Seabird Bycatch and Welfare in Fisheries

Hundreds of thousands of seabirds are killed annually as bycatch in longline and gillnet fisheries, representing a significant welfare problem across multiple species.

Key Facts

An estimated 160,000-320,000 seabirds including 100,000 albatrosses die annually as bycatch
Longline fishing with baited hooks is particularly dangerous for diving seabirds
Bird scaring lines (tori lines), night setting, and weighted lines significantly reduce seabird bycatch
19 of 22 albatross species are threatened with extinction primarily due to bycatch mortality
The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels coordinates international bycatch reduction

Welfare Considerations

Seabirds caught on longlines or in gillnets may drown or suffocate slowly over minutes to hours. Entangled birds that survive may sustain wing injuries or ingest hooks causing internal damage and chronic suffering. Albatrosses caught during breeding season leave chicks that starve to death on nests, adding indirect welfare harm to direct mortality. Bycatch mitigation measures are proven effective and low cost, making their non-adoption an ethical failure in many fisheries. Consumer and regulatory pressure drives uptake of mitigation measures.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified by schemes requiring seabird bycatch mitigation measures
Support campaigns for mandatory tori lines and night-setting on all longline vessels
Donate to organisations working to reduce albatross bycatch mortality
Advocate for strong monitoring and enforcement of bycatch reporting requirements