Seabird Conservation and Fisheries Interaction

Seabirds including albatrosses and petrels are among the most threatened bird groups, with fisheries bycatch a leading cause of population decline.

Key Facts

19 of 22 albatross species are threatened with extinction primarily due to longline bycatch
Seabirds are attracted to baited longline hooks and become entangled and drowned
Streamer lines, night setting, and weighted lines reduce seabird bycatch by over 90%
Southern Ocean longline fisheries kill an estimated 100,000 seabirds annually
Mitigation technology exists and is cost-effective but requires mandatory implementation

Welfare Considerations

Seabird bycatch in longline fisheries represents a concentrated, preventable welfare and conservation crisis. Albatrosses dive for baited hooks as lines are set, become entangled underwater, and drown. Mitigation technology — streamer lines that scare birds away, night setting when fewer birds are active, and line weighting that sinks hooks below dive depth — has been proven over 90% effective at reduction. Mandatory implementation across all longline fisheries is the outstanding policy requirement.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified by schemes requiring seabird bycatch mitigation measures
Support organizations campaigning for mandatory seabird bycatch mitigation in longline fisheries
Advocate for comprehensive seabird bycatch regulations in all ocean fishing jurisdictions
Support the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP)
Raise awareness of seabird bycatch as a welfare and conservation emergency