ILJones
2023-11-20 16:33:48 UTC
This bird, recently the most abundant breeding seabird in Newfoundland and Labrador, is currently at grave risk of extirpation, with a precipitous population decline by half or more in the last 25 years, making it one of the most endangered and rapidly disappearing bird species in Canada. Its status as a dominant bird of the Northwest Atlantic should direct concern about its conservation – it is one of our most important Atlantic Canadian seabirds. Millions of these birds have vanished. Metaphorically, Leach’s Storm-petrels are our marine Passenger Pigeon, whose fate is linked to viability of a marine ecosystem and regulation of industrial activity in it. Storm-petrels, not to be confused with petrels (Procellariidae) that are in a different family, are so-named because of their tendency to wreck in large numbers (especially recently-fledged juveniles) after windstorms. This type of wreck is not a conservation issue, but does provide spectacles for birders (cf. Holyrood storm-petrels here on nf.birds).
Endangerment of bird species seldom relates to a single cause, and this is true for Leach’s Storm-petrels, that are likely being harmed by unfavourable ocean climate related to anthropogenic climate change, and by invasion of their breeding colony sites by predatory Herring and Great Black-backed Gull populations subsidised for many decades by urban and fisheries waste. Further, Leach’s Storm-petrel colonies have been wiped out by introduced mammals at several sites in Atlantic Canada, a grave threat to many seabird species globally. Nevertheless, the overwhelming cause of this species’ destruction in Newfoundland is not likely any of these^ factors – it is certainly due to light pollution related to offshore industrial activity and onshore development near their breeding colony sites, causing fatal light attraction.
What exactly is this phenomenon? Leach’s Storm-petrels are seabirds active by day and night. Their ‘lunarphobic’ activity over breeding colonies is restricted to dark nights to avoid predatory gulls, so they are sometimes referred to as a ‘nocturnal’, but this is misleading as most of their movement and foraging activity at sea in Newfoundland takes place in broad daylight. On very dark nights with no visible stars, moon or horizon, and often with rain, drizzle, and fog, storm-petrels (and petrels, auklets, murrelets, eiders and other species) lose situational awareness and fly into or closely circle artificial light point sources (like moths attracted to outside lighting in summer). For Leach’s Storm-petrels, this occurs throughout spring, summer and fall (May-November), mostly offshore as these are pelagic seabirds, but also occurs at coastal locations including brightly lit wharves, shore facilities and lighthouses. The result is frequently catastrophic, with disoriented birds striking lights and nearby structures including windows, masts, bulkheads, railings, hot exhausts stacks, whip antennae, power lines, guy wires, radio antenna wires and vessel superstructure. Some birds are killed directly with broken necks and internal injuries, others suffer wing injuries rendering them flightless (fatal), drop exhausted and become entrapped in buckets and containers, become oiled, or become water-soaked and unable to fly leading to drowning and hypothermia. In some events, downed birds are killed by gulls and (at lighthouses) terrestrial predators. In the largest events, referred to as ‘bird-storms’ by Alaskan fishermen, thousands or even tens of thousands of light-attracted birds (typically storm-petrels) die in a few hours. In Newfoundland, the nexus of this horror is the offshore oilfield, with fixed and floating production facilities, drilling rigs and support vessels concentrated near the shelf break (close to Leach’s Storm-petrel critical offshore habitat), together creating fatal light attraction and incineration at flares. As if this isn’t bad enough, the lighthouse at Cape Race kills at least hundreds every year (including adults, that k-selected species cannot afford to lose). Rapidly expanding urban sprawl in the Bay Bulls – Witless Bay – Tors Cove area is creating a steady increase in light pollution that if allowed to continue will render islands in the Witless Bay Seabird Ecological Reserve unfit for Leach’s Storm-petrel (cf. lunarphobia, above). This species’ activity above ground at colonies is restricted to the darkest nights because they can only avoid predators in near total darkness. A growing halo of suburban light is stealing night from these Leach’s Storm-petrel colonies, that are home to a substantial proportion of this species’ population in the North Atlantic.
In a horrific case of ‘I told you so’ (I cringe to recall this), in 1996-1998 discussions with the Canadian Wildlife Service, I referred to the under construction Hibernia platform as likely to create a “storm-petrel massacre”, citing eyewitness accounts of events offshore, and my own extensive at-sea experience with light attraction. There was no way I could envision a k-selected (long life span, delayed age-at-first-breeding, low reproductive rate) seabird species could withstand expected adult mortality, and that if light and flare attractions proceeded, the prognosis for this species was grim. Unfortunately, we now know the extent of this ongoing tragedy, that need not have happened. The grave risk of fatal light attraction to Leach’s Storm-petrel has been repeatedly brought up by myself and others submitting comments in Environmental Impact Assessments of offshore oil and gas projects. The solutions are well known and common sense: turning off unnecessary lights, hoods covering lights to restrict illumination only to necessary areas, a ban on night-time flaring, and generally a drastic reduction in light pollution. We have begged the Canadian government to enact light and flare control in the offshore. To no avail. Instead, regulation is getting more lax, with a moratorium of environmental reviews of new offshore oil exploration projects. Not only has nothing been done to stop the massacre, it is likely to get much worse with the incredible expansion of offshore oil activity in Newfoundland. To me, this experience recalls the tobacco industry’s organized efforts to obfuscate on whether smoking causes cancer, and of the fossil fuel industry to deny anthropogenic climate change.
What needs to be done? First, we need to recognize that Leach’s Storm-petrels are not ‘avoiding’ the offshore oilfield, nor is there any doubt about whether ‘light is the problem’, nor is there any doubt about the main cause of this species’ demise. A catastrophe is underway that requires immediate action. Specifically, I believe we need to: 1) by regulation, implement drastic light reduction immediately in the offshore including a ban on night-time flaring, 2) force the offshore oil sector to permit independent observers on offshore rigs and vessels to measure and promptly report environmental damage (including storm-petrel death) to the public (this has been requested repeatedly in EISs), 3) if necessary, shut down offshore petroleum activity in Newfoundland entirely to save the bird (i.e., pick one or the other), 4) discuss with fishermen measures to recognize conditions likely to favour light attraction and planning to extinguish lights before events can begin, and 5) by regulation, reduce and restrict urban lighting close of our seabird ecological reserves. This is not a situation where we ‘need more research’ to look into the phenomenon – we should tolerate no further distractions, deceptions, obfuscation, biostitution, surveillance-avoidance, and delaying tactics and simply shut off the lights (and flares) to save this endangered seabird.
ilj
Endangerment of bird species seldom relates to a single cause, and this is true for Leach’s Storm-petrels, that are likely being harmed by unfavourable ocean climate related to anthropogenic climate change, and by invasion of their breeding colony sites by predatory Herring and Great Black-backed Gull populations subsidised for many decades by urban and fisheries waste. Further, Leach’s Storm-petrel colonies have been wiped out by introduced mammals at several sites in Atlantic Canada, a grave threat to many seabird species globally. Nevertheless, the overwhelming cause of this species’ destruction in Newfoundland is not likely any of these^ factors – it is certainly due to light pollution related to offshore industrial activity and onshore development near their breeding colony sites, causing fatal light attraction.
What exactly is this phenomenon? Leach’s Storm-petrels are seabirds active by day and night. Their ‘lunarphobic’ activity over breeding colonies is restricted to dark nights to avoid predatory gulls, so they are sometimes referred to as a ‘nocturnal’, but this is misleading as most of their movement and foraging activity at sea in Newfoundland takes place in broad daylight. On very dark nights with no visible stars, moon or horizon, and often with rain, drizzle, and fog, storm-petrels (and petrels, auklets, murrelets, eiders and other species) lose situational awareness and fly into or closely circle artificial light point sources (like moths attracted to outside lighting in summer). For Leach’s Storm-petrels, this occurs throughout spring, summer and fall (May-November), mostly offshore as these are pelagic seabirds, but also occurs at coastal locations including brightly lit wharves, shore facilities and lighthouses. The result is frequently catastrophic, with disoriented birds striking lights and nearby structures including windows, masts, bulkheads, railings, hot exhausts stacks, whip antennae, power lines, guy wires, radio antenna wires and vessel superstructure. Some birds are killed directly with broken necks and internal injuries, others suffer wing injuries rendering them flightless (fatal), drop exhausted and become entrapped in buckets and containers, become oiled, or become water-soaked and unable to fly leading to drowning and hypothermia. In some events, downed birds are killed by gulls and (at lighthouses) terrestrial predators. In the largest events, referred to as ‘bird-storms’ by Alaskan fishermen, thousands or even tens of thousands of light-attracted birds (typically storm-petrels) die in a few hours. In Newfoundland, the nexus of this horror is the offshore oilfield, with fixed and floating production facilities, drilling rigs and support vessels concentrated near the shelf break (close to Leach’s Storm-petrel critical offshore habitat), together creating fatal light attraction and incineration at flares. As if this isn’t bad enough, the lighthouse at Cape Race kills at least hundreds every year (including adults, that k-selected species cannot afford to lose). Rapidly expanding urban sprawl in the Bay Bulls – Witless Bay – Tors Cove area is creating a steady increase in light pollution that if allowed to continue will render islands in the Witless Bay Seabird Ecological Reserve unfit for Leach’s Storm-petrel (cf. lunarphobia, above). This species’ activity above ground at colonies is restricted to the darkest nights because they can only avoid predators in near total darkness. A growing halo of suburban light is stealing night from these Leach’s Storm-petrel colonies, that are home to a substantial proportion of this species’ population in the North Atlantic.
In a horrific case of ‘I told you so’ (I cringe to recall this), in 1996-1998 discussions with the Canadian Wildlife Service, I referred to the under construction Hibernia platform as likely to create a “storm-petrel massacre”, citing eyewitness accounts of events offshore, and my own extensive at-sea experience with light attraction. There was no way I could envision a k-selected (long life span, delayed age-at-first-breeding, low reproductive rate) seabird species could withstand expected adult mortality, and that if light and flare attractions proceeded, the prognosis for this species was grim. Unfortunately, we now know the extent of this ongoing tragedy, that need not have happened. The grave risk of fatal light attraction to Leach’s Storm-petrel has been repeatedly brought up by myself and others submitting comments in Environmental Impact Assessments of offshore oil and gas projects. The solutions are well known and common sense: turning off unnecessary lights, hoods covering lights to restrict illumination only to necessary areas, a ban on night-time flaring, and generally a drastic reduction in light pollution. We have begged the Canadian government to enact light and flare control in the offshore. To no avail. Instead, regulation is getting more lax, with a moratorium of environmental reviews of new offshore oil exploration projects. Not only has nothing been done to stop the massacre, it is likely to get much worse with the incredible expansion of offshore oil activity in Newfoundland. To me, this experience recalls the tobacco industry’s organized efforts to obfuscate on whether smoking causes cancer, and of the fossil fuel industry to deny anthropogenic climate change.
What needs to be done? First, we need to recognize that Leach’s Storm-petrels are not ‘avoiding’ the offshore oilfield, nor is there any doubt about whether ‘light is the problem’, nor is there any doubt about the main cause of this species’ demise. A catastrophe is underway that requires immediate action. Specifically, I believe we need to: 1) by regulation, implement drastic light reduction immediately in the offshore including a ban on night-time flaring, 2) force the offshore oil sector to permit independent observers on offshore rigs and vessels to measure and promptly report environmental damage (including storm-petrel death) to the public (this has been requested repeatedly in EISs), 3) if necessary, shut down offshore petroleum activity in Newfoundland entirely to save the bird (i.e., pick one or the other), 4) discuss with fishermen measures to recognize conditions likely to favour light attraction and planning to extinguish lights before events can begin, and 5) by regulation, reduce and restrict urban lighting close of our seabird ecological reserves. This is not a situation where we ‘need more research’ to look into the phenomenon – we should tolerate no further distractions, deceptions, obfuscation, biostitution, surveillance-avoidance, and delaying tactics and simply shut off the lights (and flares) to save this endangered seabird.
ilj