Potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird <i>Fregata magnificens</i>
Tracking of seabirds has been used to identify foraging hotspots, migratory routes and to assess at-sea threats facing populations. One such threat is the potential negative interaction between seabirds and fisheries through incidental by-catch. In 2012, 60 magnificent frigatebirds Fregata magnific...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PAGEPress Publications
2019-11-01
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| Series: | Tropical Zoology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://pagepress.org/biology/tz/article/view/18 |
| _version_ | 1797834937371459584 |
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| author | Susan Zaluski Louise M. Soanes Jenny A. Bright Atoya George Patrick G.R. Jodice Ken Meyer Nancy Woodfield-Pascoe Jonathan A. Green |
| author_facet | Susan Zaluski Louise M. Soanes Jenny A. Bright Atoya George Patrick G.R. Jodice Ken Meyer Nancy Woodfield-Pascoe Jonathan A. Green |
| author_sort | Susan Zaluski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Tracking of seabirds has been used to identify foraging hotspots, migratory routes and to assess at-sea threats facing populations. One such threat is the potential negative interaction between seabirds and fisheries through incidental by-catch. In 2012, 60 magnificent frigatebirds Fregata magnificens were found dead, entangled in fishing line, at the globally important breeding site in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). To assess the potential relationship between foraging behaviour and fishing activity, data loggers were deployed on breeding magnificent frigatebirds to record foraging movements. In addition, a survey of local fishers was conducted to assess the scale of incidental by-catch. We recorded 28 complete foraging trips from GPS and GPS-GSM loggers, and 1758 PTT locations. Birds travelled up to 3.3–1067 km from their breeding colony and entered the waters of 10 neighbouring territories. A high percentage of fishers (93% = 28) reported catching at least one seabird annually, of which the most common were magnificent frigatebirds and brown boobies Sula leucogaster. There are estimated to be at least 1112 vessels in the recreational and artisanal fishing fleets of BVI and its neighbouring islands. Thus, this substantial fishery may have potentially profound effects on seabird populations in the region.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:46:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4fbe5e50633d473e8da2edd444dfde43 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0394-6975 1970-9528 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:46:34Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tropical Zoology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4fbe5e50633d473e8da2edd444dfde432023-05-02T14:58:28ZengPAGEPress PublicationsTropical Zoology0394-69751970-95282019-11-01324Potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird <i>Fregata magnificens</i>Susan Zaluski0Louise M. Soanes1Jenny A. Bright2Atoya George3Patrick G.R. Jodice4Ken Meyer5Nancy Woodfield-Pascoe6Jonathan A. Green7Jost Van Dykes Preservation Society, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin IslandsSchool of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool; Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, LondonRoyal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, BedfordshireConservation and Fisheries Department, British Virgin Islands Government, Road Town, TortolaU.S. Geological Survey, South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Clemson University, Clemson, South CarolinaAvian Research and Conservation Institute, 411 N.E 7th Street, Gainesville, Florida 32601National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands, Road Town, TortolaGreen School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Tracking of seabirds has been used to identify foraging hotspots, migratory routes and to assess at-sea threats facing populations. One such threat is the potential negative interaction between seabirds and fisheries through incidental by-catch. In 2012, 60 magnificent frigatebirds Fregata magnificens were found dead, entangled in fishing line, at the globally important breeding site in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). To assess the potential relationship between foraging behaviour and fishing activity, data loggers were deployed on breeding magnificent frigatebirds to record foraging movements. In addition, a survey of local fishers was conducted to assess the scale of incidental by-catch. We recorded 28 complete foraging trips from GPS and GPS-GSM loggers, and 1758 PTT locations. Birds travelled up to 3.3–1067 km from their breeding colony and entered the waters of 10 neighbouring territories. A high percentage of fishers (93% = 28) reported catching at least one seabird annually, of which the most common were magnificent frigatebirds and brown boobies Sula leucogaster. There are estimated to be at least 1112 vessels in the recreational and artisanal fishing fleets of BVI and its neighbouring islands. Thus, this substantial fishery may have potentially profound effects on seabird populations in the region. https://pagepress.org/biology/tz/article/view/18Seabird by-catchentanglementmono-filament fishing line |
| spellingShingle | Susan Zaluski Louise M. Soanes Jenny A. Bright Atoya George Patrick G.R. Jodice Ken Meyer Nancy Woodfield-Pascoe Jonathan A. Green Potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird <i>Fregata magnificens</i> Tropical Zoology Seabird by-catch entanglement mono-filament fishing line |
| title | Potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird <i>Fregata magnificens</i> |
| title_full | Potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird <i>Fregata magnificens</i> |
| title_fullStr | Potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird <i>Fregata magnificens</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird <i>Fregata magnificens</i> |
| title_short | Potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird <i>Fregata magnificens</i> |
| title_sort | potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird i fregata magnificens i |
| topic | Seabird by-catch entanglement mono-filament fishing line |
| url | https://pagepress.org/biology/tz/article/view/18 |
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