Falklands Conservation

5th Nation Signs Up to Agreement of Albatrosses and Petrels

The Republic of South Africa has now ratified the international Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels. As the fifth country to become a party to the Agreement, the threshold for its implementation can now enter into force, which will now occur on the 1st February 2004. South Africa joins Australia, New Zealand, Ecuador and Spain as a party to ACAP. South Africa played a key role in the negotiation of ACAP and is home to many important populations of albatrosses and petrels, including those on the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands.

Albatrosses and petrels are perhaps the most threatened group of birds in the world. 83% of the world's 24 species of albatrosses are considered to be endangered, which compares with 11% of bird species overall. For some populations, such as the Macquarie Island Wandering Albatross and Amsterdam Albatross, numbers remain so low (less than 10 and 15 breeding pairs each year, respectively) that they remain threatened with imminent extinction. While individual nations are taking measures to protect albatrosses and petrels, these birds are susceptible to threats operating throughout their range. It is unlikely that conservation action by one nation will be effective in conserving highly migratory species such as albatrosses and petrels, and clearly international action is required.

Black-browed Albatross, now classified by BirdLife International as ‘Endangered’. The Falkland Islands hold 70% of the world’s population.

Albatrosses and petrels are threatened globally at sea and on land. Direct contact with fishing operations, eating or being entangled in marine debris, pollution and over-fishing of their prey are major threats. In breeding colonies, they are threatened by predators, habitat damage and competition with other animals for nest space, parasites and disease. The Agreement's entry into force will allow members to implement an action plan to protect critical habitat, control non-native species detrimental to albatrosses and petrels, introduce measures to reduce the incidental catch of seabirds in long-line fisheries, and support research into the effective conservation of albatrosses and petrels.

ACAP also recognises that there are existing international instruments that contain some conservation measures relevant to sea birds, for example, the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and the FAO International Plan of Action for reducing incidental catch of birds in longline fisheries. ACAP is a good example of the way in which co-operative and co-ordinated working relationships between international instruments can enhance inter-governmental efforts to predict our shared environment.

Australia is currently acting as the Interim Secretariat for the Agreement, and will continue in this role until the first meeting of the parties is held, when the location of the permanent secretariat is determined by the Parties. The Agreement requires that the first meeting of the parties be held with a year of its entry into force.

Falklands Conservation now urges the UK, including its Overseas Territories, to ratify the treaty without delay.

For more information on the Agreement

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