CCAMLR

Plastic particles and Other anthropogenic materials were recorded from the regurgitations and the stomachs of seabirds at Macquarie Island; these were ingested both at sea and on land. Eight percent of regurgitated casts from Macquarie Island Cormorants contained polystyrene beads. Plastic particles were recorded from the stomachs of Southern Giant Petrels, Subantarctic Skuas, and Kelp Gulls. Birds examined in 1988 had a higher frequency of occurrence of foreign objects than birds examined prior to 1980.

Sections of coastline of Heard and Macquarie Islands were surveyed for marine debris in summer 1987-88, and 1989 respectively. These surveys were carried out at the same sites of previous surveys in 1986-87 at Heard Island, and 1988 at Macquarie Island. The minimum rate of artefact accumulation was 13 objects km-1 year-1 for Heard Island, and 9.1 objects km-1 year-1 for Macquarie Island. Drift cards released from known locations and collected on the two islands show a similar artefact catchment area. Plastic litter was a major component of the debris at both islands. Fisheries related debris accounted for 40% of all artefacts on Heard Island compared to 29% on Macquarie Island. Entanglement of fur seals appears to be more common at Heard Island, while plastic ingestion by seabirds appears more common at Macquarie Island.

The coastline of subantarctic Macquarie Island (54° 35’S, 158° 55’E) was surveyed over an eight week period in 1988 to determine types, quantities, and possible sources of marine debris. Lost fishing gear consisted of buoys, ropes, and net fragments. Gear from both trawling and longline fishing operations were represented, with debris identified from Russian, Polish, Japanese, Taiwanese, and South American sources. Three types of litter which potentially entangle marine mammals were found; plastic packing straps, ropes, and net fragments. Plastic bottles, small plastic fragments from broken plastic bottles, and small pieces of expanded polystyrene were common. Litter accumulated in highest densities on open beaches of the west coast of the island. Overall density of marine debris was less than those reported for islands in the South Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean, or from the coast of Alaska.

Plastic particles were found to be common pollutants in stomachs of Wilson’s Storm Petrels and Cape Petrels breeding on the Antarctic continent. Highest incidence of plastics was found in chicks of Wilson’s Storm Petrels that had died before fledging. Few or no plastics were found in Snow Petrels and Antarctic Petrels. Evidence suggests that most plastics originate from wintering areas outside the Antarctic, and that relatively few plastics are available in Antarctic waters. Possible hazards of plastic levels observed in Wilson’s Storm Petrels are discussed.

Published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 12: 672-674 (1998)

Neck collars of man-made marine debris were seen on 208 Antarctic fur seals (and removed from 170) during the 142 days of the 1988-89 pup-rearing season at Bird Island, South Georgia. This represents at least 0.1% of the total Bird Island population and a minimum of 0.4% of animals in the best covered areas; a maximum value might approach 1%. Poly-propylene straps (packaging bands) formed 59% of collars, nylon string (15%), fishing net (13%) and six other materials comprising the rest. Males accounted for 71% of entanglements, 88% of which were of young (1-4 years old) animals; females accounted for 64% of animals older than this. Obvious physical injury was being caused to 30% of animals and only on 19% of animals was the collar loose enough potentially to come off. The magnitude of the problem at South Georgia is similar to that with northern fur seals at the Pribilof Islands, where a significant population decline has occurred concurrently. Antarctic fur seals are still increasing in numbers but stricter controls on the jettisoning of debris into the Southern Ocean are needed if the entanglement problem is not to increase beyond the level of a potential threat.