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Occurrence of plastics ingested by Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) destined for human consumption (Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador)
2020
Saturno, Jacquelyn | Liboiron, Max | Ammendolia, Justine | Healey, Natasha | Earles, Elise | Duman, Nadia | Schoot, Ignace | Morris, Tristen | Favaro, Brett
In the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, fishing is a core occupation and also a source of marine plastic pollution. To look at this relationship, we examined 216 gastrointestinal tracts of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) caught by commercial fishers at Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We found three tracts contained plastic for a frequency of occurrence of 1.4%. While this result is consistent with other cod sampled in the province, this study found two gastrointestinal tracts contained intact bait bags, used in commercial pots, and the third tract contained a polypropylene thread, likely originating from fishing rope. Our findings demonstrate the frequency of plastic ingestion in this region is low, but fishing-gear related plastics represent a key source of marine plastics in the region that should be addressed.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]An evaluation of oil spill responses for offshore oil production projects in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: Implications for seabird conservation
2016
Fraser, Gail S. | Racine, Vincent
Seabirds are vulnerable to oil pollution, particularly in cold-water regions. We investigated the response of small spills (<7.95m3) at offshore production platforms in Newfoundland, a region recognized for seabird diversity and abundance. In three environmental assessments for oil production operations Environment Canada requested monitoring and mitigation of small spills potentially impacting seabird populations; suggestions supported by two independent reviews. An industry spill response plan states that operators would collect systematic observations on spills and deploy countermeasures where possible. Operators' spill reports were obtained under an Access to Information request. There were 220 daytime spills with sheens (out of 381 spills; 1997–2010). Of these, six reported time to oil dispersion and eleven the presence or absence of seabirds. Industry self-reporting has not permitted an evaluation of the impact of chronic oil spills on seabirds. We recommend that independent observers be placed on platforms to systematically collect data on spills and seabirds.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]Ingestion of plastic marine debris by Common and Thick-billed Murres in the northwestern Atlantic from 1985 to 2012
2013
Bond, Alexander L. | Provencher, Jennifer F. | Elliot, Richard D. | Ryan, Pierre C. | Rowe, Sherrylynn | Jones, Ian L. | Robertson, Gregory J. | Wilhelm, Sabina I.
Plastic ingestion by seabirds is a growing conservation issue, but there are few time series of plastic ingestion with large sample sizes for which one can assess temporal trends. Common and Thick-billed Murres (Uria aalge and U. lomvia) are pursuit-diving auks that are legally harvested in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Here, we combined previously unpublished data on plastic ingestion (from the 1980s to the 1990s) with contemporary samples (2011–2012) to evaluate changes in murres’ plastic ingestion. Approximately 7% of murres had ingested plastic, with no significant change in the frequency of ingestion among species or periods. The number of pieces of plastic/bird, and mass of plastic/bird were highest in the 1980s, lowest in the late 1990s, and intermediate in contemporary samples. Studying plastic ingestion in harvested seabird populations links harvesters to conservation and health-related issues and is a useful source of large samples for diet and plastic ingestion studies.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]Marine pollution in fledged Leach's storm-petrels (Hydrobates leucorhous) from Baccalieu Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
2021
Krug, David M. | Frith, Rhyl | Wong, Sarah N.P. | Ronconi, Robert A. | Wilhelm, Sabina I. | O'Driscoll, Nelson J. | Mallory, Mark L.
The Leach's storm-petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous) is one of the most abundant and widely distributed marine birds in the North Atlantic but is under global population decline, possibly linked to marine pollution. We determined levels of ingested plastic and hepatic total mercury (THg) in recently fledged juveniles that stranded in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and assessed the relationship to body condition, size and diet. Plastic prevalence was high (87.5%) but hepatic THg was relatively low (mean 486.7 ng/g dry weight) compared to other studies. Levels of neither pollutant were significantly related to body metrics of health. Our data confirm that plastic and mercury are pervasive in the western North Atlantic Ocean, prominent even in young birds.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]Low incidence of plastic ingestion among three fish species significant for human consumption on the island of Newfoundland, Canada
2019
Liboiron, Max | Melvin, Jess | Richárd, Natalie | Saturno, Jacquelyn | Ammendolia, Justine | Liboiron, France | Charron, Louis | Mather, Charles
This study reports the first baselines of plastic ingestion for three fish species that are common commercial and sustenance food fish in Newfoundland. Species collections occurred between 2015 and 2016 for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), and capelin (Mallotus villosus). The frequency of occurrence (%FO) of plastic ingestion for both Atlantic salmon (n = 69) and capelin (n = 350) was 0%. Of the 1010 Atlantic cod individuals collected over two years, 17 individuals had ingested plastics, a %FO of 1.68%. This is the only multi-year investigation of plastic ingestion in Atlantic cod for the Northwest Atlantic, and the first baseline of plastic ingestion in Atlantic salmon and capelin on the island of Newfoundland. Considering the ecological, economic, and cultural importance of these fish species, this study is the beginning of a longitudinal study of plastic ingestion to detect any future changes in contamination levels.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]Rocky shoreline protocols miss microplastics in marine debris surveys (Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador)
2018
McWilliams, Matt | Liboiron, Max | Wiersma, Yolanda
Most anthropogenic marine debris shoreline studies are conducted on sandy shores, rather than rocky coastlines. We amended a standardized protocol for monitoring marine debris on a high-loading beach composed of small rocks and cobbles in Newfoundland, Canada. Our protocol had two parts: we conducted stratified sampling to a depth of ~20cm below the surface of the rocks (standing survey), and surveyed accumulation of items on the surface of rocks every other day (loading survey). We found the vast majority of smaller items were below the surface. Only 17.2% of debris were microplastics (<5mm). Types of anthropogenic debris differed significantly between the standing survey and the loading survey. We found no relationship between either wind direction or wind speed, and distributions of debris. This study allows for a better understanding of marine debris detection along rocky coasts, and the limitations of protocols for studying them.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]Quantification and characterization of plastics in near-shore surface waters of Atlantic Canada
2022
Smith, Ariel | Liboiron, Max | Charron, Louis | McIntyre, Jessie | Hawkins, Kaitlyn | McLean, Katie | Peddle, Sheldon | Moore, Greg | Walzak, Mary Jane | Goodman, Alexa | Fulton, Leah | Fredericks, Shanna | Nodding, Brooke
Plastics are a ubiquitous pollutant in the marine environment. Despite growing concerns, quantitative and qualitative data on microplastics in aquatic and marine environments of Atlantic Canada is just emerging. Surface water plastics were measured and categorized by morphology (thread, microfibre, fragment, foam, film, pellet, and microbead) in two locations in Nova Scotia and one in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. All sites within the three locations contained plastic with an average abundance of 9669 items/km². Most plastics (68 %) were sized as microplastics (0.425–5 mm), and plastic fragments were the most common morphological type. Polyethylene accounted for a third (30 %) of all particles found across all three locations, followed by polypropylene (23 %). Results can inform future research for community-based environmental groups, government, and academia.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]Annual plastic ingestion and isotopic niche patterns of two sympatric gull species at Newfoundland, Canada
2021
Jardine, Alexander M. | Provencher, Jennifer F. | Pratte, Isabeau | Holland, Erika R. | Baak, Julia E. | Robertson, Gregory J. | Mallory, Mark L.
Ingestion of plastic pollution by pelagic seabirds is well-documented globally, but increasingly, researchers are investigating plastic ingestion in generalist predators and scavengers like gulls. We studied the gut contents of two sympatric gull species, American herring gulls (Larus smithsoniansus) and great black-backed gulls (L. marinus), collected year-round as part of “kill-to-scare” measures at the regional sanitary landfill in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, to compare ingested anthropogenic debris, trophic position and diet breadth through the year. Although great black-backed gulls fed at a higher trophic level, frequency of occurrence of plastic ingestion was similar to American herring gulls, and varied little through the year. Diet breadth (isotopic niche size) was similar between species, but American herring gulls fed at a lower trophic level during winter, perhaps indicating a change in their reliance on anthropogenic food subsidies throughout their annual cycle.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]A zero percent plastic ingestion rate by silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis) from the south coast of Newfoundland, Canada
2018
Liboiron, France | Ammendolia, Justine | Saturno, Jacquelyn | Melvin, Jess | Zahara, Alex | Richárd, Natalie | Liboiron, Max
Silver hake, (Merluccius bilinearis), contributes significant biomass to Northwest Atlantic ecosystems. The incidence of plastic ingestion for 134 individuals collected from Newfoundland, Canada was examined through visual examination of gastrointestinal contents and Raman spectrometry. We found a frequency of occurrence of ingestion of 0%. Through a comprehensive literature review of globally published fish ingestion studies, we found our value to be consistent with 41% (n = 100) of all reported fish ingestion rates. We could not statistically compare silver hake results to other species due to low sample sizes in other studies (less than n = 20) and a lack of standardized sampling methods. We recommend that further studies should 1) continue to report 0% plastic ingestion rates and 2) should describe location and species-specific traits that may contribute to 0% ingestion rates, particularly in locations where fish consumption has cultural and economic significance.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]Analyzing tree cores to detect petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater at a former landfill site in the community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, eastern Canadian subarctic
2016
Fonkwe, Merline L. D. | Trapp, Stefan
This research examines the feasibility of analyzing tree cores to detect benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and m, p, o-xylene (BTEX) compounds and methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) in groundwater in eastern Canada subarctic environments, using a former landfill site in the remote community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination at the landfill site is the result of environmentally unsound pre-1990s disposal of households and industrial solid wastes. Tree cores were taken from trembling aspen, black spruce, and white birch and analyzed by headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. BTEX compounds were detected in tree cores, corroborating known groundwater contamination. A zone of anomalously high concentrations of total BTEX constituents was identified and recommended for monitoring by groundwater wells. Tree cores collected outside the landfill site at a local control area suggest the migration of contaminants off-site. Tree species exhibit different concentrations of BTEX constituents, indicating selective uptake and accumulation. Toluene in wood exhibited the highest concentrations, which may also be due to endogenous production. Meanwhile, MTBE was not found in the tree cores and is considered to be absent in the groundwater. The results demonstrate that tree-core analysis can be useful for detecting anomalous concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons, such as BTEX compounds, in subarctic sites with shallow unconfined aquifers and permeable soils. This method can therefore aid in the proper management of contamination during landfill operations and after site closures.
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