Wild Birds

Seabird Bycatch in Longline Fisheries

Seabird bycatch on longline fishing vessels kills hundreds of thousands of albatrosses and petrels annually, threatening multiple species with extinction.

Key Facts

An estimated 100,000 albatrosses are killed as bycatch annually
All 22 albatross species are threatened or near-threatened with extinction
Simple mitigation measures can reduce seabird bycatch by over 90%
The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) coordinates international action
Wandering albatrosses have a wingspan of up to 3.5 metres and breed only every two years

Welfare Considerations

Albatrosses and petrels attracted to longline baits are hooked and dragged underwater, drowning within minutes. Some are injured rather than killed and may survive but with injuries that impair their ability to forage. The removal of breeding adults from populations that produce only one chick every other year has catastrophic generational effects. Chicks left in nests when both parents are killed starve slowly over days.

What You Can Do

Support the RSPB Albatross Task Force and Save the Albatross
Choose seafood certified by programmes with seabird bycatch standards
Advocate for mandatory mitigation measures on longline vessels
Back observer coverage requirements on fishing vessels
Support ACAP agreements and international cooperation on seabird bycatch