Falklands Conservation

Albatross Update

Albatross Egging to be Banned

The Governor of the Falkland Islands has confirmed that the collection of black-browed albatross eggs is to be prohibited in the Islands. Legislation will be drawn up to effect this in the near future. This step has been taken in order that the UK can meet conditions to comply with the ratification of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels.

Photo: Black browed Albatrosses on New Island tending their eggs.

The Prince of Wales Urges Governments to Back International Albatross Conservation Deal

Bonn/Nairobi, 18 September 2002 - A campaign to save albatrosses and petrels from becoming entangled and killed on fishing hooks was given a boost when the Prince of Wales issued a plea to nations attending an international wildlife conference to back a key treaty designed to protect them.

The Prince told delegates at a conference on the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) that the next key step to protecting the birds from the long line fisheries world-wide is to ratify the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels so it can come into force.

Experts estimate that such fisheries, which are setting millions of hooks globally each year, could be killing more than 300,000 seabirds annually, a third of which are thought to be albatrosses.

Low cost solutions exist to reduce, and in some cases eradicate, the risks of these sea birds grabbing bait and drowning on the lines which the agreement would promote.

So far just two countries- Australia and New Zealand- have ratified the agreement. The Prince urged others to follow suit so that the necessary five nations, needed to bring it into force, can be on board soon.

Prince Charles, in his welcoming address, said: "I have taken particular note of the recent development, under the leadership of the governments of Australia and South Africa, of an Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels. These sea-wanderers have developed their astounding powers of navigation over millions of years, but are now threatened by man-in particular, by use and abandonment of non-selective fishing gear and by incidental mortality as a result of commercial fishing activities."

His Royal Highness calls on "the world community, and especially the governments of the Range States and those with relevant fishing fleets, with the help of international organizations, to ratify the Agreement and to get working so as to reduce as soon as possible the factors which have brought these splendid birds to the brink of extinction."

His plea has been welcomed by Klaus Toepfer, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which, supports the migratory species convention.

He said: "Over the past decade or so, the threats to albatrosses and other sea birds from long liners has become an increasing source of concern. The populations of many of the 24 species of albatross now recognised have been declining. And some species, such as the Amsterdam Island Albatross, is down to just 90 individuals. Much of the focus has been on the Southern Oceans where there has been a sharp increase in long lining to catch the Patagonian toothfish. Indeed there is now concern that toothfish stocks are being over-fished as a result. However this is not just confined to the southern seas. There are also long liners operating in other areas such as the North Pacific, so this is a truly international issue that concerns many governments."

"Clearly, we are dealing with another example of unsustainable fishing practices which must be tackled as a matter of urgency. I heartily welcome the Prince’s intervention and back him in his plea to nations to swiftly ratify the CMS agreement," said Mr Toepfer.

Arnulf Mueller-Helmbrecht, head of the CMS secretariat, said: "We are delighted that eight countries have so far signed the Agreement and that two have ratified. I would hope that other countries meeting here this week will give strong signals that they also intend to ratify, so that the Agreement can come into force in early 2003. It is also vital that those countries with long line fishing fleets take this Agreement seriously too."

He added that similar Agreements, covering seals in the Wadden Sea, small cetaceans in the Baltic and North seas and whales in the Mediterranean and Black seas, had proved invaluable in boosting the conservation prospects for other marine living animals.

"I have every confidence that the Agreement on Albatrosses and Petrels will not only come into force, but prove a turning point in the fortunes of these wonderful and charismatic birds," said Mr Mueller-Helmbrecht.

BirdLife International, an international alliance of national conservation groups present in over 100 countries, which has launched a Save the Albatross campaign, estimates that in 1994 one third of all albatross species were threatened with extinction. By 2000, this had risen to two thirds.

John O’Sullivan, who is representing BirdLife International* at the six-day CMS conference taking place in Bonn, Germany, described the problems and solutions in more detail: "The fishing lines, carrying thousands of baited hooks, can be up to 130 kilometers long. After being fired from the ship, they float on the surface. Sea birds, scavenging behind the boats, can take the bait from the hooks and be dragged underwater as the lines sink."

Solutions include using defrosted bait, which means the lines sink faster, to firing the lines at night when most of the birds are resting rather than feeding.

Inexpensive modifications can also be made to the boat so that the lines are fired directly underwater though special tubes.

Barry Baker, Australia’s scientific counselor to the CMS, said having five nations ratifying the agreement was just the start.

He said there were around 15 countries that can be classed as range states, nations where albatrosses and petrels can be found. In addition, there are many more countries that have long line fishing fleets operating in waters where the sea birds can be found.

Mr Baker said the agreement would not just tackle the impact of insensitive long lining techniques. But also, by forging regional co-operation, deal with other threats to the birds and their habitats including pollution and plastics, dumped by ships and industry, which albatrosses and petrels can ingest and choke upon.

* Falklands Conservation is an Associate of Birdlife International, representing this global partnership in the Falkland Islands.

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