Plastic pollution ranks among the planet’s most urgent environmental problems, with oceans bearing a heavy burden. Studies point to alarming findings: an enormous share of seabirds ingest plastic, and researchers warn that humans could be consuming plastic equivalent to a credit card every week. A collaborative study brings together experts from Portugal, France, and Spain to examine how plastics affect marine life and seabirds.
The research will unfold through a comprehensive survey. The SeaBiL project, short for Rescuing Seabirds from Marine Litter, began earlier this year after three years of preparation.
The initiative is overseen at a broad level by the French conservation organization Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO) and its LIENS laboratories through the University of La Rochelle, by SPEA of Portugal, and by the University of Almería in collaboration with SEO/BirdLife. It brings together institutions across both sides of the Atlantic to study the issue from multiple angles.
Plastic exerts severe harm on birds. Beyond causing fatalities through ingestion, it jeopardizes their habitats and reduces reproductive success, affecting the overall health of seabird populations.
The project aims to establish the true impact of plastics on seabirds across six pilot sites where most activities will occur: four in Spain (Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve in Vizcaya; Santoña, Victoria and Joyel Marshes Nature Park in Cantabria; Cabo de Gata Nature Park in Almería; and Ebro Delta Nature Park in Tarragona); one in France (Gironde Estuary and Pertuis Sea Marine Nature Park); and one in Portugal (Berlengas Islands Nature Reserve), spanning the Atlantic coast and portions of the Spanish Mediterranean.
four line business
The SeaBiL Life project, funded by the European Commission, outlines four main work streams, with several already underway:
Develop and coordinate beach cleanups and monitor seabirds along the coastline.
Expand knowledge about how plastics affect the seabird community and identify species that can serve as indicators of environmental quality.
Determine the primary sources and types of litter entering the sea to optimize management and prevention strategies.
Enhance awareness and public sensitivity campaigns to engage communities and stakeholders.
Collaborations will be formed with various institutions, organizations, and public or private entities to drive actions. The goal is to create networks that can continue operating after the project ends.
“Wildlife rescue centers play a crucial role because they receive, hold, and conduct initial analyses of birds found along our shores, often in fragile condition,” notes Felipe González, a Cantabria delegate for SEO/BirdLife. “Plastic remnants, visible and invisible to the naked eye, may be stored in the birds themselves.”
In mid-June, the first project workshop occurred at the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, gathering partners and representatives from wildlife rescue centers and groups studying marine ecosystems. During the meeting, sampling guidelines for border birds were established.
Creating a tissue bank
To address data gaps, the SeaBiL project acts as a transnational monitoring network for collecting coastal seabirds and storing samples at rehabilitation centers.
As summer brings waves of tourists to coastal areas, awareness days and community engagement activities are planned to involve citizens in addressing the pollution issue in our seas.
In the long term, the project aims to establish a tissue bank to enable analysis of collected birds and to develop indicators that reflect the ecological status of seabirds and the coastline overall. An onshore seabird and wreck monitoring tool will be made accessible to the public and feed data at national and transnational levels.
Furthermore, citizens will be encouraged to use a dedicated app for recording seabirds encountered along beaches, helping researchers track trends year-round. Birds washing up on shores due to tides or other causes can be documented by visitors and residents alike, contributing to the dataset.
Users will also have access to data on beach litter through a public-facing platform supported by partner organizations dedicated to reducing pollution.
Reference materials for this project are available from the SeaBiL program and related marine conservation networks. Attribution: SeaBiL project and SEO/BirdLife Maritime Program provide ongoing information and context about these efforts.
Reference sites: SeaBiL project site and SEO/BirdLife Marine Program provide project-context and updates.