Food scarcity

Photo: J Kemper
Photo: J Kemper

Causes of food scarcity for Namibia's seabirds:

  • Overfishing of anchovy and sardine populations by commercial fisheries: African Penguin, Cape Gannet and Cape Cormorant. Food scarcity was a major driver of recent large decreases of these species, which led to all being listed by the IUCN as Endangered
  • Overfishing of rock lobster: Bank Cormorant, also listed by the IUCN as Endangered
  • Changes in ocean temperature and currents affecting the distribution of fish populations
  • Competition with commercial and subsistence fishing operations
  • Coastal development and pollution reducing the availability of breeding and feeding habitats

Effects of food scarcity for Namibia's seabirds:

  • Decline in seabird populations
  • Altered trophic dynamics in the ecosystem
  • Decreased reproductive success and survival rates in seabirds
  • Shifts in distribution and migration patterns of seabirds
  • Negative impacts on the ecosystem services provided by seabirds, such as nutrient cycling and pest control.

» Read about the NAMCOB Project to Improve Food Availability.