BirdLife Malta Calls On State To Save Vulnerable Shearwaters By Regulating Shipping And Light Pollution
Prompted by a study published in the Journal of Ornithology, BirdLife Malta is calling for the government to regulate light emissions and shipping activity, which negatively impacts the breeding habits of nocturnal seabirds – Yelokouan Shearwaters – in particular.
The study published by JO was based on the fact that nocturnal seabird species are less active in – and actively avoid – conditions with bright natural or artificial light.
Yelkouan Shearwaters are considered vulnerable to extinction. Known as Garnija in Maltese, these nocturnal seabirds nest in deep burrows and caves in limestone cliffs. Given that 10% of the global population nests in Malta, their protection here can have an impact on the survival of the species as a whole.
To avoid the threat of predators, they fly mostly by the cover of the night and tend not to approach cliffs during the day.
They are highly dependent on a lack of brightness for their safety, so they are well attuned to the cycles of the moon – but this synchronicity can be disrupted by light pollution.
According to BirdLife Malta, breeding colonies have previously been abandoned due to human activities such as shipping, and resulting light pollution.
Ornithologists conducting this study found that direct illumination from ships increased cliff face brightness – which resulted in significantly reduced colony attendance.
Under these bright conditions, roughly 18% fewer shearwaters entered the colony.
The study outlined how this sort of disruption could have both short- and long-term effects on breeding success, physiological condition, and colony viability.
If left unregulated, light pollution from ships could contribute to the destruction of entire colonies of Yelkouan Shearwaters.
To mitigate this environmental destruction, the study suggested the implementation of “local regulations which are necessary for colony-specific impact reduction” along with measures such as “black-out blinds, fixture shielding and maximum brightness limits” for ships docked off the coast.
BirdLife Malta is amplifying the study’s appeals to government regulation.
In a statement, BirdLife said that “research clearly shows that the presence of ships increased the brightness of the colony, with an effect similar to a full moon”.
Examples of ship based light pollution, shared by BirdLife
“Shearwaters avoid entering the colony in higher levels of light, so they may not be able to feed chicks as regularly as needed if ship traffic artificially illuminates a colony.”
BirdLife Malta echoed the study’s recommendations – seeking to put pressure on the government to take action against damaging shipping industry practices – as it has in the past.
“The refueling of ships is taking place within protected marine Natura 2000 sites, and Maltese Authorities should decrease light pollution within these protected sites while setting the example on vessels’ light regulations across the Mediterranean.”
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