Wildlife Welfare

Wild Seabird Entanglement and Bycatch

Seabirds face severe mortality and welfare harm from entanglement in fishing gear. Solutions including bird-scaring lines and night setting have dramatically reduced bycatch in some fisheries.

Key Facts

Longline fisheries kill hundreds of thousands of seabirds annually worldwide
Albatrosses, petrels, and shearwaters are among the most affected species
Bird-scaring (tori) lines during line setting dramatically reduce bycatch
Night setting and weighted lines reduce seabird dive depth and bycatch
International agreements including the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels drive mitigation

Welfare Considerations

Seabird bycatch causes mass mortality and individual suffering through drowning or injury. Available mitigation measures are highly effective but inconsistently applied, creating a tractable welfare and conservation intervention.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified to standards requiring seabird bycatch mitigation
Support organisations campaigning for universal seabird bycatch mitigation
Learn about seabird bycatch and the species most affected
Advocate for mandatory tori lines and night setting in longline fisheries