Atlantic Puffins mainly congregate at large breeding colonies on offshore islands in Atlantic Canada. They were hunted heavily in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but populations have since regained some of their former abundance and range. Population trends vary among colonies but overall, the population has exhibited a moderate increase in abundance in Canada since about 1970. Although population trends are generally positive, the species is sensitive to fisheries bycatch and other anthropogenic threats; ongoing monitoring is warranted for this charismatic species. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
Prior to the 1990s, many Atlantic Puffins were drowned in both surface-set and submerged fishing nets around Newfoundland. This form of bycatch has been drastically reduced because commercial salmon and cod fishing are currently limited (Lowther et al. 2002). Increasing oil development in Atlantic Canada may put the species at risk from chronic or accidental oil pollution (Lowther et al. 2002). Young puffins fledging from their colonies at night are attracted to nearby coastal communities where they risk injury or death, highlighting the importance of mitigating human light pollution along coastlines bordering colonies (Wilhelm et al. 2013). Disruptions in the marine food web and increases in the abundance of predatory gulls have affected breeding and survival, respectively (Gaston et al. 2009), and merit ongoing monitoring.
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.
