Wild Gannet Colony Disturbance and Plastic Entanglement

Northern gannets face welfare threats from plastic entanglement in nesting materials and human disturbance at breeding colonies.

Key Facts

Northern gannets nest in dense colonies on sea cliffs and islands around Britain and Ireland
The Bass Rock gannet colony in Scotland is the world's largest with over 75,000 breeding pairs
Gannets incorporate plastic netting and fishing line into their nests, causing entanglement
Entanglement in nest plastic causes limb constriction, injuries and death in chicks and adults
Studies show plastic present in over 90% of gannet nests at some colonies
Human disturbance at colonies during breeding causes nest abandonment and chick mortality
Gannets are protected at breeding colonies under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act
Gannet populations have generally increased in recent decades despite plastic threats

Welfare Considerations

Plastic entanglement in gannet nests causes significant individual welfare harm. Chicks entangled in nesting plastic suffer limb constriction leading to gangrene and death. Adults caught in plastic while brooding or feeding chicks may be unable to free themselves. At colony scale, the accumulated harm from widespread plastic incorporation into nests represents thousands of individual welfare incidents each breeding season. Removing ghost fishing gear and plastic from marine environments directly reduces gannet nest plastic availability.

What You Can Do

Participate in beach and coastal clean-up events to reduce plastic entering the marine environment
Support Marine Conservation Society and RNLI ghost gear retrieval programmes
Visit gannet colonies from appropriate viewing distances - never approach breeding birds
Dispose of fishing line, netting and rope responsibly - never leave them near coastal areas
Support organisations lobbying for extended producer responsibility for marine plastic