Oceanic Plastic Hotspots Are a Grave Threat to Vulnerable Seabirds

Seabirds, particularly threatened species, are spending significant periods foraging for food around floating garbage patches in the ocean. This worrying discovery from a major study emphasizes the urgent need for global action against plastic Pollution.

Source: triple j/YouTube

The research, which utilized tracking data from over 7,000 birds and information on plastic pollution locations, calculated the plastic exposure risk for 77 species of petrel, a family of migratory seabirds. Shockingly, a quarter of all plastic exposure for these birds occurs beyond national jurisdictions, primarily at colossal floating garbage patches like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Team member Bethany Clark from BirdLife International explains that birds could spend anywhere from a few hours to several weeks scavenging for food at these Pollution hotspots. The duration increases during the non-breeding season when there are no chicks to feed.

Past research has shown that plastic ingestion can lead to blockages and toxicity in seabirds’ stomachs. It has been noted that petrels even regurgitate plastic debris to feed their offspring. Alarmingly, some of the most endangered species, like shearwaters and Hawaiian petrels, face high exposure to oceanic plastic.

With much plastic exposure happening beyond national jurisdictions, Clark highlights the need for international collaboration to address pollution sources. Initiatives could include stricter controls on plastic waste from fishing vessels and limiting the use of single-use plastics.

Countries are currently working under the United Nations framework to establish a legally binding treaty to curb plastic Pollution, expected to be enforced by 2025.

The study primarily focused on birds’ exposure risk without determining how much plastic different species and populations ingest. Lizzie Pearmain from the University of Cambridge suggests this is an area for future research, which could help understand whether birds are actively avoiding plastic or are more likely to consume it.

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