Plastic debris and seabird presence in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand

Abstract

The potential threat of plastic pollution to seabirds within the Hauraki Gulf was assessed by determining its abundance and distribution at two different spatial scales and assessing the community of resident seabirds during July to September 2008. Samples of floating plastics within the gulf were taken during 66 trawls from the surface of the water in three regions within the inner gulf and Waitamata harbour. Within each of these regions, samples were taken in and outside of visually identified natural slick lines that are surface manifestations of small-scale convergence zones. During each trawl, the identity and abundance of seabirds were assessed. Plastic debris was recorded in all three regions sampled with the greatest abundance being recorded in the harbour. Plastics and debris were also significantly more concentrated within natural slick lines. Both user and industrial plastics were identified and consisted of colours and lengths likely to be mistaken as food items for small to medium seabirds. Surface or near-surface feeding seabirds in the gulf most likely mistakenly to consume plastics were fluttering shearwaters, Cape pigeons and Buller's shearwaters. However, these birds were most abundant in the area of the gulf where abundance of plastic pollution was lowest. The Hauraki Gulf is considered significantly less polluted by plastic debris than other severely polluted areas cited in literature.