Important lessons from first-ever historic Oceania Seabird Symposium

Associate Professor Brendon Dunphy from the University of Auckland's School of Biological Sciences, says the groundbreaking Oceania Seabird Symposium highlights the urgent need for collaborative efforts to protect seabird populations. 

Dunphy emphasized that engaging with local communities has been a cornerstone of successful conservation interventions.

"What’s caught my attention is the need to engage with communities; it’s been the underpinning of successful interventions that people have put in place," he says.

Efforts to remove predators such as cats, rats, wild pigs, and stoats from seabird habitats were helped along once local communities became involved, allowing bird populations to expand.

Seabird Migration and Climate Change

Seabirds in Aotearoa and the wider Pacific are facing significant challenges due to climate change. Dunphy noted that many seabirds are now struggling. Ninety percent of New Zealand’s seabird species are under threat due to warmer oceans, reduced food sources, and fishing nets and lines.

"We’re seeing instances where an adult will normally take a day to get some food for its chick, and now it’s taking maybe two or three days, he explained.

"This leads to slower chick growth and increased competition for burrows, resulting in higher chick mortality."

New Zealand, known as the seabird capital of the world, is also witnessing shifts in seabird populations. Dunphy observed that tītī (muttonbirds) in the north are declining, possibly being replaced by the temperate tropical toanui (flesh-footed shearwater).

"We suspect what’s happening is that they’re getting replaced by the toanui, so we feel the tītī are getting pushed further south," he says.

Conservation Strategies

Dunphy advocated for taking the lead from Māori conservation practices, such as implementing rāhui (temporary restrictions) and removing mammalian predators. He also stressed the need for the fishing industry to keep adopting seabird mitigation measures and for collective efforts to address climate change.

"We need as much information from as many perspectives as we can to address it and work out a way forward," he emphasized, and commended the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) for organizing the inaugural Oceania Seabird Symposium.

Dunphy highlighted the interconnectedness of seabirds and their ecosystems.

"What I have found fascinating is these birds are feeding on squid that live at 1,000 meters deep. They eat it, they bring it onto these coral atolls, they poop it out, they vomit it up, and that nutrient then percolates through the atoll, into the groundwater and out to the coral reef, allowing coral to flourish," he explained.

This holistic approach underscores the importance of understanding and protecting seabird habitats.

Fishing Industry and Seabird Mortality

Seabird mortality in the fishing industry remains a significant threat. Dunphy mentioned the work of Seabird ecologist Biz Bell, who conducts necropsies on seabirds to understand their health and causes of death, and led a workshop at the Oceania Seabird Symposium.

"The tragic thing here with the fishing industry’s mortalities is that these birds work as a pair, so one will be out at sea getting food while the other is tending to the chick," he noted.

"When an adult bird is killed, a chick will then only get half the food required. We can really spot when only one parent is feeding the chick; growth rate is so much slower and potentially they won’t make it. It’s just a double tragedy, not only have we lost that adult but the potential impact for that chick is not good."

A Call to Action

Dunphy concluded with a hopeful vision for the future, expressing his desire for his mokopuna (grandchildren) to enjoy healthy seabird populations.

"I’m hoping my mokopuna can get a feed, help increase the health and numbers of seabirds, and basically allow them to persist in a warming and uncertain future," he says.

"What is needed is a coordinated approach to realize this, ideally via a centre for seabird research, based here in Aotearoa and underpinned by mutually beneficial relationships both here and across the broader Pacific."