Contribution of fishery discards to the diet of the Black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) during the non-breeding season: an assessment through stable isotope analysis

Black-browed albatrosses ( Thalassarche melanophris ) disperse over the Argentinean Continental Shelf and neighboring waters during their non-breeding season. It is one of the most frequent seabirds attending fishing vessels and also the most common Procellariform in the bycatch of longliners and tr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine biology 2014, Vol.161 (1), p.119-129
Main Authors: Mariano-Jelicich, Rocío, Copello, Sofía, Seco Pon, Juan Pablo, Favero, Marco
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Albatrosses
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied ecology
Autoecology
Aves
Biological and medical sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Birds
Environment
Environmental aspects
Exploitation and management of natural biological resources (hunting, fishing and exploited populations survey, etc.)
Fish industry
Fisheries
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Isotopes
Life Sciences
Marine
Marine & Freshwater Sciences
Marine biology
Microbiology
Oceanography
Original Paper
Predation
Sea water ecosystems
Synecology
Thalassarche melanophris
Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
Zoology
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Summary:Black-browed albatrosses ( Thalassarche melanophris ) disperse over the Argentinean Continental Shelf and neighboring waters during their non-breeding season. It is one of the most frequent seabirds attending fishing vessels and also the most common Procellariform in the bycatch of longliners and trawlers in the area. Understanding the use of fishery discards by this species is an important issue when assessing the potential effect of strategic discard management in decreasing the abundance, interactions, and mitigating mortality. In the present study, we analyzed carbon and nitrogen stable isotope compositions in the blood of Black-browed albatrosses to assess the relative contribution of discards from different fisheries to the diet of this species in winter. Samples were obtained in winter 2011 from fishing vessels operating between 41–43°S and 57–59°W. No sex differences in δ 13 C and δ 15 N were observed. Results indicate that during their non-breeding season, isotopic signatures of Black-browed albatrosses are closer to discards and offal generated by fisheries and in particular by trawlers. The large fishing effort of trawl fisheries in Argentina highlights the urgency of an exhaustive analysis to find practical and effective ways to reduce the number of seabirds attending trawlers.
ISSN:0025-3162
1432-1793
DOI:10.1007/s00227-013-2320-7