Plastic connectivity: disentangling the problem of plastic pollution for pelagic seabirds

Plastic pollution is global and conspicuous threat to marine life, but little is known about its impacts. This project evaluates the risk of plastic encounter for seabirds, using an extensive tracking dataset and models of marine plastic distribution. We focus on petrels; an ocean-going group of seabirds containing some of our most threatened and least known species, many with feeding habitats that may put them at a particular risk of ingesting plastic debris. We will communicate results to relevant authorities, NGOs, corporates and the public, providing a robust, evidence-based assessment of the scale of the plastics problem for seabirds.

Project Aims

The first aim is to evaluate the risk of marine plastic encounter for different petrel species and identify the areas where risk is greatest. The second aim is to use the results to inform relevant authorities, businesses, partner organisations and the general public about the scale of the problem of plastic pollution for seabirds, in order to support actions and policies to promote their conservation. Many species rely on large ocean areas to forage, including areas where plastics accumulate, so we will use petrels as flagship species highlighting the importance of conserving the open ocean, including the high seas.

Key Activities

• Collate tracking data for petrels (all species except giant petrels) using the Seabird Tracking Database hosted by Birdlife International and by approaching data owners.
• Model seabird distributions to produce maps that match models of plastic density.
• Analyse the spatial overlap between petrels and plastics to assess the risk of plastics encounter.
• Assess connectivity between Economic Exclusive Zones and the high seas, and identify the states holding seabird populations that are at high risk.
• Identify the most relevant global and regional policy fora and advocacy opportunities.
• Communicate the results to the relevant audiences.

Conservation Impact

The results will be used to:

1) promote the collaboration between countries for the conservation and governance of marine areas, particularly of the high seas, and

2) promote international corporate best-practice with regards to their plastic products, such as implementing suitable Extended Producer Responsibility schemes. The plastic pollution problem cannot be solved in isolation by single countries or companies, given the dynamic nature of the oceans and the multitude of sources. Using threatened seabirds as flagships, our project aims to effect evidence-based change in policies, practices and human behaviour.

Outputs

• List of petrel species and maps of areas with a higher risk of encountering plastic at the ocean surface
• Publication in a scientific journal describing the analyses and key results
• Press release about the research and its implications for policy and corporate practice
• Produce policy briefs for communication and advocacy efforts to target relevant authorities and fora (e.g. Convention on Biological Diversity – CBD).
• Targeted communications for key non-policy audiences, including the public and particularly focused on multinational companies. This could include press releases, blogs, social media and infographics to extend the reach of these communications.