The fulmar and flotsam

When fulmars scoop up their food from the sea they ingest flotsam, such as plastic. Increasing amounts of plastic are being found in the stomachs of these birds.

Trends

Between 1982 and 2000 there was an increase in the amounts of plastic in the stomachs of autopsied fulmars. In particular there was a signifcant increase in the amounts of regular plastic and a significant decrease in the amounts of industrial plastic. Of the dead fulmars autopsied in the late 1990s, 97% had regular plastic in their stomachs (on average, 0.53 g per bird) and 64% had industrial plastic in their stomachs (on average, 0.08 g per bird).

The amounts of plastic in the stomachs of fulmars washed up on Dutch beaches is related to the amount of flotsam in the Noordzee (North Sea). The main sources of flotsam (including plastics) in the Noordzee are cargo ships, fishing, recreation and offshore industry. Some flotsam reaches the sea from the land, either blown by the wind or transported by rivers.

Fulmars live on the open sea, where they pick up plastic and other flotsam. Ingested plastic stays in the stomach and can reduce the bird's appetite and damage the stomach wall.