Seabird bycatch in longline fishing is a major cause of population decline in albatrosses and petrels. Simple technical measures can dramatically reduce seabird deaths.
Seabird bycatch inflicts severe welfare harm — birds that strike longline baits drown when hooked lines sink. Population-level impacts have been catastrophic for several albatross species that breed slowly and cannot replace adults quickly. The BirdLife International Save the Albatross campaign has driven significant adoption of bycatch reduction measures, demonstrating that consumer pressure, NGO advocacy, and fisheries engagement can produce rapid change. Simple measures including weighted lines (which sink baits quickly below diving depth), tori lines (bird-scaring streamers), and night setting are highly effective and low-cost. Certification schemes like MSC increasingly require bycatch reduction measures.