Wandering Albatross Welfare and Longline Bycatch in the Southern Ocean

Wandering albatrosses suffer high mortality as bycatch in longline fisheries targeting toothfish and tuna in the Southern Ocean, causing drowning deaths and injury that devastate breeding populations.

Key Facts

Wandering albatrosses have the largest wingspan of any living bird, up to 3.5 metres
They breed on sub-Antarctic islands with a biennial breeding cycle after years of immaturity
Longline fishing hooks kill tens of thousands of albatrosses annually as bycatch
The species is listed as Vulnerable with populations declining at key breeding sites
Bird-scaring lines, weighted lines, and night-setting reduce bycatch with minimal fishing impact

Welfare Considerations

Albatross bycatch on longline hooks causes drowning death as birds dive for bait and become hooked underwater. Birds that become hooked but escape may suffer serious injuries including hook wounds, line entanglement injuries, and dislocated wings. The loss of a breeding adult with a 3-4 year juvenile rearing investment represents both welfare harm to the individual and devastating reproductive loss for a species with very slow natural population growth. The economic viability of fishing with bycatch mitigation devices has been demonstrated, making continued albatross bycatch an avoidable welfare and conservation failure.

What You Can Do

Support the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) programmes
Choose toothfish (Chilean sea bass) only from Marine Stewardship Council certified fisheries with bycatch mitigation
Advocate for universal adoption of bycatch mitigation devices in Southern Ocean longline fisheries
Donate to BirdLife International seabird bycatch reduction programmes
Engage with seafood suppliers on sourcing policies that exclude fisheries with high albatross bycatch