Seabird happy meals

A team consisting of a BENTHIS  ‘fish discarder’ and an ornithologist stepped onboard the Research Vesssel ‘Thalassa’ during Ifremer’s EVHOE survey last November. This survey covers most of the Bay of Biscay. Their mission: collect buckets of discards (roundfish, cephalopods and invertebrates) and measure all items, before feeding them to the birds.

For each experiment, 2 or 3 buckets were prepared. Discard material needed for the experiment was obtained from fishermen involved in the BENTHIS project (Cote d'Ambre Vessel) and directly from EVHOE survey. After that, the buffet was opened. The first person discarded the buckets during 15-20 minutes, while our Belgium ornithologist  recorded the seabirds behaviour by a digital voice recorder.

During the survey, they managed to do the show 46 times. For each fish, cephalopod or invertebrate that was thrown overboard, the bird biologist recorded which species of bird of which age class picked it, or stole it from another feathered friend (kleptoparasitism). The amount of discarded material estimated not to have been picked by birds was considered as sunk and returned to the benthic environment. In addition, the species and age compositions of the ship following birds have been evaluated prior and after experimental discarding of each bucket.