Litter NSV : marine litter monitoring by Northern Fulmars (a pilot study)

Aim of the project was to investigate the feasibility of developing a monitoring tool for marine litter in the southern North Sea based on the stomach contents of a seabird, the Northern Fulmar, (the Noordse Stormvogel (Fulmaris glacialis)). Regional differences in plastic loads in stomachs indicated that stomach contents of fulmars reflect pollution levels in their foraging area. This made them also suitable to monitor local time-related changes in such pollution levels. In total 329 fulmars, beachwashed in the Netherlands between 1982 and 2000, were used for this pilot study. At dissection, the age, sex, origin, condition, likely cause of death and finding date were determined. Stomach contents were sorted into main categories of plastics, non-plastic rubbish, pollutants, natural food remains and natural non-food remains.