The Unintended Catch of Seabirds

Two international fishing commissions have adopted strategies proven effective in the United States and Antarctica for reducing the unintended catch of seabirds by commercial fishermen by a remarkable 90 percent. These methods will represent new requirements for the fishing fleets of thirty countries operating in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The Bird Snaring Problem - Commercial fishing of species like tuna and swordfish involves the use of long fishing lines that have baited hooks set along the line at regular intervals, hence the term longline fishing. Problems develop when albatross and other seabirds are attracted to the fish bait and are ensnared on fishing hooks as lines are raised and lowered into the water. In a recent press release, NOAA Administrator Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D stressed the importance of cooperation coming from longliners, "Some of the most vulnerable seabird populations travel entire oceans in search of food. Seabird conservation will require nations with longline fishing fleets to work together to adapt their fishing practices to avoid seabirds wherever they fish. The fate of these vulnerable seabirds is important to the United States and to our longline fishermen…are already taking significant precautions to avoid seabird bycatch. We are pleased that some of the same effective measures will now be adopted by fishermen from many other nations."

Gear and Techniques - The use of special gear and techniques can reduce the unintended bycatch of seabirds during fishing operations:

• Fishing at night when birds are less active
• Use of weighted hooks that sink bait out the reach of birds sooner
• Use of brightly colored streamers called tori lines to scare birds away from fishing lines
• Use of scare and startle devices
• Setting fishing lines underwater
• Coloring bait to make it less visible to birds
• Setting fishing lines from the side of the boat

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas - In November of 2007, this Commission that governs tuna fishing in the Atlantic Ocean for the European Commission and 44 other fishing countries, adopted the use of weighted hooks, tori lines, and night fishing as measures to reduce snaring of seabirds.

Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission - In December of 2007, this Commission that governs highly migratory fish stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean for the European Commission and 24 other fishing countries, set technical specifications for its members to reduce the hooking of seabirds by mistake.

Cooperation among fishing nations will benefit seabird populations. In the United States, regulations effecting the Pacific will help three at risk albatross species found in the North Pacific, the Laysan albatross, black-footed albatross, and short-tailed albatross. The short-tail albatross population only numbers around 2,200 birds and is listed in the United States as an endangered species.

Laysan albatross caught on baited hook

Streamers on lines protect seabirds from hooks

Short-tailed albatross on Torsishima Island, Japan

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