Seabird Longline Bycatch Welfare

Longline fishing vessels kill hundreds of thousands of seabirds annually as bycatch, with albatrosses, petrels, and shearwaters most severely affected by this preventable mortality.

Key Facts

An estimated 300,000 seabirds are killed as longline fishing bycatch annually
19 of 22 albatross species are threatened or endangered, with bycatch a major driver
Bycatch birds dive for baited hooks, become hooked through the beak or wing, and drown
Simple mitigation measures including tori lines, night setting, and weighted lines reduce bycatch by over 90%
Tori lines are brightly coloured streamers that scare birds away from baited hooks as they set
The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels drives international mitigation adoption

Welfare Considerations

Longline seabird bycatch causes drowning deaths in birds that are specifically adapted for exceptional diving and swimming ability - making the deaths slow and involving significant struggle. The welfare and conservation tragedy is compounded by the fact that effective mitigation measures are inexpensive and proven. Adoption of bird-scaring lines, night setting, and line-weighting systems can reduce seabird mortality by over 90% with minimal impact on target species catch rates. Consumer and corporate pressure on fishing certification has driven significant adoption in some fisheries.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood products certified under schemes requiring seabird bycatch mitigation measures
Support seabird conservation organisations working on longline bycatch reduction
Advocate for seabird bycatch mitigation to be mandatory in all longline fishing certification
Learn about albatross conservation and share the solvable nature of seabird bycatch with others