Fishing equipment, marine debris and oil associated with seabirds at Bird Island, South Georgia, 2003/04

This report describes and quantifies occurrences of fishing gear, marine debris and oil associated with seabirds at Bird Island, South Georgia from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004. It is the eleventh such annual report. As in most previous years, more items of fishing gear (mostly longlining gear) were found in association with wandering albatrosses than with any other species, although the number has decreased substantially since last year. Grey-headed albatross collected the highest number of marine debris items, mostly small plastic fragments, of the study species. The quantity of fishing gear and entanglements associated with giant petrels (northern and southern) was well above the average, as was the number of debris items collected. An increase in the amount of debris and fishing items associated with brown skuas was recorded for the first time and was probably attributable to an increase in observer effort associated with greater field-work intensity. Hooks were typical of those used in the toothfish fishery around South Georgia and the Falklands and evidence of the discarding of longline hooks in offal and bycatch is of concern.