Publication Date:
2019-08-08
Description:
Ship speed may have an important effect on the results of seabird surveys. We
counted seabirds on a 20.5 X 0.3 km transect in the Kattegat that was sailed nine times with
the RV "Heincke." Ship speed alternated between 9 knots and 5 knots. The numbers of the
most common species, the Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larusfuscus), were significantly higher
when the ship was sailing at lower speed similar to that of commercial fishing vessel when
trawling in the area. It is postulated that scavenging species( e.g., gulls) are attracte to the low speed of vessels whereas non-scavengers (e.g. auks) are not
Type:
Article
,
PeerReviewed
Format:
text
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