Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) have the unfortunate habit of eating almost anything they encounter at the surface of the sea, including marine litter like plastics. Studies in the Netherlands have shown that in the Southern North Sea almost every Fulmar (98% of the birds) has plastics in the stomach.
Plastics in fulmar stomachs In March 2002, the Ministers of the North Sea countries decided to start a system of so-called Ecological Quality Objectives for the North Sea (EcoQO's).  One of the EcoQO's concerns levels of marine litter as measured by the amount of plastic in stomachs of Fulmars. Pilot study in North Sea countries A pilot study in all North Sea countries will advise on an efficient set-up for monitoring this Fulmar-Litter-EcoQO. The study will include target levels considered to represent an ecologically clean and healthy North Sea. Dr Jan Andries van Franeker is the international Fulmar project co-ordinator based at Alterra-Texel Marine and Coastal Zone Research in The Netherlands. Read about the Fulmar Read about the Ecological Quality Objectives Download reports		Photo ALTERRA-Franeker