Marine Wildlife

Black-footed Albatross Welfare in the North Pacific

Black-footed albatrosses are the most common albatross in the North Pacific but face serious threats from longline bycatch, plastic ingestion, and rising sea levels threatening nesting atolls at Midway and other low-lying islands.

Key Facts

Black-footed albatrosses nest primarily on the low-lying Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
They feed almost exclusively on fish eggs, squid, and flying fish
Plastic debris ingestion is a major welfare issue; birds feed plastic to chicks
An estimated 4,000-5,000 birds die on longlines annually in the North Pacific
Midway Atoll hosts over 60% of the global breeding population of 1.5 million birds

Welfare Considerations

Plastic ingestion causes blockages, starvation and internal injuries in adults and chicks. Sea level rise threatens the low-elevation nesting sites that the entire species depends upon. Longline bycatch deaths remove experienced breeders, causing chick mortality through abandonment of eggs and young.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic use to decrease ocean plastic pollution
Support Pacific Seabird Group and ACAP monitoring programs
Advocate for longline bycatch mitigation in North Pacific fisheries agreements
Donate to Midway Atoll restoration and seabird conservation programs
Choose sustainable seafood certified to reduce seabird bycatch