Northern gannets form spectacular cliff colonies but face bycatch risks, entanglement in marine debris, and food scarcity driven by overfishing and climate change.
Gannet welfare is threatened primarily by bycatch - birds become hooked on longlines or entangled in abandoned fishing nets, causing painful injuries and drowning. Chicks that starve when parents cannot locate sufficient prey suffer prolonged weakness. Marine plastic debris used as nesting material can entangle adults and chicks at the colony.