Albatrosses are among the most threatened seabirds globally, with longline fishing bycatch and plastic ingestion causing significant welfare harm and population decline.
Albatross welfare harms from longline drowning and plastic ingestion are both preventable. Drowning on longline hooks causes acute distress before death. Plastic-fed chicks suffer slow death from gut blockage and starvation while appearing fed. Simple mitigation measures — tori lines, weighted lines, night setting — can reduce albatross bycatch by over 90%. Plastic reduction requires systemic change but individual behavior also matters. The extreme longevity and slow reproduction of albatrosses makes each individual welfare harm a significant population-level concern.