Help get the Albatross 'off the hook'

Albatrosses are under threat from long-line fishing operations which fish in the same nutrient-rich seas as those favoured by the birds.

Over 100,000 albatrosses die each year. The albatross is one of the planet’s most potent symbols of majesty and freedom. It’s unthinkable that they are now on the verge of being wiped out - particularly by a practice that, with a few minor modifications, can be rendered virtually harmless to the birds. This solution requires research, co-operation and urgent action.

Albatross populations have declined by 25% or more over the last 10 years. Wandering albatross populations on South Georgia have declined from 2000 breeding pairs in the 1960’s to 800 breeding pairs in 2007.

19 of the 22 species of albatross are currently threatened with extinction. Some of the deaths can be prevented and compulsory mitigation measures introduced in regulated fisheries have achieved some degree of success. More recent studies have found though that some legal fisheries need additional help to further reduce their bycatch.

Robert Cushman Murphy

The Problem

Legal Fishing

• The biggest threat to the albatross (66,000 albatross) is caused by legal long-line fishing. Two-thirds of the albatross fatalities (about 66,000 birds) are caused when they get hooked and subsequently drown as they attack baited hooks deployed from the fishing vessels.

Illegal Fishing

• Approximately one third of bycatch is caused by IUU (Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported) Fishing and it is hard to do anything about those vessels involved without international support and action.
• Southern Ocean Initiative: Peregrine and the WWF - the Conservation Fund.

In November 2004, we joined forces with WWF- Australia to address the issues of High Seas Governance and IUU (Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported) Fishing. In a departure from the 'traditional' style of corporate sponsorship, this partnership takes a hands-on approach with our two organisations working closely together to develop and implement the program. The project is supported physically and financially by Peregrine and utilises the ‘science-based solutions’ expertise of WWF.

The Solutions

Practical measures

In order to prevent birds swallowing the baited hooks before they have sunk below their reach, many simple measures have been devised, some of which are cheap and easy to implement. Some examples include towing bird-scaring (or tori) lines behind fishing vessels where the plastic streamers tied to them flap in the wind and scare birds away, using an underwater setting tube, tying enough weights to the fishing line so that it sinks more quickly, using thawed instead of frozen bait so that it sinks more quickly and setting lines at night, as most albatrosses feed mainly during the day.

A Practical Solution

Peregrine is helping Graham Robertson of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) develop a Bait Setting Capsule. If successful this device will take the baited hooks out of reach of the albatross.

Find out more about this Bait Setting Capsule

Fisheries regulation

Several fisheries have international regulatory bodies. They set fishing quotas and limits and encourage the implementation of best fishing practices (For example, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic).

What is Peregrine doing?
What can you do?