Seabirds of the Benguela Bounty

SEABIRDS OF THE BENGUELA BOUNTY: AFRICAN PENGUINS, GANNETS AND CORMORANTS

Dr Alistair McInnes, Seabird Conservation Programme Manager, Birdlife South Africa; research affiliate, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University

Monday 20 January  3.00 pm  COURSE FEES R110; Staff and students R55

This lecture will focus on the plight of threatened Benguela seabird species: African penguins, Cape gannets and Cape cormorants, and their specialised association with their principal prey, sardine and anchovy, which are also the target of the largest commercial net-fishing system by volume in South Africa, purse-seining.

The lecture will provide a general background to the Benguela Upwelling Ecosystem and where these charismatic seabird species fit in. The current conservation challenges facing these species will be discussed, with an emphasis on the sustainable management of their common prey and other threats such as marine noise pollution. The lecture will conclude with the discussion of work being done by various stakeholders to address these challenges.

This lecture is related to the excursion on page 22.

Recommended reading

Crawford, R.J.M. et al. (n.d.). Food limitation of seabirds in the Benguela ecosystem and management of their prey base. pp. 1–11.

Punt, A. et al. 2023. Report of the international review panel regarding fishing closures adjacent to South Africa’s African penguin breeding colonies and declines in the penguin population. Prepared for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). Pretoria, South Africa.

Roux, J.P. et al. 2013. Jellyfication of marine ecosystems as a consequence of overfishing small pelagic fish: lessons from the Benguela. Bulletin of Marine Science. 89. pp. 249–284.

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Alistair’s research is largely focused on threatened seabird species, their ecology, behaviour and interactions with human activities that threaten their survival. South African marine territories are home to a rich plethora of seabird species that are increasingly under threat by processes driven by global change phenomena, such as unsustainable fishing practices and climate change. Understanding these influences and, more importantly, using this knowledge to develop solutions to these threats is a huge challenge for seabird conservation.

Alistair is currently the Seabird Conservation Programme Manager for BirdLife South Africa. A large part of his work involves engagement with various fisheries stakeholders in adopting an ecosystem approach to fisheries management. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this work is developing tools to mitigate resource competition for the 3 Benguela endemics, Cape Gannet, African Penguin and Cape Cormorant, all species that have recently been classified as endangered. Alistair is interested in applying ecological research into the drivers of these prey supplies and using this information to inform resource management.