Azores see approval of new marine litter bioindicator with Cory's shearwaters playing key role - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Mar e das Pescas

Portugal's proposal to adopt Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) as a common bioindicator of floating plastic pollution in Region V (Wider Atlantic) was officially approved ar the ministerial meeting of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR), held in Vigo last week. 

The proposal, led by the Azorean Government, through the Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries - Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies, is supported by scientific research carried out by Yasmina Rodríguez and Christopher Pham, researchers at the OKEANOS - Institute for Marine Science Research (University of the Azores). It stems from a monitoring programme launched in 2015, based on an internationally recognised citizen science campaign — “SOS Cagarro.”

This new indicator assesses the quantity, composition and trends of plastic ingested by juvenile shearwater specimens found dead during the nesting period. It, thus, complements existing OSPAR mechanisms for marine litter, especially in a region where the species Fulmar glacialis, used in other areas as a bioindicator, does not occur.

Additionally, an environmental assessment threshold was proposed and approved: at most, 20% of the juvenile specimens analysed should contain more than 4 plastic particles in their stomachs, based on a minimum sample of 200 birds over five consecutive years.

It is now expected that the ministerial meeting will reiterate the political commitment to implementing this new indicator, strengthening regional collaboration and contributing to the targets of the North-East Atlantic Environmental Strategy 2030 (NEAES 2030).

OSPAR is the main instrument for regional cooperation on ocean conservation in this vast area. The 2025 ministerial meeting, under the theme of assessment and ambition, was a strategic moment where countries reiterated their commitment to NEAES 2030 and defined specific actions to address climate and biodiversity challenges.

In this context, the approval of Cory's shearwaters as a common bioindicator is not just a scientific and technical achievement.  It also represents a tangible contribution to a cooperative governance model, through which the Azores can join forces with other areas of Macaronesia, namely Madeira and the Canary Islands, to effectively monitor plastic pollution in one of the most biodiverse regions of the Atlantic.

The approval of this bioindicator by OSPAR represents a clear recognition of the Azores' role at the forefront of Atlantic protection, highlighting the Region's commitment to tackling marine litter pollution and promoting innovative scientific solutions with international impact.