Plastic Pollution Threatens Seabirds Far Out at Sea, New Research Finds
Plastic pollution poses a serious threat to seabirds far out at sea, as revealed by new research conducted by Elizabeth Pearmain and Bethany Clark. Seabirds are already facing numerous challenges, including climate change, accidental capture in fishing gear, and predation by invasive species. However, the rising presence of plastic pollution has emerged as an additional danger for these birds that breed on land and forage for food in the ocean.
One particularly vulnerable group of seabirds is the petrels, which traverse vast ocean areas and struggle to regurgitate ingested plastic. During the breeding season, they may even unintentionally feed plastic to their chicks.
The researchers tracked the movements of over 7,000 petrels of 77 different species and combined this data with maps of marine plastic pollution. Through this, they calculated an "exposure risk score" for each species, providing a detailed understanding of when and where seabirds are most likely to encounter plastic pollution at sea.
The study revealed that many species spend substantial time in areas with high concentrations of plastic, with the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, where plastic can become trapped, accounting for over half of the global plastic exposure risk for petrels. Other remote parts of the ocean, including the north-west and north-east Pacific, south Atlantic, and south-west Indian Ocean, were also found to have high exposure risks due to circulating ocean currents carrying plastic debris, such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Even species with lower exposure risk have been found to consume plastic, underscoring that oceanic plastic pollution poses a global problem for seabirds.
Plastic ingestion can lead to injury, poisoning from toxic chemicals, and starvation, as plastic fills the birds' stomachs. Exposure to microplastics, the breakdown products of plastic, can cause inflammation in their digestive systems.
The research emphasizes the need for international cooperation to tackle marine plastic pollution, as a significant amount of plastic debris accumulates in the high seas, beyond national waters. Good waste management and compliance with the existing ban on discarding any form of plastic from ships are essential to stop plastic waste from reaching the ocean.
To protect seabirds and other marine wildlife, regional and global treaties addressing plastic pollution are required, along with large-scale solutions to safeguard the inhabitants of our oceans.
