Dr Sam Weber, a co-author from the University of Exeter, added “Seabirds are often regarded as sensitive indicators of the health of marine ecosystems – or ‘sentinel species’ – so the findings of this study could be seen as a bellwether for broader ecological challenges facing the tropical Atlantic. Marine protected areas such as that planned for Ascension Island may well help to alleviate pressure on species like sooty terns. However, restoring healthy marine food webs across the vast areas over which these birds roam will ultimately require a fundamental shift in the way we think about, and manage, the world’s oceans, including in high seas areas beyond national jurisdictions.”