Cape gannets hit by oil pollution
Oil pollution continues to be a chronic marine conservation problem in Algoa Bay and though the endangered African penguin is most at risk, other seabirds are affected too.
SA Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) conservation manager Nicky Stander said on Tuesday the foundation’s Eastern Cape station at Cape Recife was treating three oil-affected Cape gannets.
“They were rescued from Bird Island by Sanccob’s seabird ranger in partnership with SANParks.”
She said inadequate monitoring and a sharp spike in maritime activity posed increasing challenges for seabird conservation in Algoa Bay.
“Chronic oiling where we don’t know the source has been a long-term problem.
“Often it’s small volumes but it’s frequent and it adds up.
“SA lacks surveillance capability, which leaves the marine environment vulnerable to pollution.
“Maritime activities in Algoa Bay such as ship-to-ship fuel bunkering adds extra risk of oil pollution to the daily vessel traffic traversing the bay.”
Sanccob Gqeberha spokesperson Kirstie Paulse said the gannets were in bad shape when they arrived.
“They were extremely traumatised and were given time to calm before their wash, so as to not cause them any chronic stress.
“Thankfully, they had their first wash today [Tuesday] and it was a success.
“Our rehab staff reports that all of the oil has been removed from the affected birds’ feathers and that they will remain in rehabilitation until they are ready to be released back into the wild.”
According to Birdlife International, Cape gannets are also officially endangered.
“There has been a 52.4% decline in their numbers over 60 years.
“The most recent population estimate is 123,080 pairs globally.”
The species breeds on six islands in SA and Namibian waters, and Bird Island with 81,000 pairs is home to the biggest Cape gannet colony across this range.
Stander said in terms of a declaration by the SA Maritime Safety Authority last month, Transnet National Ports Authority was working on an environmental risk assessment of bunkering in Algoa Bay and the moratorium on applications for further bunkering licences would stay in place at least until the study was completed.
The bunkering industry was launched in mid-2016 and it has since faced mounting opposition from conservation, tourism and fishing groups who question why no environmental impact assessment was done, especially considering the vulnerability of the African penguin whose easternmost colonies are in Algoa Bay.
Stander said there were about 2,500 breeding pairs of African penguins on Bird and St Croix islands in Algoa Bay and 10,000 breeding pairs across the bird’s Southern African range.
Oiled seabirds can be reported to Sanccob on (041) 583-1830 or via the emergency after-hours number 064-0198936.