Mercury levels in feathers of Magellanic penguins

Feathers are useful to determine mercury (Hg) contamination. We evaluated the mercury concentration in feathers of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) age 1.5 years to 25 years at Punta Tombo, Argentina before and during their molt. Mercury ranged between <1.4 and 367 ng/g dry weight, with three extreme high values (8996 ng/g, 3011 ng/g and 1340 ng/g) all in young adults. The median concentration was lowest for juveniles and significantly higher for adults but with high variation among older adults. Males and females had similar mercury loads. Compared with other penguin species, concentrations in Magellanic penguins were low. Mercury levels for Magellanic penguins in the Southwest Atlantic for older adults averaged 206±98 ng/g, and serve as a baseline for biomonitoring and/or ecotoxicological studies.     

Oiled Magellanic penguins in Golfo San Jose,Argentina

During a period of 4 months prior to the 1978–1979 breeding season, a total of 157 Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) were found dead on 1 km of beach in Golfo San Jose, a site in the vicinity of the largest nesting colony for this species in Argentina. Sixty-two of 91 adults (68%) were oiled, but only one of 66 immatures was oil-stained. Of the penguins with oil on one side only, three times as many were stained on the left side as on the right. The absence of oiled Magellanic penguins seen at nearby nesting colonies supports the hypothesis that these birds are not fit to breed.     

Survival and movements of Magellanic penguins rehabilitated from oil fouling along the coast of South America, 2000-2010

Oil pollution is a significant conservation concern. We examined data from six institutions along the coast of South America: Emergency Relief Team of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Fundación Mundo Marino, Centro de Recupera??o de Animais Marinhos, Natura Patagonia, Associa??o R3 Animal, and Mar del Plata Aquarium and data from resightings in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Falkland/Malvinas Islands. From 2000 to 2010, 2183 oiled Magellanic penguins were rehabilitated as part of the routine activities of these institutions or during emergency responses to eight oil spills in which they were involved; all rehabilitated penguins were flipper banded and released. Since their release, 41 penguins were resighted until 31 December 2011. The results demonstrate that, when combined with other prevention strategies, the rehabilitation of Magellanic penguins is a strategy that contributes to the mitigation of adverse effects of oil spills and chronic pollution to the species.     

Magellanic penguin mortality in 2008 along the SW Atlantic coast

Magellanic penguins migrate from Patagonia reaching northern Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil on their winter migration, in parallel with the seasonal pulse of anchovy spawning. In 2008, Magellanic penguins went further north than usual. Many died and a few swam nearly to the Equator. Twelve groups surveyed 5000 km of coastline encountering 3371 penguins along the coast. Most penguins arrived in northern Brazil (68.4%) without petroleum (2933, 87%). Almost all penguins without petroleum were juveniles (2915, 99%) and 55% were alive when found. Penguins were dehydrated, anemic, hypothermic, and emaciated. Of the penguins with petroleum, 13% arrived in the southern half of Brazil, showing that petroleum pollution remains a problem along the SW Atlantic coast. The mortality occurred in the winter of 2008 when sea surface temperature were unusually cold perhaps reducing the prey for penguins.     

Gillnet fisheries as a major mortality factor of Magellanic penguins in wintering areas

The incidental capture in fisheries is probably the main conservation problem affecting seabirds. While the capture of albatrosses and petrels on longline hooks is well-known worldwide, the bycatch of diving seabirds in gillnets is an overlooked conservation problem. During a winter coastal fishing trip, the capture of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) was recorded in driftnet and bottom setnet fisheries for the first time in southern Brazil. The highest captures rates were found in driftnets, from 146.5 to 545.5 penguins/km² of net and a total of 56 dead penguins were recorded. In the bottom gillnet, a total of 12 birds were killed and the capture rates varied from 41.7 to 125.0 penguins/km² of net. Although preliminary, the results presented in this paper were consistent between sets. If we consider the magnitude of driftnet and setnet fishing fleets, and that most dead penguins were adults, the impact upon Magellanic penguin populations is probably significant.     

Marine debris ingestion by Magellanic penguins, Spheniscus magellanicus (Aves: Sphenisciformes), from the Brazilian coastal zone

Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) are non-breeding winter visitors to the Brazilian coast. In 2008 and 2010, plastic items and other marine debris were found in the stomachs and intestines of 15% of 175 dead penguins collected in the Lagos Region of the state of Rio de Janeiro. One bird had its stomach perforated by a plastic straw, which may have caused its death. There are few records of penguins ingesting plastic litter, but previous studies have found similar levels of debris ingestion among Magellanic penguins stranded on the Brazilian coast (35.8% of 397 birds). The high incidence of marine debris in this species in Brazil may result at least in part from the predominance of juveniles reaching these waters, as juvenile penguins may have a broader diet than adults. It is unclear to what extent plastic ingestion affects the mortality rate in this species and whether the incidence in stranded birds reflects that in the entire population. The present study addresses the increasing impact of plastic debris on marine life.     

Compensation for oil pollution damage caused by oil spills from ships and the international oil pollution compensation fund

Liability and compensation for pollution damage caused by oil spills from laden tankers is governed by two international conventions: the 1969 Civil Liability Convention and the 1971 Fund Convention. The Civil Liability Convention established a system of strict liability for tanker owners and introduced compulsory liability insurance. The Fund Convention created a system of supplementary compensation administered by an intergovernmental organization, the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPC Fund), which at present has 56 member states (August 1993). The IOPC Fund pays compensation to victims of oil pollution in member states when the compensation from the shipowner and his insurer is insufficient. Over the years (up to August 1993), the IOPC Fund has been involved in 66 incidents and has paid US$92 million to victims. Only three of these incidents have been taken to court, whereas in all other cases claims have been settled out of court. The IOPC Fund has developed a policy on the admissibility of claims covering clean-up costs, measures to prevent pollution, damage to property and economic loss suffered by fishermen, hotel-owners and others who depend directly for their livelihood on sea-related activities.     

Seabirds at risk around offshore oil platforms in the north-west Atlantic

Seabirds aggregate around oil drilling platforms and rigs in above average numbers due to night lighting, flaring, food and other visual cues. Bird mortality has been documented due to impact on the structure, oiling and incineration by the flare. The environmental circumstances for offshore hydrocarbon development in North-west Atlantic are unique because of the harsh climate, cold waters and because enormous seabird concentrations inhabit and move through the Grand Banks in autumn (storm-petrels, Oceanodroma spp), winter (dovekies, Alle alle, murres, Uria spp), spring and summer (shearwaters, Puffinus spp). Many species are planktivorous and attracted to artificial light sources. Most of the seabirds in the region are long-distance migrants, and hydrocarbon development in the North-west Atlantic could affect both regional and global breeding populations. Regulators need to take responsibility for these circumstances. It is essential to implement comprehensive, independent arm's length monitoring of potential avian impacts of offshore hydrocarbon platforms in the North-west Atlantic. This should include quantifying and determining the nature, timing and extent of bird mortality caused by these structures. Based on existing evidence of potential impacts of offshore hydrocarbon platforms on seabirds, it is difficult to understand why this has not been and is not being, systematically implemented.     

Present state of oil pollution in the northern Indian Ocean

A consolidated picture of oil pollution for the northern Indian Ocean is presented. Oil slicks were sighted on 5582 observations, about 83.5% of the total observations of 6689. The range of concentrations, of the floating tar balls, is 0–6.0 mg/m² in the Arabian Sea. Similarly, the oil tanker route in the Bay of Bengal has the range of 0–69.75 mg/m². North of this route, the Bay of Bengal is comparatively free from this floating tar. Mean concentrations of dissolved and dispersed hydrocarbons for 0–20 m are 32.5 and 24.1 μg kg^?1, respectively, in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.     

Molecular test for oil pollution in surface sediments

Polycyclic biological markers, such as pentacyclic triterpanes, can be useful as “molecular markers” in the study of crude oil pollution problems. This has been shown in the case of a weakly polluted surface sediment from the west coast of France. The use of these markers is based on the differences in their distribution, which depend on the degree of maturity of the geological sources.     

The effect of oil pollution in Bantry Bay

The biological damage caused by the large oil spill in Bantry Bay and the clean-up measures adopted to deal with it (already reported in the Marine Pollution Bulletin) has been followed up in the months following the oil spill. This report refers to damage to algae and lichens.     

Chronic pollution of freshwater bodies: Data on accumulation of pesticides,oil products,and other toxic substances in bottom deposits

The results of studies aimed to assess the information significance of the coefficients of bottom accumulation of hydrophobic organic substances and heavy metals as indicators of pollution of freshwater bodies are presented. It is shown that the same value of the coefficient of bottom accumulation may correspond to different situations in water bodies. Methods for the interpretation of data on the state of water bodies based on the coefficient of bottom accumulation and its components are proposed to reliably determine the level and character of pollution. Chronic pollution of a number of freshwater bodies of the Russian Federation is assessed by data on the accumulation of pesticides, oil products, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and heavy metals in bottom deposits.     

Recovery potential and chronic oil pollution on the South African coast

Observation of oiled sandy beaches showed the fate of oil released by a tanker collision. The amount of oil extracted depended on timing in the beach erosion and depositing cycle. The recovery of the beaches took about 8 months, but deteriorated again after the arrival of unaccounted oil batches. It is this unaccountable oil which is responsible for chronic oil pollution on the South African coast and possibly other beaches around the world.     

Improving estimates of oil pollution to the sea from land-based sources

This paper presents improvements to calculation methods used in the National Research Council’s (NRC) Oil in the Sea reports from 2003 and 1985 to estimate land-based contributions of petroleum hydrocarbons to the sea from North America. Using procedures similar to the 2003 report, but with more robust methods for handling non-detections, estimated land-based contributions for 1977 and 2000 were over 50% lower than the best 1996 estimate in the NRC report. The largest loads were from the northeastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico region for both the 2003 report and updated calculations. Calculations involved many sources of uncertainty, including lack of available data, variable methods of measuring and reporting data, and variable methods of reporting values below detection limits. This updated analysis of land-based loads of petroleum hydrocarbons to the sea highlights the continued need for more monitoring and research on inputs, fates and effects of these sources.     

Regularities in the transformation of oil pollution in watercourses based on long-term observational data

Results of long-term studies of crude oil transformations in water and bottom sediments of river ecosystems polluted as a result of oil spills are presented. Regularities in changes in the concentration ratio of hydrocarbon and resinous components of oil in water and bottom sediments under the effect of natural selfpurification processes of aquatic ecosystems are found out.     

Changes in the marine pollution management system in response to the Amorgos oil spill in Taiwan

The Marine Pollution Control Act (MPCA) of Taiwan was promulgated on November 1, 2000, with the specific aim of controlling marine pollution, safeguarding public health, and promoting the sustainable use of marine resources. In addition to land-based pollution, oil spills are one of the most significant threats to the local marine environment largely on account of the some 30,000 tankers which pass through Taiwan’s coastal waters each year. In January 2001, two months after the enactment of this newly-introduced law, a Greek merchant vessel, the Amorgos ran aground in the vicinity of a national park on the southern tip of Taiwan, causing a serious oil spill and leading to considerable changes with regard to the marine pollution management system. The incident brought to the forefront many serious problems, such as a lack of experience, expertise as well as equipment required to respond to such disasters, as well as the ambiguous, unclear jurisdiction among related agencies. Thus, this paper reviews the incident of the Amorgos spill, identifies the major issues and lessons learned, and proposes several recommendations in an effort for Taiwan to further improve its marine pollution management system.     

Organochlorine pollution in sperm whales,Physeter macrocephalus,from the temperate waters of the eastern North Atlantic

Residues of DDE, DDD, DDT and PCB were measured in different tissues of fourteen sperm whales caught in the waters off Spain's north-western coasts. Unlike what seems common in other marine mammal species, females appear to be more contaminated by organochlorine compounds than males. Pollutant levels in this species were found to be intermediate to other cetaceans, probably due to their feeding habits mainly based on squid and bottom fish. Concentrations of total DDT and PCB in blubber were similar to most of those determined in sperm whales from other areas of the northern hemisphere.     

Environmental pollution and natural populations: a biomarkers case study from the Iberian Atlantic coast

The degradation of estuaries is a result of human activities which overloads the environment with substances of both industrial and/or natural origins. Bioindicators have been consistently used to interpret effects of contaminants in the environment. In this study, the use of biomarkers (particular measurable characteristics of a bioindicator organism) was used to evaluate the contamination by xenobiotics of Crangon crangon natural populations. The central aim was to evaluate the capability of a battery of biomarkers to discriminate sites with different types of contamination. The activity of the enzymes cholinesterases (ChE), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutathione S-transferases (GST) were used as biomarkers. In addition, the ChE form(s) present in the cephalotorax of C. crangon were characterised. Organisms were seasonally sampled from winter 2001/2002 to autumn of 2002, at "reference" sites and at sites that receive agricultural, industrial and/or urban effluents. Results obtained in the characterisation of ChE with different substrates and selective inhibitors demonstrate that the form of ChE present in the cephalotorax of C. crangon shows proprieties of vertebrates' AChE and therefore it may be classified as true AChE-like ChE. The battery of biomarkers exhibited seasonal and local variations, apparently related to agricultural, industrial or urban effluent contamination. The tested biomarkers proved to be able to discriminate sources of environmental contamination, and confirms C. crangon as a sensitive species suitable to be used as a bioindicator.