On April 18 and 19, 2024, LIFE SeaBiL partners met in Peniche for a workshop entitled: “Measuring and monitoring the impact of plastic pollution on seabird colonies”. Hosted by SPEA, this workshop was an opportunity for the Portuguese partner to present its work at the Berlengas colony, in particular with Cory’s shearwaters and European shag.
Over 2 days, the workshop brought together experts from 3 countries (France, Spain and Portugal) to discuss how monitoring seabird colonies can help measure the impact of marine waste (plastic) on flora and fauna. After a day rich in discussions and lectures, SPEA took those present to the Berlengas Archipelago to demonstrate the conservation work carried out on the project’s pilot site. These include the installation of artificial nests to stabilize the local population of Cory’s shearwaters, and the study of the impact of marine litter and fishing on shearwater and European shag colonies.
In 2023, SPEA had necropsied 25 shearwaters as part of the LIFE SEABIL project, 90% of them with plastic in their stomachs.
