Seabird Longline Bycatch Mitigation

Longline fishing kills hundreds of thousands of seabirds annually, with simple mitigation measures dramatically reducing mortality.

Key Facts

Longline vessels set billions of baited hooks annually, attracting diving seabirds
Albatrosses and petrels are most affected, with 19 of 22 albatross species threatened
Tori lines, underwater bait setting, and weighted branch lines each reduce bycatch by 80-90%
Combination of measures can reduce bycatch by over 95%
ACAP (Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels) coordinates international mitigation

Welfare Considerations

Longline bycatch kills seabirds by drowning — birds that dive for bait are hooked and dragged underwater. For long-lived, slow-reproducing species like albatrosses, even moderate mortality rates can cause population collapse. The welfare and conservation cases for mitigation measures coincide completely, and the mitigation tools are proven, inexpensive, and readily available. The primary barrier to adoption is monitoring and enforcement, particularly on the high seas where compliance is difficult to verify.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood from fisheries certified as seabird-safe under MSC or equivalent schemes
Support campaigns requiring mandatory bycatch mitigation measures
Advocate for observer programs on vessels fishing in seabird-critical areas
Donate to conservation organizations focused on albatross and petrel recovery
Avoid seafood from fisheries known to have high seabird bycatch rates