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Interactions of Floating Cage Marine Aquaculture and Seabird Conservation: The Case of the European Storm Petrel

Pleamar program

Description

The AQUA&PAIÑO project has delved into the study of the interaction between aquaculture facilities in the open sea and the European storm petrel, a species listed as vulnerable in the Red Book of Birds of Spain.

The Murcia‐Almeria coastline is considered a “hot spot” within the marine areas of importance for birds identified by BirdLife‐ International, as it is home to several nesting colonies and with a high density of storm petrels on the high seas. These colonies are interspersed between different marine farms.

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Line of action:

Marine ecosystems

Status:

Finalizado

Execution date:

2014


To deepen the study of the interaction between aquaculture facilities in the open sea and the European storm petrel, a species listed as vulnerable in the Red Book of Birds of Spain.

Objectives achieved:

  • Temporal variability of the presence/abundance of storm petrels in the surroundings of marine farms on the Murcia-Almeria coast has been estimated by means of differentiated marking by colonies due to feather discoloration.
  • The degree of trophic exploitation of the surplus resources generated by the farms by the European storm petrel has been evaluated using carbon and nitrogen isotopes (feathers) and the fatty acid profile (regurgitated and feces) as markers.
  • The evolution of the survival rate in the historical series of ringing data and the size of the population of the storm-petrel colonies on the Murcia-Almeria coast and its correlation with the establishment of marine farms have been studied.
  • We have participated together with the local population and professionals in the area for the acquisition of data on the presence/absence and abundance of storm petrels in the surroundings of the fish farming facilities on the Murcia-Almeria coast.
  • The project and the conservation values of the unknown species have been brought closer to society. The information obtained is considered to be of great value and importance for developing seabird conservation strategies that take into account the potential impacts, positive and negative, of aquaculture.
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Interactions of Floating Cage Marine Aquaculture and Seabird Conservation: The Case of the European Storm Petrel