Anthropogenic feather soiling, marine debris and fishing gear associated with seabirds at Bird Island, South Georgia, 1998/99

This report describes and quantifies the occurrence of anthropogenic feather soiling, marine debris and fishing gear associated with seabirds at breeding sites at South Georgia. In this, the sixth year of standardised recording, an unprecedented quantity of line originating from fishing vessels was recorded in association with wandering albatrosses. Quantities of fishing gear remained within the levels of previous years for all other species, except giant petrels, which increased by 75% from the previous maximum. Plastic debris remained within the levels of previous years for all species except grey-headed albatross, which increased by 50% from the previous maximum; brown skua was associated with fishing debris for the first time in this study. Feathersoiled (oil, tar or paint) grey-headed and black-browed albatrosses were observed for the first time in this study and one gentoo penguin was observed oiled. Human food waste was associated with wandering albatrosses and giant petrels.