Seabird mortality in longline fisheries p2 of 2

During line hauling operations discharging offal from
processes fish on the opposite side of vessels to the
line hauling side greatly reduces the incidence of
seabird capture because birds congregate elsewhere,
not in the area where longlines leave the water.

The setting of longlines at night with effective
streamer lines in use and weights near hooks would
almost certainly reduce seabird mortality to levels that are safe
for most seabird species.

Albatross feed frantically on processed
fish expelled from the boat

Unfortunately most fisheries have shown reluctance to embrace wholeheartedly effective mitigation which has meant that other actions have been necessary.

For instance, in the Patagonian toothfish longline fishery at South Georgia (an island in the south-western Atlantic Ocean) incomplete compliance with mitigation measures has resulted in the closure of the fishery during the seabird breeding season (September–April, inclusive).

This most heavy-handed of measures that neither the fishery management agency nor fishery wanted, is indicative of the reluctance by vessel operators to adopt the easy-to-use mitigation practices.

International agreements

As well as the existence of seabird bycatch mitigation measures and the research that underpins the efficacy of these measures, international agreements are necessary to achieve global objectives regarding seabird conservation in longline fisheries.

Several initiatives exist.

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has requested that all longline fishing nations produce plans of action to minimise seabird seabird mortality in their longline fisheries.

In effect, this requests that nations assess the extent of the problem, adopt standard mitigation measures as an interim measure, conduct research into mitigation practices by fishery type, adopt independent observer programs and include seabird conservation provisions in fisheries management legislation.

The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) has been developed in recognition of the fact that albatrosses and petrels on migration flights traverse the waters of many nations, not only those from their country of origin.

The terms of the Agreement apply to nations with longline fisheries and to distant water fishing nations that interact with albatrosses and petrels while fishing. Parties to the ACAP will be obliged to achieve and maintain the favourable conservation status of albatrosses in both terrestrial and marine environments.

This initiative is complementary to that by the FAO since the protection of albatrosses in marine environments will require the production and implementation of action plans as sought by the FAO.

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is a 23-nation organisation that presides over fisheries in the Southern Ocean.

In 1995 CCAMLR developed a conservation measure especially designed to minimise seabird mortality in the Patagonian toothfish longline fishery, which occurs, principally, around sub Antarctic islands.

The CCAMLR members meet annually to review trends in seabird bycatch, to discuss advances in mitigation technologies and practices and how best to achieve seabird conservation objectives.

Please see:

Performance Assessment of Underwater Setting Chutes, Side Setting, and Blue-Dyed Bait to Minimize Seabird Mortality in Hawaii Longline Tuna and Swordfish Fisheries - August 2003 (pdf - 666KB)

Streamer Lines to Reduce Seabird Bycatch in Longline Fisheries 2000 - October 2003 update
(pdf - 102KB)

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