3.11 Pelagic Seabirds
Seabirds ingest materials and debris as a natural consequence of foraging. Ingesting plastics and other artifcial fotsam can be detrimental. Additionally, seabirds are caught in discarded and/or abandoned fshing line, nets, and other waste. Oil and Wind Energy. Oil is a major envi- ronmental threat to pelagic species, espe- cially along major shipping transportation corridors. Oil may be released during plat-
Black Skimmer (Melissa McGaw, NCWRC)
form construction, ofshore drilling, and shipping and spillage. Waterbirds are commonly injured by oil spills, chronic oil discharge in bilge water, and release of hazardous materials. Additionally, lights on drilling structures may disorient, attract, or confuse some pelagic birds, resulting in injury or death. Energy exploration and development of the coast of North Carolina, either for oil extraction or wind, is an emerging hazard that potentially threatens numerous marine and pelagic spe- cies, including seabirds. Habitat Loss. Conficts with fsheries, oil and hazardous material issues, and ofshore pollution contribute to the degradation of foraging habitat for many pelagic species, partic- ularly in shipping channels and areas heavily used by the marine fsheries industry. Mass harvest of Sargassum would afect forage prey base for pelagic species. Harvest or over- harvest of Atlantic Menhaden, Atlantic Herring, and other managed prey populations may afect the forage prey base for pelagic seabirds. Seabirds congregate throughout the year, and in non-nesting seasons they congregate at roosts and loafng areas. Tese sites require both protection and management to maintain their value to seabirds. 3.11.6 Additional Information In 1999, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) developed the International Plan of Action for reducing seabird bycatch in longline fsheries (FAO 1999) that called on longline nations to assess their impact and implement mitigation regulations where necessary. Since the development of that plan, best-practice guidelines have been developed to facilitate creation of national plans of action by individual countries and to provide a framework from which to implement those plans at the level of regional fsheries management organizations (FAO 2008; Yeh et al. 2013) . Te Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) was established in 2001 to achieve and maintain favorable conservation status for albatrosses and petrels through research, monitoring, reduction of incidental mortality in fsheries, eradication
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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