What is Happening to the Albatross Presentation

8/14/2019 What is Happening to the Albatross Presentation

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Albatrosses and

longline fisheries

A lecture compiled byGraham RobertsonAustralian Antarctic Division

in collaboration with:

Janice Molloy, Department of Conservation, New Zealand

Sally Poncet, Falkland Islands/MalvinasJohn Croxall, British Antarctic SurveyMarco Favero, University of Mar del Plata, ArgentinaEuan Dunn, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UKCarlesCarboneras, SEO/BirdLife, Spain

University ofMar del Plata

RoyalSociety for theProtection ofBirds

AustralianAntarcticDivision

Department of Conservation

Te Papa Atawhai


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radio, buoys,

light

50 - 300 m50 - 300 m

longlinelongline

buoy linebuoy line

3,200 hooks suspended over 130 km3,200 hooks suspended over 130 km

50 - 300 m50 - 300 m

Surface longlining for tunas and swordfish

baited hooksbaited hooks


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Bottom longlining for Patagonian toothfish

20 kg weight

< 70 m >

< 76 m >

3 kg weights

2000 m2000 m

radio, buoys, light

Each day vessels set and haul 10,000-20,000 baited hooksEach day vessels set and haul 10,000-20,000 baited hooks

mother line

branchlines hook

line

baited hooks


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Grey-headed albatrosses fly vast distances when searching for foodGrey-headed albatrosses fly vast distances when searching for food

Diego Ramirez

45S45S

50S50S

55

S55

S

60S60S

65S65S

80W80W100W100W 60W60W120W120W

South

America

Flight statisticsRange: 2,500-13,000 kmDistance from colony: up to 3,000 kmDistance/day: 400-1,500 kmTime away: 14-24 days

S o u t h P a c i f i cO c e a n

70S70SAntarcticaAntarcticaAntarctica

S th G i h d d lb t


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South Georgia grey-headed albatross

migration flights

South Georgia

Winter 1999

Summer 2000

Winter 2000

Flight statistics

Total travel duration:17 months, 2circumpolar migrations of~ 4 months

Total distance:22,000 km

Average flight speed:33 km per hour

Data courtesy of the British Antarctic Survey
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/


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from

NewZ

ealan

d from Gough Island

fromTristan daCun

Wanderingalbatross

Bullers albatross

Grey-headedalbatrossSouthern Giant petrel

Chatham albatross

Salvins albatross

Wavedalbatross

Northern Royal albatross

Antipodean albatross

Tristanalbatross

Spectacled petrel

Black-browedalbatross

White-chinnedpetrel

Galapagos Islands

Key to status

near threatened

vulnerableendangered

critically endangered

Southern Royal albatross

SouthernGiantpetrel

South Georg

Southern Ocean seabirds migrate to South American waters

Diego Ramirez& IldefonsoIslands

foraging area of seabirds

Falkland/Malvinas


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lb S h G i d i


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Wandering albatrosses

1960s

Num

berofpairs

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

1980 1990 2000

Numb

erofpairs

Grey-headed albatrosses

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005100

200

300

400

500

Black-browed albatross

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Number

ofpairs

0

100

200

300

Albatross at South Georgia are decreasing

at an alarming rate

1% per year

2% per year

4% per year


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1985:

1125 nests

2000:

500 nests


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Mitigation measures

Setting longlines at nightSetting longlines at night

Flying streamer lines to scare seabirds offFlying streamer lines to scare seabirds offbaited hooksbaited hooks

Adding weight to gearAdding weight to gear

Setting longlines underwaterSetting longlines underwater

Retaining offal onboard or expelling itRetaining offal onboard or expelling itdiscretelydiscretely


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00

1,0001,000

2,0002,000

3,0003,000

4,0004,000

Numbero

fseabirdskilled

Numberofseabirdskilled

Closing the South Georgia Patagonian toothfish fishery when albatrosses

breed has drastically reduced mortality

2,3002,300

19961996

Mar - Sep

3,2553,255

19971997

Mar - Sep

640640

19981998

Apr - Sep

210210

19991999

May - Sep

20012001

3030

May - SepLength offishing season

20002000

2121

May - Sep


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Illegal fishing in the Southern OceanIllegal fishing in the Southern Ocean

kills a lot of seabirdskills a lot of seabirds

Estimated numberEstimated number

of seabirds killedof seabirds killed

107,000107,000101,000101,000

59,00059,000

27,00027,000

54,00054,000

29,00029,000

19971997 1999199919981998

68,00068,000

35,00035,000

2000200000

50,00050,000

100,000100,000

125,000125,000

75,00075,000

25,00025,000

lower estimatelower estimate

upper estimateupper estimate


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Results of funds raised by IAATO 2001/2002

- USD 5,500 raised -

Funds awarded to New Zealand Ling Longline Ltdto test effectiveness of longlines with integrated weight (IW).

These longlines are heavier and sink faster than normal lines,reducing the time available for seabirds to snatch baited hooks.

In a trial in November 2002 involving 340,000 hooks set,normal longlines caught 82 seabirds whereas IW longlinescaught only 1 seabird. Birds caught were white-chinned petrelsand sooty shearwaters. No albatrosses were caught. This is a

most encouraging result.


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In 2003 there were 11 applications for funds donated byIAATO passengers

assess seabird bycatch rates

investigateseabird foraging ecology

work with the fishing industry toimplement mitigation measures

test new mitigation

methods

42

3 2

USD 20,000 raisedUSD 20,000 raised


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Winners of IAATO-derived funds in 2002/2003

Of the 11 applications received, funds wereawarded to:-

1) Jeffrey Mangel and Joanna Shigueto (Peru)2) Deon Nel (South Africa)3) Patricia Gandini (Argentina)

4) Ben Sullivan (Falkland Islands)


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.

ALBATROSSES NEED HELP!!!

Every year, tens of

thousands of albatrosses

and petrels get killed inthe worlds longline

fisheries when they

unwittingly seize baited

hooks intended for

catching fish. This

mortality has caused large

decreases in these seabirdpopulations, is ongoing

and is threatening the

existence of many species.

Efforts to make longline

fisheries safe for seabirds

are being hampered by the

lack of funds,

you wou e o o

your part in helping to

save these remarkable

birds please visit

www.kayakingtosaveal

and make a donation

towards the SouthGeorgia kayak

expedition. Or go to

any Seabird

Conservation site listed

on this website and

make a donation there.

Thank you for your support!!

particularly to support

initiatives in developing

countries.
http://www.kayakingtosavealbatross.com/http://www.kayakingtosavealbatross.com/

Documents

What is Happening to the Albatross Presentation