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!