Marine plastic is taking its toll on Grassholm Island's gannets

Bristol-based wildlife photographer Sam Hobson visited Grassholm Island, eight miles off the Pembrokeshire coast, to document an RSPB rescue mission to cut free gannets entangled in manmade waste.

While on the island, which is a breeding ground for 36,000 gannet pairs, he took a photograph of one of the birds with trapped in a net.

"This panicked adult gannet struggled as it dangled from a cliff side, with ropes twisted around its neck like a hangman's noose.

"The brave volunteers risked their own lives to creep to the edge of the cliff top and rescue this bird from its death sentence," Mr Hobson

.

The birds fly out to sea to collect seaweed to line their nest, but often pick up piece of plastic and other manmade waste.

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"The gannets line their nests with these man-made plastic fibres and their nests become death-traps, entangling adult birds and juveniles as they develop inside the nest," Mr Hobson added.

There are an estimated 20 tonnes of plastic waste on Grassholm Island.

Mr Hobson’s photograph of the trapped gannet was used by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in a series highlighting problems across the natural world.

The series of photos was produced in the wake of a global study by the UN into biodiversity across the world.

The report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services found that one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction due to humans.

Rescue trips to Grassholm are led annually by Greg and Lisa Morgan, RSPB wardens at Ramsey Island.

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A spokesman for RSPB Cymru said staff and volunteers had freed more than 600 birds from marine litter since 2005, which otherwise might have led to the slow death of gannets.

“Unfortunately, not all are so lucky and some die during the breeding season tethered to their own nests,” he said.

The spokesman added the RSPB had looked at removing all the plastic from nests on the island, but this would destroy the structure of the colony.

“Freeing individual birds is the most viable option for our staff in the short term.

“The longer-term requires everyone to come together to win the war against single-use plastics that is causing problems for nature on a worldwide scale,” he said.

Since Mr Hobson’s image was published, there have been attempts by well-meaning boat owners to clear plastic from around Grassholm.

The RSPB has advised against this to avoid disturbing the nests of birds on the island.

“We’re thankful for members of the public offering their time and effort, but we must adhere to the no public landing policy and leave the matter to RSPB Cymru staff,” said the spokesman.