Marine debris and entanglements at Bird Island and King Edward Point, South Georgia, Signy Island, South Orkneys and Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula 2016/17

Marine debris data were collected at Bird Island and King Edward Point, South Georgia, at Signy Island, South Orkneys and at Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula for the period April 2016 to March 2017. Surveys of beached marine debris at Bird Island recorded a total of 244 items during austral winter (April to September 2016) and 499 items during summer (October 2016 to March 2017). Twelve items of beached debris were recorded at Signy Island (operational during summer only; 19 November 2016 to 22 March 2017). Sixty-four items of beached marine debris were recorded at Goudier Island (operational 13 November 2016 to 1 March 2017), which is the highest number since observations began in 2010/11. Entanglements of two Antarctic fur seals were observed at Bird Island and one at Signy Island, with three instances of entangled fur seals and the first record of an entangled elephant seal at King Edward Point. No marine mammal entanglements were recorded at Goudier Island. In total, 131 items of marine debris were found in association with seabird colonies at Bird Island, most commonly in association with wandering albatrosses (90 items; 69 %). There were no observed incidences of hydrocarbon soiling or entangled seabirds at any site during the reporting period. Overall, the occurrence of beached marine debris was above the long-term mean at both Bird Island and Goudier Island but below the mean at Signy Island. The incidence of marine mammal entanglements was below the long-term mean at all sites surveyed. Debris associated with seabird colonies was above the mean level for wandering albatrosses and grey-headed albatrosses, but below the mean for black-browed albatrosses and giant petrels.