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Seabirds are vulnerable to bycatch in longline fisheries but for most species the impacts are largely unknown. To address this knowledge gap, studies can estimate bycatch directly using observations or calculate the theoretical risk of bycatch using overlap indexes. Here we quantify the scale and risk of bycatch of northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) in the Norwegian offshore longline fishery using a ten-year time series of bycatch observations from a reference fleet programme, and large-scale datasets of fishing activity and northern fulmar distribution. We estimated an average of 0.01 (95 % CI: 0.008–0.03) northern fulmars bycaught per 1000 hooks, which results in a highly varying estimated annual bycatch of between 51 and 16242 (95 % CI) northern fulmars per year, with the largest hotspot in the Norwegian Sea during June-August. We compared these estimates with overlap indexes calculated for northern fulmars and the same fishing activity. This pinpointed the highest risk of bycatch within the breeding season, where fishing activity increased in the waters around the largest cluster of breeding colonies in the northeast Atlantic. Strong correlations between estimated bycatch and calculated overlap indexes validate overlap indexes as an indirect evaluation of risk and strengthen evidence for management decisions based on the spatial and temporal trends identified in our analyses.

The research station at Prince Leopold Island (PLI), initiated in 1975, was the first seabird monitoring site created in the Canadian Arctic. The island supports 150 000 breeding pairs of seabirds, principally thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia Linnaeus 1758), black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla Linnaeus 1758) and northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis Linnaeus 1761), along with ∼70 pairs of glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus Gunnerus 1767) and several thousand black guillemots (Cepphus grylle Linnaeus 1758). Baseline observations of seabird breeding biology were made during 1975–1977. Subsequent monitoring has taken place in 22 of the 47 seasons, with work during 2001–2003 replicating the original baseline studies. Population trends of breeding seabirds have shown kittiwakes (sharply) and murres (gradually) increasing, while gulls (definitely) and fulmars (likely) have declined. The most striking scientific findings from PLI were related to the effect of annual ice break-up on seabird phenology, clutch size, and reproductive success. For contaminant research, PLI has become one of the core monitoring sites in Canada and internationally, documenting dramatic changes in concentrations of various contaminants in the Arctic marine environment. Given the international impact of research and monitoring at PLI for almost five decades, the continuation of seabird research at PLI, the most important seabird colony in the Canadian Arctic, is essential.

Abstract Global fisheries kill millions of seabirds annually through bycatch, but little is known about population‐level impacts, particularly in species that form metapopulations. U.S. North Pacific groundfish fisheries catch thousands of Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis rodgersii) each year, making fulmars the most frequently caught seabird in federally managed U.S. fisheries. Here, we used genetic stock identification to assign 1,536 fulmars sampled as bycatch to one of four Alaska breeding colonies and quantified the similarity of bycatch locations at sea among colonies. We found disproportionately high bycatch from the Pribilof Islands (6% of metapopulation, 23% of bycatch), and disproportionately low bycatch from Chagulak Island (34% of metapopulation, 14% of bycatch). Overlap between fisheries and colony‐specific foraging areas diverge more during the summer breeding season, leading to greater differences in bycatch susceptibility. Contemporary and historical gene flow likely contributes to low genetic differentiation among colonies (FST = 0.003–0.01), yet these values may not represent present connectivity. Our findings illustrate how genetic stock identification can link at‐sea threats to colonies and inform management to reduce bycatch from impacted colonies.

Plastic pollution is omnipresent in the marine environment, including much of the Arctic. Northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) are particularly vulnerable to ingesting plastics floating on the water's surface, and are an international biomonitor of this contaminant. We sampled plastic ≥1 mm in size from the stomachs of fulmars collected by Inuit hunters in Arctic Canada, as well as beached fulmars from Sable Island, Nova Scotia. The frequency of occurrence (FO) of plastic in Arctic fulmars was 62 % (100 % in Nova Scotia), and mean mass of ingested plastic was 0.027 g, with just two birds from the Arctic (3.4 %) exceeding 0.1 g while all the birds from Sable Island (n = 3) exceeded 0.1 g. This FO was lower than data from previous collections in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Additional monitoring is required to determine whether this reduced FO represents a single year anomaly, or the start of a declining trend., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Global fisheries kill millions of seabirds annually through bycatch, but little is known about population‐level impacts, particularly in species that form metapopulations. U.S. North Pacific groundfish fisheries catch thousands of Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis rodgersii) each year, making fulmars the most frequently caught seabird in federally managed U.S. fisheries. Here, we used genetic stock identification to assign 1,536 fulmars sampled as bycatch to one of four Alaska breeding colonies and quantified the similarity of bycatch locations at sea among colonies. We found disproportionately high bycatch from the Pribilof Islands (6% of metapopulation, 23% of bycatch), and disproportionately low bycatch from Chagulak Island (34% of metapopulation, 14% of bycatch). Overlap between fisheries and colony‐specific foraging areas diverge more during the summer breeding season, leading to greater differences in bycatch susceptibility. Contemporary and historical gene flow likely contributes to low genetic differentiation among colonies (FST = 0.003–0.01), yet these values may not represent present connectivity. Our findings illustrate how genetic stock identification can link at‐sea threats to colonies and inform management to reduce bycatch from impacted colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine birds are frequently found dead on beaches, either from natural or from anthropogenic causes. Complete necropsies of those carcasses can provide valuable information, particularly for pelagic species, such as Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and shearwaters, which come to land only to breed and for which information on diseases that may affect them is, therefore, sparse. Between 2000 and 2012, 315 carcasses of four species of Procellariiformes (173 Northern Fulmars, 89 Great Shearwaters [Ardenna gravis], 50 Sooty Shearwaters [Ardenna grisea], and three Cory's Shearwaters [Calonectris diomedea]) were collected on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, an isolated island near the edge of the continental shelf. A complete necropsy, including examination for the presence of ingested plastic, was performed on all carcasses. Most (70%) of these birds were immature. The cause of death was undetermined in 22% (n=70) of the birds: 36% (62/173) of the Northern Fulmars, 4% (4/89) of the Great Shearwaters, 6% (3/50) of the Sooty Shearwaters, and 33% (1/3) of the Cory's Shearwaters. Emaciation was considered the primary cause of death in 91% of the remaining 245 birds: 87% (97/111) of the Northern Fulmars, 92% (78/85) of the Great Shearwaters, 100% (47/47) of the Sooty Shearwaters, and 100% (2/2) of the Cory's Shearwaters. Notable primary causes of death other than emaciation included mycobacteriosis and neoplasia in Northern Fulmars and transmural parasitic proventriculitis in Great Shearwaters. For Northern Fulmars, nutritional condition (as determined semiquantitatively) was compared with other parameters. Birds in good nutritional condition had heavier body mass and flight muscle mass than those in poor nutritional condition (P<0.01). More adults were in poor nutritional condition than expected by chance (91%; χ2=8.23, P<0.01), whereas only 57% of immature birds were in poor condition. There was no relationship between nutritional condition and sex or mass of ingested plastic. Our study provides information on some previously unsuspected health threats in Procellariiformes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seabirds ingest contaminants linked to their prey's tissues, but also adsorbed to ingested plastic debris. To explore relationships between ingested plastics and trace elements concentrations, we analyzed 25 essential non-essential trace elements in liver tissue in relation to plastic content in the gastrointestinal tract in adults of four species of Arctic seabirds with different propensity to ingest plastic. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) provided a clear separation between species based on element concentrations, but not among individuals with and without plastics. Molybdenum, copper, vanadium, and zinc were strong drivers of the LDA, separating northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from other species (60.4 % of explained between-group variance). Selenium, vanadium, zinc, and mercury were drivers separating black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) from the other species (19.3 % of explained between-group variance). This study suggests that ingestion of plastic particles has little influence on the burden of essential and non-essential trace elements in Arctic seabird species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing demography of fisheries bycatch is essential to understanding impacts on populations of long‐lived, low‐fecundity species. Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis rogersii) represent >50% of seabird bycatch in U.S. groundfish and halibut fisheries in the North Pacific. Using specimens collected by federal observer programs, we document the sex, age class, and body condition of 1,089 fulmars collected between 2004 and 2014. Using regional fulmar breeding phenology, we assess seasonal variation in the relative composition of a given sex or age class. Strong biases in bycatch toward adults and males were documented, with a slight increase in the proportion of males to females during the non‐breeding period. High proportions of adults were observed year‐round. Sex and age biases could be related to behavioral differences, including potential segregation at sea, and reflect similar biases seen in seabird bycatch in other subpolar fisheries. Overall body condition increased as the year progressed from breeding to non‐breeding seasons, possibly revealing the costs of reproduction on adults and recovery through the availability of fisheries offal and bait. Year‐round, only 3% of examined fulmars were emaciated. Together, these results indicate a persistent removal of adult male fulmars in good body condition across a decade, and highlight the contrast of fisheries‐caused mortality and potential assistance of fishery discards to post‐breeding recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 2014 and 2017, widespread seabird mortality events were documented annually in the Bering and Chukchi seas, concurrent with dramatic reductions of sea ice, warmer than average ocean temperatures, and rapid shifts in marine ecosystems. Among other changes in the marine environment, harmful algal blooms (HABs) that produce the neurotoxins saxitoxin (STX) and domoic acid (DA) have been identified as a growing concern in this region. Although STX and DA have been documented in Alaska (US) for decades, current projections suggest that the incidence of HABs is likely to increase with climate warming and may pose a threat to marine birds and other wildlife. In 2017, a multispecies die-off consisting of primarily Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) occurred in the Bering and Chukchi seas. To evaluate whether algal toxins may have contributed to bird mortality, we tested carcasses collected from multiple locations in western and northern Alaska for STX and DA. We did not detect DA in any samples, but STX was present in 60% of all individuals tested and in 88% of Northern Fulmars. Toxin concentrations in Northern Fulmars were within the range of those reported from other STX-induced bird die-offs, suggesting that STX may have contributed to mortalities. However, direct neurotoxic action by STX could not be confirmed and starvation appeared to be the proximate cause of death among birds examined in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly migratory species pose unique conservation and management challenges, especially when significant mortality occurs away from breeding concentrations. Population genetics and genomics may help with the appropriate management of these species by (1) determining the population genetic structure of a species across its range, and (2) allowing the assignment of individuals to their breeding source. The northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis; Procellariiformes: Procellariidae) is a seabird species that breeds in colonies throughout the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This species ranges widely across ocean basins during the non-breeding season and is exposed to a variety of threats throughout the annual cycle. The impact of mortality during the nonbreeding season on individual breeding colonies is unknown but has important ramifications for conservation and management. In this study we used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to provide 6614 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to investigate population genetic structure of northern fulmars using 127 individuals from six breeding colonies spanning the Atlantic. Additionally, birds of unknown breeding origin were sampled from two locations: (1) offshore in the Labrador Sea, and (2) the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait region (NAFO subarea 0), as bycatch in gillnets set for Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). We found weak genetic differentiation among breeding colonies, which we suggest reflects historical associations as well as contemporary gene flow among populations. Most bycatch birds were likely from nearby breeding colonies in the eastern Canadian Arctic, but the exact breeding origins were difficult to determine due to the lack of differentiation between colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the hypothesis that seabird distribution, abundance and diets differ among the eastern and central Aleutian Islands in response to distinct marine environments and energy pathways in each region. Research cruises were conducted in June 2001 and May-June 2002. We determined the distribution, abundance, diet and prey consumption of seabirds, and related these to zooplankton abundance and water masses that possess different physical properties. We found that distribution, abundance and diets of seabirds could be partitioned into two regions that correspond to marine environments determined by the extent of the Alaska Coastal Current along the eastern and central Aleutian Islands. Short-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris) were the most abundant seabird in the coastal waters of the eastern Aleutian Islands, and northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) were the most abundant seabird in the oceanic waters of the central Aleutian Islands. Seabird communities in the central and eastern Aleutian Islands were likely associated with different food webs. In the central Aleutian Islands, short-tailed shearwaters and northern fulmars consumed shelf-break species of euphausiids (Thyssanoesa longipes) and oceanic copepods (Neocalanus cristatus), respectively; in the eastern Aleutian Islands, both short-tailed shearwaters and northern fulmars consumed shelf species of euphausiids (T. inermis). Carbon transport to seabirds was highest in Unimak and Akutan Passes where shearwaters removed large quantities of shelf euphausiids, followed by Samalga and Seguam Passes where northern fulmars removed large amounts of oceanic copepods. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Strong tidal currents crossing over the abrupt topography of the Aleutian Passes result in regions with high horizontal property gradients. These frontal regions vary with the tidal cycle and form the boundary between vertically mixed and stratified regions. Concentrations of seabirds were associated with convergence zones in the mixed water (MW) and with the front between North Pacific (NP) water and MW. Species that were foraging by picking at prey from the surface were associated with surface convergences that appeared to be associated with Langmuir circulation cells or tidal features (all fulmar aggregations) in the central passes (Samalga, Seguam). In contrast, sub-surface foraging puffins and small alcids were mostly observed in areas of turbulent, well-mixed water near the shallow regions of the passes. Short-tailed shearwater flocks that were plunge-diving for prey were associated with the front between the NP water and MW in the passes. On our transects, we observed no significant aggregations of seabirds associated with Bering Sea water or NP water away from the frontal zones. The interaction of strong currents with bathymetric features results in zones of vertical advection, mixing, and surface convergences that make island passes attractive foraging regions for seabirds. Deep passes lacking these features, such as many of the passes in the western Aleutian Archipelago, are not as likely to facilitate trophic transfer to top predators as shallow passes, such as those found in the eastern Aleutian Islands. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Abstract—The helminth fauna of the northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) from the Barents Sea is described. In total 14 species of helminths (two trematodes, four cestodes, seven nematodes, and one acanthocephalan) have been found, with the cestode Tetrabothrius minor and the nematode Stegophorus stellaepolaris being the only mass parasites. The helminths fauna of fulmars in coastal areas shows significant qualitative differences: it is comprised of digeneans and an acanthocephalan absent from offshore birds. In addition, it exhibits higher species diversity of cestodes and nematodes. The intensity of invasion (II) by the cestode T. minor is the determining factor of the parasitic burden that affects the physiological state of the birds. In birds with high values of this parameter, the number of blood eosinophiles and basophiles is decreased, but on the contrary, that of neutrophiles is increased. A correlation between an increased II of birds by cestodes and growing values of the hematological index H/L (the ratio of heterophiles to lymphocytes) is revealed. This indicator can be important for in vivo diagnosis of seabird invasions by tapeworms. An analysis of the invasion of fulmars in various regions shows that their helminth fauna has almost all the necessary properties for their use as an indicator of the state of and possible changes in the pelagic ecosystems of the Barents Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the North Pacific, northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) forms extensive colonies in few locales, which may lead to limited gene flow and locale-specific population threats. In the Atlantic, there are thousands of colonies of varying sizes and in Europe the species is considered threatened. Prior screens and classical microsatellite development in fulmar failed to provide a suite of markers adequate for population genetics studies. Objectives: The objective of this study was to isolate a suite of polymorphic microsatellite loci with sufficient variability to quantify levels of gene flow, population affinity, and identify familial relationships in fulmar. We also performed a cross-species screening of these markers in eight other species. Methods: We used shotgun sequencing to isolate 26 novel microsatellite markers in fulmar to screen for variability using individuals from two distinct regions: the Pacific (Chagulak Island, Alaska) and the Atlantic (Hafnarey Island, Iceland). Results: Polymorphism was present in 24 loci in Chagulak and 23 in Hafnarey, while one locus failed to amplify in either colony. Polymorphic loci exhibited moderate levels of genetic diversity and this suite of loci uncovered genetic structuring between the regions. Among the other species screened, polymorphism was present in one to seven loci. Conclusion: The loci yielded sufficient variability for use in population studies and estimation of familial relationships; as few as five loci provide resolution to determine individual identity. These markers will allow further insight into the global population dynamics and phylogeography of fulmars. We also demonstrated some markers are transferable to other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Substituted diphenylamine antioxidants (SDPAs) and benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BZT-UVs) are contaminants of emerging environmental concern. However, little is known about the occurrence of these contaminants in the Arctic. In this study, we investigated the levels of 11 SDPAs and 6 BZT-UVs in livers and eggs of two seabird species, the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), as well as the liver of ringed seals (Pusa hispida) from Canadian high- and sub-Arctic sites. The concentrations of ΣSDPAs in seabird livers (median 336 pg g−1, wet weight (ww)) were significantly higher than the eggs (median 24 pg g−1, ww) and the seal livers (median 38 pg g−1, ww), suggesting liver was a primary tissue of SDPA accumulation in seabirds and that seabirds were at greater risk of exposure to SDPAs than marine mammals in the Arctic. The predominant SDPA was monostyryl octyl-diphenylamine and this compound was detected in every seabird and seal sample, indicating the widespread distribution of this contaminant in Arctic food webs. Unlike SDPAs, the detection rate and concentrations of BZT-UVs in seals were higher than in seabirds. The compound 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenol (UV329) or its isomer 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-(tert-butyl)-6-(sec-butyl) phenol (UV350) was the predominant BZT-UVs in seals, with the concentrations of ΣBZT-UVs between

Fisheries waste is used by many seabirds as a supplementary source of food, 1 but interacting with fishing vessels to obtain this resource puts birds at risk of entanglement in fishing gear and mortality. 2 As a result, bycatch is one of the leading contributors to seabird decline worldwide, 3 and this risk may increase over time as birds increasingly associate fishing vessels with food. Light-level geolocators mounted on seabirds can detect light emitted from vessels at night year-round. 4 We used a 16-year time series of geolocator data from 296 northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) breeding at temperate and arctic colonies to investigate trends of nocturnal vessel interactions in this scavenging pelagic seabird. Vessel attendance has progressively increased over the study period despite no corresponding increase in the number of vessels or availability of discards over the same time frame. Fulmars are highly mobile generalist surface feeders, 5 so this may signal a reduction in available prey biomass in the upper water column, leading to increased reliance on anthropogenic food subsidies 6 and increased risk of bycatch mortality in already threatened seabird populations. Individuals were consistent in the extent to which they interacted with vessels, as shown in other species, 7 suggesting that population-level increases may be due to a higher proportion of fulmars following vessels rather than changes at an individual level. Higher encounter rates were correlated with lower time spent foraging and a geographically restricted overwintering distribution, suggesting an energetic advantage for these scavenging strategists compared with foraging for natural prey. • Geolocator tracking data for 296 individual northern fulmars, a scavenging seabird • Fulmar vessel encounters identified across the North Atlantic over a 16-year period • Long-term increases in vessel encounter rates for all study colonies • Fulmars that attend vessels have reduced ranges and time spent foraging Darby et al. use a 16-year tracking dataset to show that northern fulmars from four colonies across the North Atlantic increasingly encounter vessels at night. Fulmars are known scavengers of fishing waste, and vessel attendance leads to reduced range and time foraging. However, it also increases bycatch risk and may signal decreases in natural prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We recorded the distribution and abundance of marine birds in the northern Barents Sea from 27 February to 8 March 1987 and from 20 to 31 May 1988. Birds were more abundant in waters associated with pack ice than in open water away from pack ice. Within the pack ice, thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) were the most commonly encountered birds in both periods. Murre densities in the pack ice north of the zone proximate to the ice edge were positively correlated with distance from the ice edge. Large leads were more frequently occupied by murres than small leads, and had larger numbers of birds present. In spring, we found more birds along a well-defined ice edge than were present either in open water or in leads in the pack ice within 5 nautical miles of the ice edge. Transects along the ice edge revealed little correlation in abundance between species, or within species when coverage was repeated during the same day. We conclude that the birds showed considerable specificity of habitat choice within the habitat divisions that we recognized and that avian patches were of short duration. We need information on the distribution, abundance and movements of prey patches if we are to understand the changing distribution patterns of the birds.

Abstract In Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, reports indicate that Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) are vulnerable to bycatch in the fisheries for Greenland Halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). We modeled the potential current and future impacts the expanding halibut fishery may have on fulmar populations in the region using population viability analysis. By varying age-specific bycatch vulnerability, detectability, and the size of the at-risk population, we tested how different scenarios may influence population trajectories. From 2011 to 2015, the bycatch rate of fulmars was approximately 212 (SD ± 111) individuals per year. This could cause declines (−12%) over three generations (66 years) at the three colonies closest to the fishing grounds. However, declines could be as high as −33% over this same period if unobservable bycatch is considered, and as low as −0.4% if bycatch is distributed among a larger population. Several uncertainties we modeled could be reduced by improving how bycatch data are recorded by at-sea observer programs. Highlights • Approx. 212 Northern Fulmars/year are bycaught in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait Halibut Fishery. • Demographic effects could range from −0.4% to −33% declines over 3 generations. • Colony location of bycaught birds is one of the biggest sources of uncertainty. • Demographic impacts likely to increase as sea ice decreases and this fishery grows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) remains a key contaminant of concern in Arctic biota, and monitoring of Hg concentrations in seabird tissues will be an effective approach to track the effects of implementing the Minamata Convention. We examined trends in total Hg (THg) in liver and egg tissues of two Arctic seabirds, thick-billed murres ( Uria lomvia ) and northern fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis ), between 1976 and 2013 to assess whether both tissues showed similar patterns of Hg change. Hepatic THg was consistently higher than egg THg, and both species had similar egg THg concentrations, but fulmars had higher hepatic THg than murres. Murre THg concentrations showed more relative variation through time than fulmars. We suggest that egg THg better reflects exposure of birds to THg in local, Arctic prey, whereas liver THg may incorporate longer term, year-round THg exposure. Additional analysis of THg distribution in Arctic seabirds post-laying would help inform interpretation of long-term trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic is now one among one of the most pervasive pollutants on the planet, and ocean circulation models predict that the Arctic will become another accumulation zone. As solutions to address marine plastic emerge, is essential that baselines are available to monitor progress towards targets. The northern fulmar ( Fulmarus glacialis ), a widely-distributed seabird species, has been used as a biological monitor for plastic pollution in the North Sea, and could be a useful monitoring species elsewhere. We quantified plastic ingested by northern fulmars from the southeastern Canadian waters of the Labrador Sea with the objective of establishing a standardized baseline for future comparisons. Over two years we sampled 70 fulmars and found that 79% had ingested plastic, with an average of 11.6 pieces or 0.151 g per bird. Overall, 34% of all fulmars exceeded the Ecological Quality Objective for marine litter, having ingested > 0.1 g of plastic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Productive areas in the Canadian Arctic seasonally provide top predators with accessible and often predictable sources of energy. Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) aggregate in shallow bays during the summer and are exploited by seabirds and marine mammals. Information concerning how prey is presented to predatory seabirds, and the cues seabirds use to optimize foraging potential, is limited. Hydroacoustic surveys were completed in Allen Bay, Nunavut, to determine the presence, density, abundance, and depth of Arctic cod schools in relation to shallow-diving seabirds. Schools were also documented using standardized protocols to examine the influence of environmental variables, such as wind, ice, tidal states and seabird behaviour. The presence of schools was a significant predictor of the distribution of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) but not black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). Glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus) associated with northern fulmars are likely optimizing chances of stealing Arctic cod. The density, size and depth of schools did not significantly affect the distribution of the seabirds. We speculate that Arctic cod from demersal schools separate to feed at the surface in satellite schools (groups of dispersed fish), thus reducing competition but increasing the risk of predation.

Effective management and conservation of terrestrially breeding marine predators requires information on connectivity between specific breeding sites and at-sea foraging areas. In the north-east Atlantic, efforts to monitor and manage the impacts of bycatch or pollution events within different Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic ( OSPAR) management regions are currently constrained by uncertainty over the origins of seabirds occurring in each area., Whilst Global Positioning System ( GPS) loggers can now provide high resolution data on seabird foraging characteristics, their use is largely restricted to the chick-rearing period. Smaller light-based Global Location Sensors (geolocators) could provide valuable data during earlier phases of the breeding season, but additional information on their accuracy is required to assess this potential., We used incubation trip tracking data from 11 double-tagged ( GPS/geolocator) northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis L. within a state-space modelling ( SSM) framework to estimate errors around geolocator locations. The SSM was then fitted to a larger sample of geolocator data from the pre-laying exodus using the mean of these error estimates. Geolocator data were first used to compare the trip durations of males and females during this critical pre-laying period. Outputs from the SSM were then used to characterize their spatial distribution and assess the extent of within-colony variation in the use of different OSPAR management regions., During the pre-laying exodus, fulmars from a single colony in the north-east of the United Kingdom foraged widely across several biogeographical regions, up to 2900 km from the colony. Most (60%) males remained within the North Sea region, whereas most (68%) females flew north, foraging within the Norwegian and Barents Sea. A small subset of birds (15%) travelled to the central North Atlantic. Foraging trips by males appeared to be shorter (x = 18 days, n = 20) than by females (x = 25 days, n = 19)., Policy implications. Our results of state-space modelling of geolocation data collected from northern fulmars show that within-colony variation in ranging behaviour during the breeding season results in sex differences in exposure to threats such as fisheries bycatch and marine plastics. Birds from a single colony dispersed over several north-east Atlantic management areas. These patterns have implications for interpreting trends in colony-based monitoring schemes, and European Union Marine Strategy Framework programmes using these seabirds as an indicator species for monitoring trends in marine litter and prioritizing efforts to mitigate its impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Procellariiform or 'tubenosed' seabirds are challenged to find prey and orient over seemingly featureless oceans. Previous studies have found that life-history strategy (burrow versus surface nesting) was correlated to foraging strategy. Burrow nesters tended to track prey using dimethyl sulphide (DMS), a compound associated with phytoplankton, whereas surface-nesting species did not. Burrow nesters also tended to be smaller and more cryptic, whereas surface nesters were larger with contrasting plumage coloration. Together these results suggested that differences in life-history strategy might also be linked to differences in visual adaptations. Here, we used Leach's storm petrel, a DMSresponder, and northern fulmar, a non-responder, as model species to test this hypothesis on their sensory ecology. From the retinal ganglion cell density and photoreceptor dimensions,we determined that Leach's storm petrels have six times lower spatial resolution than the northern fulmars. However, the optical sensitivity of rod photoreceptors is similar between species. These results suggest that under similar atmospheric conditions, northern fulmars have six times the detection range for similarly sized objects. Both species have extended visual streaks with a central area of highest spatial resolution, but only the northern fulmar has a central fovea. The prediction that burrow-nesting DMSresponding procellariiforms should differ from non-responding species nesting in the open holds true for spatial resolution, but not for optical sensitivity. This result may reflect the fact that both species rely on olfaction for their nocturnal foraging activity, but northern fulmars might use vision more during daytime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (α-, β-, and γ-), DDT and its metabolites (DDD and DDE) were detected in five individuals of Northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis Linnaeus, 1761 from the Sea of Okhotsk. The average amount of HCHs in the organs of fulmars ranged from 608 ± 177 ng/g lipids in the total homogenate of the organs to 2093 ± 264 ng/g lipids in the feathers with skin. The average range of the amounts of DDTs was from 3606 ± 333 ng/g lipids in the feathers with skin to 4076 ± 1624 ng/g lipids in the feathers. The bioaccumulation of DDTs by seabirds of the Sea of Okhotsk is approximately equal to that of birds from other regions of the world's oceans, while the HCHs concentration is significantly higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic foxes Vulpes lagopus (L.) display a sharp 3- to 5-year fluctuation in population size where lemmings are their main prey. In areas devoid of lemmings, such as Iceland, they do not experience short-term fluctuations. This study focusses on the population dynamics of the arctic fox in Iceland and how it is shaped by its main prey populations. Hunting statistics from 1958-2003 show that the population size of the arctic fox was at a maximum in the 1950s, declined to a minimum in the 1970s, and increased steadily until 2003. Analysis of the arctic fox population size and their prey populations suggests that fox numbers were limited by rock ptarmigan numbers during the decline period. The recovery of the arctic fox population was traced mostly to an increase in goose populations, and favourable climatic conditions as reflected by the Subpolar Gyre. These results underscore the flexibility of a generalist predator and its responses to shifting food resources and climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic is a common item in marine environments. Studies assessing seabird ingestion of plastics have focused on species that ingest plastics mistaken for prey items. Few studies have examined a scavenger and predatory species that are likely to ingest plastics indirectly through their prey items, such as the great skua ( Stercorarius skua ). We examined 1034 regurgitated pellets from a great skua colony in the Faroe Islands for plastics and found approximately 6% contained plastics. Pellets containing remains of Northern fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis ) had the highest prevalence of plastic. Our findings support previous work showing that Northern fulmars have higher loads of plastics than other sympatric species. This study demonstrates that marine plastic debris is transferred from surface feeding seabird species to predatory great skuas. Examination of plastic ingestion in species that do not ingest plastics directly can provide insights into how plastic particles transfer vertically within the food web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic pollution is of worldwide concern; however, increases in international commercial activity in the Arctic are occurring without the knowledge of the existing threat posed to the local marine environment by plastic litter. Here, we quantify plastic ingestion by northern fulmars, Fulmarus glacialis, from Svalbard, at the gateway to future shipping routes in the high Arctic. Plastic ingestion by Svalbard fulmars does not follow the established decreasing trend away from human marine impact. Of 40 sampled individuals, 35 fulmars (87.5 %) had plastic in their stomachs, averaging at 0.08 g or 15.3 pieces per individual. Plastic ingestion levels on Svalbard exceed the ecological quality objective defined by OSPAR for European seas. This highlights an urgent need for mitigation of plastic pollution in the Arctic as well as international regulation of future commercial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic pollution is widespread in the marine environment, and plastic ingestion by seabirds is now widely reported for dozens of species. Beached Northern Fulmars, Great Shearwaters, Sooty Shearwaters and Cory’s Shearwaters are found on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, Canada regularly, and they can be used to assess plastic pollution. All species except Cory’s Shearwaters contained plastic debris in their gastrointestinal tracts. Northern Fulmars, Sooty Shearwaters and Great Shearwaters all showed high prevalence of plastic ingestion (>72%), with Northern Fulmars having the highest number and mass of plastics among the species examined. There was no difference in plastic ingestion between sexes or age classes. In all species user plastics made up the majority of the pieces found, with industrial pellets representing only a small proportion in the samples. Sable Island could be an important monitoring site for plastic pollution in Atlantic Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine plastic pollution affects seabirds, including Pacific Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis rodgersii), that feed at the surface and mistake plastic for prey or incidentally ingest it. Direct and indirect health issues can result, including satiety and possibly leading to inefficient foraging. Our objective was to examine fulmar body condition, identify cephalopod diet to species, enumerate and weigh ingested plastic, and determine if prey number and size were correlated with ingested plastics in beach-cast fulmars wintering in Monterey Bay California (2003, n=178: 2007, n=185). Fulmars consumed mostly Gonatus pyros, G. onyx, and G. californiensis of similar size for both years. We found a significant negative correlation between pectoral muscle index and average size of cephalopod beaks per stomach; a significant increase in plastic categories between 2003 and 2007; and no significant correlation between number and mass of plastic compared with number and size of prey for either year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the incubation pattern of northern fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis) at Canadian Arctic colonies is difficult, in part due to challenges with accessing nests and due, in part, to similarities in colour morphs which can be hard to distinguish. We used digital photographs of incubating birds taken ~daily at 49 breeding sites during the second half of the incubation period and compared inter-observer variation in distinguishing incubation shifts by each member of the pair. Using this method gave similar results when different subsets of sites were included and the assessment of incubation shifts by three different people produced similar results, yielding a mean shift duration of 6.4 days. Provided pairs with suitable variation in plumage or bill colour are selected, our results demonstrate that a remote camera technique can provide precise data to assess fulmar responses to annual environmental conditions for feeding and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and stable isotopes were measured in muscle from fledglings of two arctic seabird species, Northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) and Black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). The purpose was to compare POP concentrations between species, in an age class that is highly vulnerable to POPs but little studied, relate to diet using stable isotopes, and quantify differences across life stages (egg to adult). Northern fulmar fledglings had significantly higher POP concentrations than kittiwake, consistent with results reported for adults of these species. Surprisingly, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes did not differ between species, which does not match data for, or the known feeding ecology, of the adults. Fulmar/kittiwake POP concentration ratios varied across life stages indicating variable POP exposure and accumulation with age in seabirds, indicating that of the use of avian species-specific thresholds should only be done with caution in ecosystem-based POP risk management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]