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Education and Education and AwarenessAwareness
Awareness materials should Awareness materials should contain:contain:
• Are seabirds really of conservation Are seabirds really of conservation concern or is this an animal rights concern or is this an animal rights issue?issue?
• Why are seabirds vulnerable?Why are seabirds vulnerable?
• Is the Atlantic important for seabirds?Is the Atlantic important for seabirds?
• Are there solutions?Are there solutions?
• What are the benefits to fisherman?What are the benefits to fisherman?
Are seabirds Are seabirds really of really of
conservation conservation concern or is this concern or is this an animal rights an animal rights
issue?issue?
Some global statsSome global stats
• BLI – 300 000 seabird mortalities annually
• 19 of 21 species of albatross threatened with extinction
Red List Indices for selected species-groups
-0.08
-0.02
-0.06
0.001988 1992 1996 2000 2004
Wors
eB
ett
er
-0.04
-0.10Red L
ist
Index
-0.12
-0.14
-0.16
Pigeons
Waterbird
s
Parrots
Raptors
Gamebirds
Seabirds
Seabirds
Threats to albatrosses and petrels
Bycatch
Introduced predators
Natural causes
Hunting
Habitat degradation
Human disturbance
Pollution
Impact
© BirdLife International
0 5 10 15 20 25
No. of species
High
Medium
Low
Unknown
Albatrosses at South Georgia are decreasing at an alarming rate!
Nu
mb
er
of
pair
s
Data courtesy British Antarctic Survey
Wandering albatrosses: 1960’s–1997: 1 % per year 1997–2004: 4.5 % per year
1960s
1200
1600
2000
1980 1990 2000 2005
Grey-headed albatrosses:Grey-headed albatrosses: 2.4 % per year2.4 % per year
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
100
200
300
400
500
Black-browed albatrosses:Black-browed albatrosses: 4.8 % per year4.8 % per year
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 20050
100
200
Why are seabirds Why are seabirds vulnerable?vulnerable?
• Long-livedLong-lived
• Delayed sexual Delayed sexual maturitymaturity
• Slow breedingSlow breeding
• High adult survival High adult survival ratesrates
VULNERAB LE to VULNERAB LE to
MORTALITYMORTALITY
South Georgia
Winter 99Winter 99
Breeding 00Breeding 00
Winter 00Winter 00
Grey-headed Albatross tracks
TRAVEL LARGE DISTANCES
Spectacled Petrel - Critically endangeredTotal population: 3000 pairs at one island
SMALL POPULATIONS
Their life history strategy makes Their life history strategy makes them vulnerable to even small them vulnerable to even small
increases in adult mortalityincreases in adult mortality
The fishers The fishers perspective…perspective…
• In some cases events are rare – In some cases events are rare –
complicates perceptions regarding the need for complicates perceptions regarding the need for conservationconservation
• E.g. for every seabird taken, 100s of fish are caughtE.g. for every seabird taken, 100s of fish are caught
• Many sets don’t catch anyMany sets don’t catch any
• Often large no’s around vesselOften large no’s around vessel
• BUT SMALL NUMBERS ADD UP WHEN WE CONSIDER BUT SMALL NUMBERS ADD UP WHEN WE CONSIDER THE ENTIRE FLEET OR REGIONTHE ENTIRE FLEET OR REGION
Is the Atlantic Is the Atlantic important for the important for the conservation of conservation of these species?these species?
• 41 species known to interact with 41 species known to interact with ICCAT fisheriesICCAT fisheries– 1 Critically endangered 1 Critically endangered – 7 Endangered7 Endangered– 9 Vulnerable9 Vulnerable
• 35% of breeding albatrosses occur in 35% of breeding albatrosses occur in the Atlanticthe Atlantic
Are there Are there solutions?solutions?
Set lines at night
• Albatrosses feed mainly during the day
• Some smaller petrel species not conserved
Put enough weights onto line
Use bird-scaring (tori) lines
• Bycatch rate reduced by up to 80%
10m
Mitigation measures
What are the benefits to What are the benefits to fisherman?fisherman?• Protecting marine
life will protect the food chain
• Protecting the food chain will protect your livelihood
• Baits lost to birds and turtles cannot catch fish!
Thanks!
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