THE DIETS OF COMMON AND BRUNNICHS GUILLEMOTS URIA-AALGE AND U-LOMVIA IN THE BARENTS SEA REGION

Guillemots Uria spp. account for ca. 70% of the total harvest of prey taken by seabirds breeding in the Barents Sea region. This paper prese nts guillemot chick diet data collected recently at four localities (F innmark, Murman, Bjornoya and Spitsbergen) and collates all the data f ound by the authors in the literature and in the archives of Tromso Mu seum the Norwegian Polar Institute and Kandalaksha State Nature Reserv e. Guillemots consume a wide variety of prey and, in comparison to the harvest by predatory fish and marine mammals, their impact on the Bar ents Sea ecosystem is considered to be minimal. We point out the need for more systematic collection of data from different regions and at d ifferent times of the year before a final impact assessment can be mad e.