PLASTIC IN SEABIRDS
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IS THE SEA AROUND THE FAROE ISLANDS AS CLEAN AS WE BELIEVE IT IS?
Old Fulmar. Photo: Van Franeker/Alterra.

SAVE THE NORTH SEA


"FAROESE WHEELS" FOUND IN FULMAR CHICKS

Bio-filter

During the catch of Fulmar chicks at the end of August 2022, the hunters noticed that an unusually large number of Fulmar chicks in the area of Viðoy had bio-filters in their stomachs. This one in the picture had 27 biofilters in its stomach. This means that there is not much room left for any of its usual food.


"FAROESE WHEELS"

Faroese wheels

Faroese wheels Faroese wheels Faroese wheels

02.06.2019 small plastic wheels (biofilters) washed up everywhere in the Faroe Islands. They came from salmon farms. The fact that these plastic wheels contaminate the Faroese nature is nothing new, because as early as 2003, Jan Andries van Franeker found them in the stomachs of Faroese Fulmars. Jan Andries van Franeker has taken the pictures.

Wageningen Marine Research

According to the latest studies, 1 plastic wheel is found in 1 of 100 Fulmars.


Again in May 2018 Jan Andies van Franeker came to the Faroe Islands to pick up stomachs from Fulmars, that Faroese bird hunters has collected for him.

Jens-Kjeld Jensen & Jan Andries van Franeker, 26.05.2018 Jens-Kjeld Jensen & Jan Andries van Franeker, 26.05.2018

Jens-Kjeld Jensen & Jan Andries van Franeker 26.05.2018
Jan Andries van Franeker, Poul Johannes Simonsen & Jens-Kjeld Jensen 26.05.2018
Jan Andries van Franeker, Poul Johannes Simonsen & Jens-Kjeld Jensen 26.05.2018

Jan Andries Van Franeker / IMARES
Faroese fulmars
Stomach contents in a Faroese fulmar. Photo: Van Franeker / Alterra
Jens-Kjeld Jensen

In 2003 Faroe Islands joined the EEC project "Save the North Sea", which is a study of pollution in the oceans. In that connection Jan Andries van Franeker from IMARES in the Netherlands came to the Faroe Islands to examine, how much litter was contained in the fulmar stomachs. Depending on how much plastic is found in the stomachs, Van Franeker is able to estimate how much pollution is in the sea.

Nólsoy
We have always boasted about having the cleanest ocean in the world, but now we have to face the fact. The Faroese Fulmars are full of plastic, and even if the they are not as polluted as their brothers in EEC, it is no excuse for us doing nothing.

Fulmars
Some very interesting reports:
Fulmar Litter EcoQO monitoring along Dutch and North Sea coasts in relation to EU Directive 2000/59/EC on Port Reception Facilities: results to 2009

http://www.zeevogelgroep.nl

Film about pollution on Midway

Live coverage of a dissection of a Faroese fulmar chick stomach

BIRD WATCHING IN THE FAROES
14.05.2009 Jan Andries Van Franeker and Jens-Kjeld went to Leirvík, Eysturoy, to look for fulmars. Here are some photographs from their tour.
Jan Andries Van Franeker & Jens-Kjeld Jensen. Rita / Ride / Kittiwake / Rissa tridactyla. Teisti / Tejst / Black Guillemot / Cepphus grylle faeroeensis. Rita / Ride / Kittiwake / Rissa tridactyla. Æður / Eiders / Somateria mollissimia.
Janus Ryggshamar, J. A. Van Franeker & Steffen Stummann Hansen, Leirvík. Leirvík. Leirvík. Leirvík. Leirvík. Jens-Kjeld Jensen, Janus Ryggshamar, J. A. Van Franeker & Steffen Stummann Hansen, Leirvík.
Nátar / Mallemukker / Fulmars / Fulmarus glacialis, Leirvík. Nátar / Mallemukker / Fulmars / Fulmarus glacialis, Leirvík. Nátar / Mallemukker / Fulmars / Fulmarus glacialis, Leirvík. Nátar / Mallemukker / Fulmars / Fulmarus glacialis, Leirvík. Nátar / Mallemukker / Fulmars / Fulmarus glacialis, Leirvík. Leirvík.
In Streymnes we found 1 Puffin and 1 Common guillemot. Both had starved to death, so this is not the best prospects for the coming summer...

PLASTIC IN FULMARS
Jan Andries van Franeker has visited Faroe Islands yet another time in 2011 in connection with plastic in Fulmars. It will be interesting to see, if the plastic amount has decreased or increased. This time Franeker was assisted by Elisa Bravo Rebolledo. We will update the result as soon as we know more.
Jan Andries van Franeker & Elisa Bravo Rebolledo 14.05.2011 Elisa Bravo Rebolledo 14.05.2011 Jan Andries van Franeker, Elisa Bravo Rebolledo & Jens-Kjeld jensen, Gjógv 14.05.2011
Poul Johannes Simonsen & Elisa Bravo Rebolledo, Hvannasund 14.05.2011 Jan Andries van Franeker, Jens-Kjeld jensen & Poul Johannes Simonsen, Hvannasund 14.05.2011
Jan Andries van Franeker, Elisa Bravo Rebolledo, Jens-Kjeld Jensen, Marita Gulklett, Poul Johannes Simonsen & Martin Simonsen, Viðareiði 14.05.2011
We all admired Poul Johannes Simonsen catching Fulmars on the steep and narrow paths in Viðareiði

Elisa Bravo Rebolledo 20.05.2011, NGS Elisa Bravo Rebolledo 20.05.2011, NGS Elisa Bravo Rebolledo 20.05.2011, NGS

Elisa Bravo Rebolledo is searching the Fulmar stomacks for plastic by using a smaller net then Franeker to double check, if anything passes through his slightly larger masks.

ROTTERDAM AND POLUTION

Rotterdam is known for the very strict regulative's regarding pollution of the sea and harbor area. This of course involves the harbor authorities, who play a major role regarding protection of the Dutch environment. Further more the harbor authorities have made a film to show, how prevention works. The famous dr. Jan Andries van Franeker, known for his research of plastic in seabirds, plays the role as himself in the film. Franeker is known in the Faroe Islands, since his project also involves the Faroese Fulmars. We could learn a lot from The Netherlands!

Any Waste Any Time - part 1
Any Waste Any Time - part 2

NOLSOY ISLANDERS RESCUING A GANNET
Gannet wrapped in net
The gannet is caught
The net is cut of and removed from the gannet
Released, happy and free from the net
Sadly it is getting more and more common to see birds trapped in all kind of waste. Very few of the birds are as lucky as this Gannet, who was rescued by as many as 3 men from Nólsoy.

And we are even boasting about living in the cleanest sea of all...

Benny, Ba & Pedda 01.09.2009

Photo: Jens-Kjeld Jensen Photo: Jens-Kjeld Jensen Photo: Van Franeker/Alterra. Photo: Van Franeker/Alterra.
Poul Johannes Simonsen & Van Franeker searching for litter in Fulmars Stomach contents in a young Fulmar Stomach contents in a young Laysan Albatross Laysan Albatross feeding the young
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