Marine Animal Welfare

Seabird Longlining Bycatch and Mitigation

Albatrosses and other seabirds are attracted to baited hooks on longlines and drown. Simple mitigation tools can virtually eliminate this problem.

Key Facts

Over 300,000 seabirds die on longlines annually, including 100,000 albatrosses
Many albatross species are endangered primarily due to longline bycatch
Tori lines, weighted branch lines, and night setting reduce seabird bycatch by over 95%
Despite available solutions, adoption of mitigation measures remains inconsistent
The Albatross Task Force has trained thousands of fishers in bycatch reduction globally

Welfare Considerations

Seabird bycatch drowning is a preventable form of suffering at massive scale. The tragedy is that effective, low-cost solutions have been demonstrated for decades. The bottleneck is not technology but adoption, enforcement, and political will. Consumer seafood choices can drive certification standards that require mitigation.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified with seabird bycatch mitigation requirements
Support the Albatross Task Force and similar observer training programs
Advocate for mandatory seabird mitigation gear on longline fishing vessels
Learn about which fish species carry highest seabird bycatch risk and avoid them