June 19th marks World Albatross Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness of the plights faced by these ocean wanderers. This is the sixth World Albatross Day, which occurs on the anniversary of the signing of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) in 2001. This year’s theme – Effects of Disease – highlights an increasingly concerning threat that impacts seabirds globally.
Albatrosses are an enigmatic group of seabirds that face a multitude of threats. Like other seabird species, albatrosses are highly susceptible to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which causes mortality in adults and chicks. The virus has been detected in remote areas, including at Snowy Albatross colonies in South Georgia. The threat from HPAI is just one of many faced by albatross species. Of the 22 albatross species, 15 are Globally Threatened including two that are classified as Critically Endangered, and populations of half the species are declining. Whilst these numbers are alarming, there are conservation successes to celebrate. Twenty years ago, 19 of the then 21 species of albatross were globally threatened and at risk of extinction. Thanks to the dedicated work of many, there are positive and quantifiable impacts to albatross species.
Snowy Albatross © Oli Prince
The Albatross Task Force (ATF) was assembled in 2006 by BirdLife International and our Partner, the RSPB. An international team of experts developed at-sea conservation approaches to mitigate the capture and drowning (also known as bycatch) of albatrosses and other seabirds by fisheries. Practical solutions, such as bird-scaring lines, weighted lines and night-setting have dramatically reduced the reported incidences of bycatch. The ATF team in Chile developed a modified net design, which reduces seabird mortality in purse seine fisheries by 80%. In South Africa, through a combination of on-board solutions and improved regulations there has been a 99% reduction in albatross deaths since 2006.
Images of (top) albatross being bycaught by fisheries and (bottom) bycatch mitigation measures: bird scaring lines, night-setting and weighted lines. Images by Science Animation Studio
Global Birdfair has been a major champion of our albatross work throughout the years, from the ‘Keeping Albatrosses off the Hook’ project in 2000, to this year’s event focusing on ‘Safeguarding Ocean Species’. Taking place at Lyndon Top in the UK from the 11th to 13th July, Global Birdfair will support our project aiming to reduce the killing of species such as the Antipodean Albatross in the Pacific Ocean and create greater awareness of this problem on a global scale.
The scale of the problem matches the scale of the Pacific Ocean itself – whilst Antipodean Albatrosses only breed on the tiny Antipodes and Auckland Islands to the south of Aotearoa New Zealand, they can travel over 170,000 km in a single foraging trip! Since 2005, populations of Antipodean Albatross have declined by 60%, and they are at high risk of being caught by fisheries. Further compounding the population decline is the skewed population ratio. Since female Antipodean Albatrosses are more likely to forage in areas with the highest densities of longline fishing vessels, there are two males for every female.
Antipodean Albatross in flight © Oscar Thomas
The methods to mitigate bycatch exist, but unlike the vessels the ATF worked with off the coasts of Africa and South America, which remain at sea for days to weeks, those in the Pacific can fish for months at a time without docking. A different approach to engage with captains and crew is required.
Vessel and seabird tracking data have revealed that many of the fisheries operating in the High Seas below 25°S and posing risk to Antipodean Albatross, refuel and restock at the Fijian Port of Suva. Since 2017, BirdLife has led a port-based outreach project at the Port of Suva. The project engages with the tuna longline vessel captains and crew to raise awareness and support seabird safe fishing practices. The engagement is working; over 500 individual fishing vessels have been visited since 2017. Fishers are even approaching the project to receive bird-scaring lines when they are going to fish below 25°S.
Some fishers said that they did not use mitigation measures that met regulations because bird-scaring lines were not available locally. To address this, a women’s group was formed and taught by an expert from the Aotearoa New Zealand Fisheries Department how to construct bird-scaring lines that met the approved design. Since then, the funded women’s group have made 62 bird-scaring lines.
Support and funding from the 2025 Global Birdfair will enable the port-based outreach project to scale up engagement, training and increase the availability of bird-scaring lines to the tuna fisheries operating in the region. We are extremely grateful to Global Birdfair for their generous support for our conservation work in the Pacific.
