Seabird Bycatch in Longline Fisheries

Longline fishing methods kill hundreds of thousands of seabirds annually including globally endangered albatrosses.

Key Facts

An estimated 300,000 seabirds including 100,000 albatrosses die as longline bycatch annually
19 of 22 albatross species are threatened with extinction, partly due to longline bycatch
Simple mitigation measures such as weighted branch lines and bird-scaring streamers reduce bycatch by over 90 percent
International agreements under ACAP (Agreement on Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels) promote mitigation
Consumer demand for certified sustainable seafood incentivises adoption of bycatch mitigation

Welfare Considerations

Seabirds hooked and drowned on longlines die distressing, preventable deaths. Given that effective mitigation methods are cheap and available, the continued mortality of albatrosses and other seabirds is a significant and unnecessary welfare and conservation failure.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified under sustainable fisheries schemes that include seabird protection
Support organisations working to reduce albatross bycatch
Advocate for mandatory seabird bycatch mitigation on all longline vessels
Raise awareness about albatross conservation and the role of fisheries bycatch