Coastal Fisheries and Seabird Bycatch Reduction

Seabirds including albatrosses, petrels, and shearwaters are caught and drowned on longlines and in nets globally, making fisheries bycatch a leading cause of seabird population decline.

Key Facts

An estimated 300,000 seabirds including 100,000 albatrosses are killed in fishing operations annually
19 of 22 albatross species are listed as threatened -- fisheries bycatch is the primary driver
Simple mitigation measures including weighted longlines and tori lines (bird-scaring lines) reduce seabird bycatch by over 90%
The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels coordinates international bycatch reduction efforts
Seabirds caught on longlines drown when the line sinks, a prolonged death cause by asphyxiation

Welfare Considerations

Seabird bycatch in longline fisheries causes a prolonged and unnecessary death. Albatrosses and petrels dive to seize baited hooks as longlines are set; once hooked, they are dragged under as the line sinks and drown. This is a welfare harm with highly effective technical solutions: weighted lines that sink before birds can reach the hooks, and tori lines that scare birds away from the area where lines are being set. These measures cost almost nothing to implement and reduce bycatch by over 90% in testing. The barrier is compliance and enforcement in international waters where many longline fleets operate without oversight.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified by programmes that require seabird bycatch mitigation measures
Support the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels and similar international instruments
Advocate for mandatory tori lines and weighted longline requirements in international fishery agreements
Donate to seabird conservation organisations working on bycatch reduction globally