds were more abundant in eagle diets. Resident Bald Eagles affected food-web structure more than overwintering eagles, despite the latters’ greater abundance. Predator avoidance behavior by nearshore diving birds and herbivorous birds exacerbated trophic cascade effects, but only in a narrow range of species. Variability in the number of overwintering Bald Eagles, which come to the area to feed on salmon carcasses (primarily chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta (Walbaum in Artedi, 1792)), had little effect on the food web. Our results indicate that Bald Eagles are important to marine food-web structure, owing to their high consumption rates and the high consumption rates of their seabird prey, but uncertainty about eagle diets limits our full understanding of their impact. In systems where Bald Eagles affect large seabird breeding colonies, their role in food-web structure is likely greater.
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Barajas, Yuri V. Albores, Horacio de la Cueva, Cecilia Soldatini, Roberto Carmona, Víctor Ayala Pérez, Juan E. Martinez-Gómez, and Enriqueta Velarde. "Challenges and Priorities for Seabird Conservation in Northwestern Mexico." Waterbirds 43, no. 1 (May 19, 2020): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1675/063.043.0101.
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Croxall, J. P. "Seabird mortality and trawl fisheries." Animal Conservation 11, no. 4 (August 2008): 255–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-1795.2008.00196.x.
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FERNÁNDEZ, CLAUDIA E., MATÍAS PORTFLITT-TORO, DIEGO MIRANDA-URBINA, PAULA PLAZA, NICOLAS LUNA, and GUILLERMO LUNA-JORQUERA. "Breeding abundance and population trend of the Peruvian Diving-petrel Pelecanoides garnotii in Chile: Recovery of an endangered seabird?" Bird Conservation International 30, no. 3 (November 14, 2019): 423–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095927091900039x.
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SummaryAs island ecosystems are among the most critical breeding habitats for seabirds, their protection should enhance population viability for many species. The Peruvian Diving-petrel Pelecanoides garnotii breeds only in Chile and Perú, is an endangered seabird with historically large populations of over 100,000 breeding pairs, but fewer than 1,000 remained in the 1980s and it became the first endangered seabird of the Humboldt Current System. In Chile, they breed on five islands, three of which are legally protected, but only two have a management plan. Between 2010 and 2014, we evaluated the density of nests, burrow occupancy, and colony patch sizes on the islands to estimate the breeding population. The population trend was assessed by compiling historical data available in the literature and several unpublished technical reports. The current breeding population size in Chile was ∼12,500 breeding pairs (95% CI: 10,613–14,676 pairs) that is ∼34% of the breeding pairs reported for Peru (∼36,450 pairs). Choros Island, the only island with adequate protection, accounted for ∼95% of the total breeding population of the Peruvian Diving-petrel in Chile. Historical population trends showed a significant increase in breeding pairs during recent years on Choros Island. It seems that the adequate legal protection of Choros Island is leading to the recovery of Peruvian Diving-petrels, demonstrating that protection of breeding colonies remains an essential strategy for the conservation of endemic seabirds.
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Hargan, Kathryn E., H. Grant Gilchrist, Nikolas M. T. Clyde, Samuel A. Iverson, Mark R. Forbes, Linda E. Kimpe, Mark L. Mallory, Neal Michelutti, John P. Smol, and Jules M. Blais. "Multicentury perspective assessing the sustainability of the historical harvest of seaducks." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, no. 17 (April 1, 2019): 8425–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1814057116.
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Where available, census data on seabirds often do not extend beyond a few years or decades, challenging our ability to identify drivers of population change and to develop conservation policies. Here, we reconstruct long-term population dynamics of northern common eiders (Somateria mollissima borealis). We analyzed sterols together with stable nitrogen isotopes in dated pond sediment cores to show that eiders underwent broadscale population declines over the 20th century at Canadian subarctic breeding sites. Likely, a rapidly growing Greenland population, combined with relocation of Inuit to larger Arctic communities and associated increases in the availability of firearms and motors during the early to mid-20th century, generated more efficient hunting practices, which in turn reduced the number of adult eiders breeding at Canadian nesting islands. Our paleolimnological approach highlights that current and local monitoring windows for many sensitive seabird species may be inadequate for making key conservation decisions.
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Baak, Julia E., Mark L. Mallory, Christine M. Anderson, Marie Auger-Méthé, Christie A. Macdonald, Michael H. Janssen, H. Grant Gilchrist, Jennifer F. Provencher, and Sarah E. Gutowsky. "Inter-individual variation in the migratory behaviour of a generalist seabird, the herring gull (Larus smithsoniansus), from the Canadian Arctic." Animal Migration 8, no. 1 (January 1, 2021): 144–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ami-2020-0109.
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Abstract The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the globe, causing rapid transformational changes in Arctic ecosystems. As these changes increase, understanding seabird movements will be important for predicting how they respond to climate change, and thus how we plan for conservation. Moreover, as most Arctic-breeding seabirds only spend the breeding season in the Arctic, climate change may also affect them through habitat changes in their non-breeding range. We used Global Location Sensors (GLS) to provide new insights on the movement of Arctic-breeding herring gulls (Larus smithsoniansus) in North America. We tracked gulls that wintered in the Gulf of Mexico (n = 7) or the Great Lakes (n = 1), and found that migratory routes and stopover sites varied between individuals, and between southbound and northbound migration. This inter-individual variation suggests that herring gulls, as a generalist species, can make use of an array of regions during migration, but may be more susceptible to climate change impacts in their overwintering locations than during migration. However, due to our limited sample size, future, multi-year studies are recommended to better understand the impacts of climate change on this Arctic-breeding seabird.
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Bartle, J. A. "Incidental capture of seabirds in the New Zealand subantarctic squid trawl fishery, 1990." Bird Conservation International 1, no. 4 (December 1991): 351–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270900000708.
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SummaryFisheries observers recorded incidental capture of seabirds during 338 days on Soviet squid trawlers in New Zealand subantarctic shelf waters around the Snares and Auckland Islands in 1990. Seven species were recorded entangled in fishing gear, including very high numbers of breeding adult White-capped Albatrosses Diomedea cauta steadi. The actual level of White-capped Albatross mortality was estimated at 2,300 birds in 1990, and is not considered sustainable. Nearly all albatrosses were killed by collision with the netsonde monitor cable. In New Zealand waters this equipment is carried only by Soviet trawlers, and is considered obsolete. Replacement of this cable by discrete netsonde transducers on Soviet trawlers should be a global seabird conservation priority.
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Trouwborst, Arie. "Seabird Bycatch—Deathbed Conservation or a Precautionary and Holistic Approach?" Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy 11, no. 4 (May 27, 2009): 293–333. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13880290902869929.
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CROXALL, JOHN P., STUART H. M. BUTCHART, BEN LASCELLES, ALISON J. STATTERSFIELD, BEN SULLIVAN, ANDY SYMES, and PHIL TAYLOR. "Seabird conservation status, threats and priority actions: a global assessment." Bird Conservation International 22, no. 1 (February 6, 2012): 1–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270912000020.
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SummaryWe review the conservation status of, and threats to, all 346 species of seabirds, based on BirdLife International’s data and assessments for the 2010 IUCN Red List. We show that overall, seabirds are more threatened than other comparable groups of birds and that their status has deteriorated faster over recent decades. The principal current threats at sea are posed by commercial fisheries (through competition and mortality on fishing gear) and pollution, whereas on land, alien invasive predators, habitat degradation and human disturbance are the main threats. Direct exploitation remains a problem for some species both at sea and ashore. The priority actions needed involve: a) formal and effective site protection, especially for Important Bird Area (IBA) breeding sites and for marine IBA feeding and aggregation sites, as part of national, regional and global networks of Marine Protected Areas; b) removal of invasive, especially predatory, alien species (a list of priority sites is provided), as part of habitat and species recovery initiatives; and c) reduction of bycatch to negligible levels, as part of comprehensive implementation of ecosystem approaches to fisheries. The main knowledge gaps and research priorities relate to the three topics above but new work is needed on impacts of aquaculture, energy generation operations and climate change (especially effects on the distribution of prey species and rise in sea level). We summarise the relevant national and international jurisdictional responsibilities, especially in relation to endemic and globally threatened species.
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Copello, Sofía, Gabriela S. Blanco, Juan Pablo Seco Pon, Flavio Quintana, and Marco Favero. "Exporting the problem: Issues with fishing closures in seabird conservation." Marine Policy 74 (December 2016): 120–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2016.09.008.
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Sha, J. "Next step for reducing seabird bycatch." Animal Conservation 16, no. 2 (April 2013): 155–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acv.12041.
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Ogi, Haruo. "International and National Problems in Fisheries Seabird By-Catch." Journal of Disaster Research 3, no. 3 (June 1, 2008): 187–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jdr.2008.p0187.
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Large-scale international fisheries have seen many developments, including the adoption of 200-mile fishing limits by many countries, including Japan, between 1976 and 1977. On the North Pacific high seas, the use of neon flying squid and large-mesh driftnets is expanding rapidly. The many kinds and large numbers of nontargeted species caught in such driftnets, however, influenced world public opinion and the United Nations to prohibit driftnet fishing on the high seas in 1991. The investigation on the consequences of such driftnets have been often failed to be conducted in Japan, because Japan’s fisheries have been downsized. Japan’s fishing industry has not addressed this problem appropriately, even though the authorities have recommended that fishing fleets minimize by-catch. Japan has no legislation designating sea surface conservation for sealife, and fisheries by-catch have dramatically reduced the number of breeding seabirds in isolated habitats. The Japanese murrelet (Synthliboramphus wumizusume) of Miyazaki Prefecture and the common murre (Uria aalge) and the tufted puffin (Lunda cirrhata) of Hokkaido face a serious situation. The number of the spectacled guillemot (Cepphus carbo) living along Tohoku-Hokkaido coast has rapidly decreased due to by-catch fishing. Russia has legislation designating breeding places for seabirds and animals and designating surroundings as conservation areas. The Northern Territory adjoining Hokkaido thus has extremely diverse sea species. Japan has no corresponding legislation to succeed the Russian conservation legislation if Russia should return the Northern Territories to Japan.
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Trouwborst, Arie. "A Bird’s-Eye View of Arctic Governance: Reflecting on the Role of International Law in Arctic Cooperation from a Bird Conservation Perspective." Yearbook of Polar Law Online 1, no. 1 (2009): 401–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/22116427-91000021.
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Abstract This article discusses the role of international law in environmental governance in the Arctic. It does so from the perspective of bird conservation. Challenges in the latter field are introduced, including the impact of climate change on Arctic bird habitats and the incidental mortality of seabirds in Arctic fisheries. The ability of the current international legal framework in the Arctic to meet these challenges is scrutinised, and future scenarios for its enhancement are explored, including the conclusion of (a) new legally binding agreement(s). Five species receive particular attention as part of this exercise: gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea), spoon-billed sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus), Kittlitz’s murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) and Brünnich’s guillemot (Uria lomvia). Special attention is also devoted to the issue of seabird bycatch.
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Young, Bruce E. Young, and James R. Zook. "Observation frequency and seasonality of marine birds off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica." Revista de Biología Tropical 64, no. 1 (March 2, 2016): 235. http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v64i1.23453.
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<p>Although the Eastern Tropical Pacific is well known for its diverse fauna, the seabirds occurring off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast have received little scientific attention. With seabirds now the fastest declining avian group, a better understanding of seabird diversity and abundance in this region is urgently needed. We report on observations of Costa Rica’s Pacific seabirds made during 19 days of observations on 11 offshore trips from 2006-2010. We provide, for the first time, spatially and seasonally explicit information on the distribution of 41 species of seabirds (nine families). Species diversity is higher during the dry-wet season (36 species) and wet-dry season transitions (36 species) than during the dry season (19 species). The fauna included three threatened species (<em>Pterodroma phaeopygia</em>, <em>Procellaria parkinsoni</em>, and <em>Puffinus creatopus</em>) and two near-threatened species (<em>Psueudobulweria rostrata</em> and <em>Thalasseus elegans</em>), highlighting the importance of Costa Rican waters for the conservation of seabirds.</p><div> </div>
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Méndez Sánchez, Federico, Yuliana Bedolla Guzmán, Evaristo Rojas Mayoral, Alfonso Aguirre-Muñoz, Patricia Koleff, Alejandro Aguilar Vargas, Fernando Álvarez Santana, et al. "Population trends of seabirds in Mexican Islands at the California Current System." PLOS ONE 17, no. 10 (October 7, 2022): e0258632. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258632.
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The Baja California Pacific Islands (BCPI) is a seabird hotspot in the southern California Current System supporting 129 seabird breeding populations of 23 species and over one million birds annually. These islands had a history of environmental degradation because of invasive alien species, human disturbance, and contaminants that caused the extirpation of 27 seabird populations. Most of the invasive mammals have been eradicated and colonies have been restored with social attraction techniques. We have recorded the number of breeding pairs annually for most of the colonies since 2008. To assess population trends, we analyzed these data and show results for 19 seabird species on ten island groups. The maximum number of breeding pairs for each nesting season was used to estimate the population growth rate (λ) for each species at every island colony. We performed a moving block bootstrap analysis to assess whether seabird breeding populations are increasing or decreasing. San Benito, Natividad, and San Jerónimo are the top three islands in terms of abundance of breeding pairs. The most widespread species is Cassin’s Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) with 14 colonies. Thirty-one populations of 14 species are significantly increasing while eleven populations of seven species are decreasing. We did not find statistical significance for 19 populations, however, 15 have λ>1 which suggest they are growing. Twelve of the 18 species for which we estimated a regional population trend are significantly increasing, including seven surface-nesting species: Brandt’s Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus), Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia), Double-crested Cormorant (P. auritus), Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans), Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) and Western Gull (Larus occidentalis), and five burrow-nesting species: Ainley’s (Hydrobates cheimomnestes), Ashy (H. homochroa) and Townsend’s (H. socorroensis) Storm-Petrels, and Craveri’s (Synthliboramphus craveri) and Guadalupe (S. hypoleucus) Murrelets. The BCPI support between 400,000 and 1.4 million breeding individuals annually. Our results suggest that these islands support healthy and growing populations of seabirds that have shown to be resilient to extreme environmental conditions such as the “Blob”, and that such resilience has been strengthen from conservation and restoration actions such as the eradication of invasive mammals, social attraction techniques and island biosecurity.
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Ingenloff, Kate. "Biologically informed ecological niche models for an example pelagic, highly mobile species." European Journal of Ecology 3, no. 1 (March 28, 2017): 55–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/eje-2017-0006.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractBackground: Although pelagic seabirds are broadly recognised as indicators of the health of marine systems, numerous gaps exist in knowledge of their at-sea distributions at the species level. These gaps have profound negative impacts on the robustness of marine conservation policies. Correlative modelling techniques have provided some information, but few studies have explored model development for non-breeding pelagic seabirds. Here, I present a first phase in developing robust niche models for highly mobile species as a baseline for further development. Methodology: Using observational data from a 12-year time period, 217 unique model parameterisations across three correlative modelling algorithms (boosted regression trees, Maxent and minimum volume ellipsoids) were tested in a time-averaged approach for their ability to recreate the at-sea distribution of non-breeding Wandering Albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) to provide a baseline for further development. Principle Findings/Results: Overall, minimum volume ellipsoids outperformed both boosted regression trees and Maxent. However, whilst the latter two algorithms generally overfit the data, minimum volume ellipsoids tended to underfit the data. Conclusions: The results of this exercise suggest a necessary evolution in how correlative modelling for highly mobile species such as pelagic seabirds should be approached. These insights are crucial for understanding seabird-environment interactions at macroscales, which can facilitate the ability to address population declines and inform effective marine conservation policy in the wake of rapid global change.
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Harris, Jane, Marcus Haward, Julia Jabour, and Eric J. Woehler. "A new approach to selecting Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean." Antarctic Science 19, no. 2 (May 22, 2007): 189–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102007000260.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractConservation of the high seas marine environment poses a significant challenge to policy-makers and managers. Marine conservation efforts are often hindered by the lack of data and the difficulties in addressing multiple, and typically conflicting uses. The majority of extant Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are in coastal or tropical regions within national jurisdiction. Conservation of high seas MPAs has emerged on the international agenda as a critical issue requiring the application of novel approaches, international cooperation and political will. Knowledge and understanding of the marine environment and data on marine biodiversity are all typically limited for the high seas, and the use of surrogates to assist in the identification of areas of high conservation value is one possible mechanism to address and potentially overcome these limitations. Drawing upon a database spanning more than 20 years and containing approximately 140 000 records of seabird sightings at sea, this study assesses the potential use of seabirds as surrogates for marine biodiversity in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean. At-sea ranges, species diversity and the distributions of endangered species may be appropriate selectors or filters to identify areas with high conservation values. Integrating policy with science provides an appropriate mechanism to identify and prioritise MPAs in the Southern Ocean.