Seabird Bycatch: Scale, Welfare, and Solutions

Hundreds of thousands of seabirds die as bycatch in fishing gear annually. Understanding solutions can drive adoption of practices that prevent this preventable suffering.

Key Facts

An estimated 300,000-400,000 seabirds die as fishing bycatch annually worldwide
Albatrosses and petrels are particularly vulnerable, with 15 of 22 albatross species threatened
Longline fishing causes the most seabird deaths as birds dive for baited hooks
Simple mitigation measures including weighted branch lines and night setting can reduce seabird bycatch by over 95%
Trawl net cables also kill seabirds that collide with them during the hauling process
Seabird bycatch threatens the viability of some populations given their slow reproductive rates

Welfare Considerations

Seabirds caught on longline hooks experience drowning — a slow and distressing death. Entanglement in nets causes injury and exhaustion before death. Given that effective mitigation measures are inexpensive and well-established, the continuing scale of seabird bycatch represents a preventable welfare catastrophe. Regulatory pressure, consumer choices, and industry adoption of best practices all contribute to reducing this suffering.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood with Marine Stewardship Council certification, which includes bycatch standards
Support the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) and similar initiatives
Advocate for mandatory bycatch mitigation measures in fisheries management regulations
Support organizations like BirdLife International working on seabird bycatch reduction
Reduce overall seafood consumption to decrease fishing effort and associated bycatch
Ask fish retailers and restaurants about their bycatch policies when making purchasing decisions