Many seabirds breed on islands that lie close to shipping lanes where oil spills from these ships could have catastrophic results.
In South Africa, Cape Gannets only breed on two offshore islands and both lie in very close proximity to these shipping lanes where a single large tanker going aground could destroy the islands entire population of seabirds. Careful management of our oceans is needed to ensure that vital habitats and species are protected while at the same time, socio-economic opportunities are still maximized.
