28 Aug
2008 - The survival chances of the albatross,
now officially the most threatened seabird
family in the world, have been improved
following a new report released by WWF-South
Africa.
At least 28 species
of albatross and petrel have been caught
by South African fisheries, of which 13
are threatened with extinction. The birds
are caught trying to retrieve bait from
longline fishing hooks, or are injured or
killed during trawling operations. A deterioration
of their breeding habitats and targeted
hunting operations are other factors.
Samantha Petersen, manager
of the WWF-South Africa Responsible Fisheries
Programme, said that the report - “Understanding
and Mitigating Vulnerable Bycatch in Southern
African Trawl and Longline Fisheries” -
improved substantially the understanding
of the circumstances under which seabirds
were killed.
“The findings help accurately
identify management measures to reduce the
wasteful killing of these magnificent birds
while not unnecessarily disrupting fishing
activities or impacting other vulnerable
marine life like turtles and sharks,” said
Dr Petersen.
The report, which follows
WWF’s release of the results of four years
of groundbreaking longline marine turtle
bycatch data in Latin America, reinforces
the need for fishermen to implement the
mandatory and readily available measures
that help prevent birds from becoming entangled
in fishing gear.
“While this information
is valuable, it’s crucial that it translates
into compliance with mitigation measures
on the part of fishing operations,” added
Dr Petersen.
The report says that
bird-scaring lines have proved to be simple
yet effective way of preventing seabirds
from being snagged during longline fishing,
and similar measures have helped limit the
impact of other fishing techniques.
The report also for
the first time describes the movements of
two of the most common species, Black-browed
and White-capped Albatrosses, in South African
waters and provides insights into how they
are using the waters and how much they are
dependent on fishery discards.
“This has management
implications for seabirds because of the
dramatic changes in marine ecosystems as
a result of past fishing activities,” said
Dr Pederesen. “The possibility exists that
management actions could place a further
burden on these species.
“Albatrosses and petrels
undertake amazing journeys where many species
frequently circumnavigate the globe crossing
many national and international jurisdictions
as well as coming across numerous fishing
fleets from various nations.
“The health of our oceans
can in many ways be judged by the health
of our seabirds. Only together can we have
any hope of saving these birds from extinction
and protect our oceans.”
The report also informed
the Agreement for the Conservation of Albatrosses
and Petrels (ACAP) working parties which
met in South Africa last week. The 12 countries
signatory to this convention, observers
and NGOs including WWF have started discussions
on how nations can collaborate on the international
problem.
