Commercial Fishing

Seabirds are attracted to fishing boats in huge numbers because they know that they can get food there.

This is the main threat to the survival of many seabirds in the South Atlantic. Black-browed Albatross, Southern Giant Petrels and White-chinned Petrels have all suffered population declines in recent years. Thousands of birds are killed at sea due to interactions with commercial fishing (mostly longlining and trawling). The Black-browed Albatross is declining at a rate of about 1% per annum and of the three species is at the greatest risk. It is classified as Endangered. The White-chinned petrel is the commonest bird caught in Southern Ocean longline fisheries.

Birds try to take squid or fish from the fishing hooks but can get caught, pulled under water and drowned. It is estimated that around the world about 300,000 seabirds are dying on longline hooks every year. They also get caught on the warp lines of trawlers (like this bird on the left).

Mitigation measures have now been introduced by the Falkland Islands Government. These have substantially reduced seabird deaths within the Falkland Islands fishing zone. However, until such measures are applied to across the Patagonian Shelf, in international waters and through tackling the bycatch in ‘pirate’ unlicensed vessels, the decline of the Black-browed Albatross and other seabirds will continue. See Saving Seabirds for more information.

Large-scale commercial fishing takes place in Falkland Island waters. It is the mainstay of the Falkland Islands economy with the fishing license income generating about £20m each year (£12m - £15m in recent years) for the Falkland Islands Government. Further information on the fishery can be found at www.falklands.gov.fk/fisheries.php and www.fis.com/falklandfish.

Falkland Islands fishery patrol boat ‘Dorada’. The Falkland Islands Government spends £6m per annum on fisheries protection and research.

Squid fishing vessel (jigger). Squid are caught at night, attracted by rows of very bright lights, which line each side of the vessel.

For further information on the jigging fleet seabird interaction see report: Observations of high sea jigging vessels from a Falkland Islands Fishery Patrol Vessel (513kb PDF).

Breeding Sites

The threat to albatross and petrels in the Falkland Islands at their breeding sites is low.

Inshore waters near breeding sites are all protected with a 3 nautical mile fishing exclusion zone around the entire Falkland coastline. Collection of eggs for human consumption was banned in 2004.

There is little disturbance at albatross colonies because 91% are on uninhabited islands, of which 94% have no grazing animals and 48% no introduced predators (such as rats). They are often located on inaccessible cliffs. Southern Giant Petrels are however particularly sensitive to disturbance but a majority of colonies remain relatively undisturbed. Persecution by farmers has ceased. Tourism has greatly increased in the Falkland Islands in recent years. Falklands Conservation’s ‘Keep Your Distance’ poster and Visitors’ Guide to the Falkland Islands aim to inform visitors of the importance of keeping disturbance to a minimum at sensitive sites. Further information is contained in Albatross and Petrel Breeding Sites in the Falkland Islands: Suggested Guidelines for Landowners. (1119kb PDF)

Disease

On remote islands such as the Falklands the introduction of exotic diseases can have catastrophic effects. In 2002 veterinarians from the Wildlife Conservation Society (www.wcs.org) of New York, who own Grand and Steeple Jason Islands (733kb PDF), took blood samples from black-browed albatross and tested these for a wide range of avian diseases. It was found that unlike seabird populations on the coasts of South America, the Falkland Island populations had no antibodies and thus no resistance to the tested diseases. This means that birds may suffer heavily if or when diseases are introduced.

Marine Algal Blooms

In the summer of 2002/03 Black-browed Albatross and other seabirds feeding offshore west of the Falkland Islands were affected by a Harmful Algal Bloom.

 
The red algal bloom was observed by a pilot in the west of the Islands, over Queen Charlotte Bay. January 2003.

This resulted in the lowest breeding success recorded and dead adults found at the colonies, floating in the sea and washed ashore on beaches. Although this if the first time the phenomena has been positively identified in Falkland waters, it might be a reflection of a global tendency for such events to occur more frequently. Apart from such events, waters around the Falklands are normally very productive, as reflected by high average breeding success and associated high chick growth rate.