In pelagic longline fisheries, seabirds may become hooked and drown when they take a baited hook, either during line setting or hauling. Mitigation of seabird bycatch aims to deter and prevent birds from taking bait, principally through the combined use of three techniques, including streamer (tori) lines, fast sinking, weighted branch lines and night setting. Alternatively, ACAP recommend the use of an assessed* hook shielding device (e.g., HookPod) or underwater bait setting device. Seabird bycatch in purse seine tuna fisheries is rare, while poorly described for gillnet tuna fisheries.
*ACAP (Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels) conduct a regular review of scientific literature dealing with seabird bycatch mitigation in pelagic longline fisheries. The review and resulting summary of Best Practice Advice can be found here: ACAP Review of Mitigation Measures and Best Practice Advice for Reducing the Impact of Pelagic Longline Fisheries on Seabirds (May 2023)
Handy species ID guides can be found here. For detailed information about seabird species affected by longline and purse seine fisheries, the following resources may be helpful:
ACAP Data Portal - Albatross & Petrel species
Avibase - World bird database - taxonomy, distribution, maps, links
Birdlife International Data Zone - Species Search
e-Bird - citizen science database - bird distribution, abundance, habitat use, trends
Seabirds
3-Alpha Code | Name | Scientific Name |
---|---|---|
WTP | TAHITI PETREL | Pseudobulweria rostrata |
UIM | BALEARIC SHEARWATER | Puffinus mauretanicus |
TWD | NEW ZEALAND WHITE-CAPPED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche steadi |
TQW | CAMPBELL ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche impavida |
TQH | INDIAN YELLOW-NOSED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche carteri |
SZV | BOOBIES AND GANNETS NEI | Sulidae |
PWX | PRIONS NEI | Pachyptila spp |
PTZ | PETRELS NEI | Procellaria spp |
PRX | PETRELS AND SHEARWATERS NEI | Procellariidae |
PRO | WHITE-CHINNED PETREL | Procellaria aequinoctialis |
PRK | PARKINSON'S (or BLACK) PETREL | Procellaria parkinsoni |
PQW | SHEARWATERS NEI | Ardenna spp |
PHU | SOOTY ALBATROSS | Phoebetria fusca |
PHE | LIGHT-MANTLED SOOTY ALBATROSS | Phoebetria palpebrata |
PFZ | WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATER | Ardenna pacifica (was Puffinus pacificus) |
PFT | SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER (MUTTONBIRD) | Ardenna tenuirostris (was Puffinus tenuirostris) |
PFG | SOOTY SHEARWATER | Ardenna grisea (was Puffinus griseus) |
PFC | FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER | Ardenna carneipes (was Puffinus carneipes) |
PDM | GREAT-WINGED PETREL | Pterodroma macroptera |
PCW | WESTLAND PETREL | Procellaria westlandica |
PCN | SPECTACLED PETREL | Procellaria conspicillata |
PCI | GREY PETREL | Procellaria cinerea |
n/a | GREY-BACK STORM PETREL | Garrodia nereis |
n/a | COMMON DIVING PETREL | Pelecanoides urinatrix |
n/a | MOLLYMAWKS | Thalassarche spp |
MBX | GIANT PETRELS NEI | Macronectes spp |
MAI | ANTARCTIC GIANT PETREL (or SOUTHERN GIANT PETREL) | Macronectes giganteus |
MAH | HALL'S GIANT PETREL (or NORTHERN GIANT PETREL) | Macronectes halli |
LRD | GULLS - TERNS AND SKUAS | Laridae |
LHX | SEAGULLS NEI | Larus spp |
LDO | KELP GULL | Larus dominicanus |
FGZ | B/W BELLIED STORM PETRELS NEI | Fregetta spp |
EBQ | BROWN BOOBY | Sula leucogaster |
DSQ | MASKED BOOBY | Sula dactylatra |
DQS | ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS | Diomedea antipodensis |
DKS | SALVIN'S ALBATROSS | Thalassarche salvini |
DKN | BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS | Phoebastria nigripes |
DIZ | LAYSAN ALBATROSS | Phoebastria immutabilis |
DIX | WANDERING ALBATROSS | Diomedea exulans |
DIW | GIBSON'S ALBATROSS (sub species of Antipodean Albatross) | Diomedea antipodensis gibsoni (or D. gibsoni) |
DIQ | NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS | Diomedea sanfordi |
DIP | SOUTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS | Diomedea epomophora |
DIM | BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche melanophris |
DIC | GREY HEADED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche chrysostoma |
DIB | BULLER'S ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche bulleri |
DER | CHATHAM ALBATROSS | Thalassarche eremita |
DCU | SHY ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche cauta |
DCR | ATLANTIC YELLOW-NOSED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche chlororhynchos |
DBN | TRISTAN ALBATROSS | Diomedea dabbanena |
DAQ | SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS | Phoebastria albatrus |
DAM | AMSTERDAM ALBATROSS | Diomedea amsterdamensis |
DAC | CAPE PETREL / PIGEON | Daption capense |
CZE | CAPE VERDE SHEARWATER | Calonectris edwardsii |
CSK | GREAT SKUA | Stercorarius skua |
BXJ | FRIGATE BIRDS NEI | Fregatidae |
BWR | BOOBIES NEI | Sula spp |
BIZ | BIRD (UNIDENTIFIED) | |
ALZ | ALBATROSSES NEI | Diomedeidae |
--- | CORY'S SHEARWATER | Calonectris borealis |