Ocean signals: why seabirds are the key to marine ecosystem health

Seabirds: the ocean’s early warning system

Seabirds: the ocean’s early warning system

The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), supported by UNESCO and other international bodies, recognizes seabirds as Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs). This designation underscores their role in monitoring changes in ocean conditions, such as shifts in prey availability or habitat degradation caused by overfishing, climate change, and pollution.

Long-term monitoring programs, like NOAA’s Beach Watch, have demonstrated that seabird health offers early signals of broader marine ecosystem disruption. These signals are crucial not only for biodiversity protection, but also for fisheries, coastal planning, and climate resilience.

Mounting threats to seabird populations

Mounting threats to seabird populations

Seabirds are among the most threatened bird groups globally. Several factors contribute to their decline, including:

• Bycatch in fisheries – Accidental capture in fishing gear remains one of the most persistent and widespread threats.
• Climate change – Disrupts prey distribution and ocean dynamics, affecting seabird foraging success and breeding.
• Pollution – Seabirds ingest plastics and accumulate harmful toxins that move up the marine food web.
• Habitat loss – Coastal development, human disturbance, and invasive species affect nesting and roosting sites.

These pressures not only impact seabirds directly, but also indicate underlying instability across marine ecosystems. As such, changes in seabird abundance or distribution can serve as measurable proxies for ecosystem-level risk.

The imperative for advanced seabird monitoring

The imperative for advanced seabird monitoring

Given the remoteness and scale of marine environments, monitoring seabird populations is logistically challenging. That’s why tools like Spoor’s AI-powered camera systems are so important. These systems enable:

• Year-round, high-resolution data capture — for both presence and behavior
• Species-level identification — currently systems are trained by ornithologists, with computer vision models in development
• Remote deployment — including on buoys, offshore substations, and floating platforms
• Integration with oceanographic conditions — to contextualize patterns of movement and habitat use

This combination makes it possible to detect early signs of ecosystem change, assess risk, and support decisions grounded in continuous biodiversity data.

Policy alignment and international cooperation

Policy alignment and international cooperation

Spoor’s work aligns with growing regulatory focus on biodiversity data in offshore permitting. Seabird monitoring is central to several global frameworks, including:

• The IUCN Red List and Important Bird Areas (IBAs)
• The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP)
• European and national reporting under Natura 2000 and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation

Data from seabird monitoring helps assess compliance with these frameworks, inform adaptive management, and support net gain and conservation targets.

Smarter monitoring for a healthier ocean

Smarter monitoring for a healthier ocean

Spoor’s technology isn’t just about tracking birds—it’s about understanding the health of our oceans. By using seabirds as indicators, we unlock actionable insights for regulators, developers, and conservation stakeholders alike. The value of this monitoring extends from environmental due diligence to long-term marine ecosystem management.

References

References

1. Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). Link
2. NOAA’s Beach Watch Program. Link
3. Seabird Conservation Status, Threats and Priority Actions: A Global Assessment. Bird Conservation International, Cambridge University Press
4. Seabirds as Sentinels of Ocean Health. Shape of Life
5. Monitoring to Conservation: Plastics and Seabirds. Cambridge Prisms: Plastics
6. Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP). Wikipedia