Pollution And Fishing Threats To Marbled Murrelets

Carter and katherine j.

Pollution and fishing threats to marbled murrelets. Pollution and fishing threats to marbled murrelets d. Marbled murrelets nest in trees along the coast and the forage and winter off the coast of northern america. Threats include loss of habitat predation gill net fishing operations oil spills marine pollution and disease. Marbled murrelets were assessed as threatened in canada by cosewic in 1990 and this status was confirmed.

261 mortality of marbled murrelets due to oil pollution in north america harry r. Usda forest service gen. Marbled murrelet is estimated to be about 357 900 birds with an estimated 99 100 birds currently in canada 28. In the summer the murrelets feed in bays inlets fjords and open ocean between 5 50 meters from the coast.

Small schooling fish such as pacific anchovy pacific herring candlefish and pacific sand lance make up most of the diet which may include small crustaceans when fish are not abundant. Michael fry chapter 26. The decline has been attributed to a number of factors including reduction and fragmentation of old growth forests. The threats to marbled murrelets vary depending on each location but overall populations have been declining.

257 pollution and fishing threats to marbled murrelets d. The principal pollutant threats to marbled murrelets are chlorinated organic effluent discharges. Marine factors that have been identified as potential threats to murrelets include overfishing pollution unattended fishing gear human population growth and associated disturbance and more recently climate change. Mortality of marbled murrelets brachyramphus marmoratus due to oil pollution is one of the major threats to.

Recent reviews have concluded that the risk of predation is currently a larger threat then previously considered. Carter and katherine j. Mortality of marbled murrelets due to oil pollution in north america 303k harry r. Michael fry chapter 26.