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 |
---|---|---|
BIZ | BIRD (UNIDENTIFIED) | |
PFC | FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER | Ardenna carneipes (was Puffinus carneipes) |
PFG | SOOTY SHEARWATER | Ardenna grisea (was Puffinus griseus) |
PFZ | WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATER | Ardenna pacifica (was Puffinus pacificus) |
PQW | SHEARWATERS NEI | Ardenna spp |
PFT | SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER (MUTTONBIRD) | Ardenna tenuirostris (was Puffinus tenuirostris) |
--- | CORY'S SHEARWATER | Calonectris borealis |
CZE | CAPE VERDE SHEARWATER | Calonectris edwardsii |
DAC | CAPE PETREL / PIGEON | Daption capense |
DAM | AMSTERDAM ALBATROSS | Diomedea amsterdamensis |
DQS | ANTIPODEAN ALBATROSS | Diomedea antipodensis |
DIW | GIBSON'S ALBATROSS (sub species of Antipodean Albatross) | Diomedea antipodensis gibsoni (or D. gibsoni) |
DBN | TRISTAN ALBATROSS | Diomedea dabbanena |
DIP | SOUTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS | Diomedea epomophora |
DIX | WANDERING ALBATROSS | Diomedea exulans |
DIQ | NORTHERN ROYAL ALBATROSS | Diomedea sanfordi |
ALZ | ALBATROSSES NEI | Diomedeidae |
BXJ | FRIGATE BIRDS NEI | Fregatidae |
FGZ | B/W BELLIED STORM PETRELS NEI | Fregetta spp |
n/a | GREY-BACK STORM PETREL | Garrodia nereis |
LRD | GULLS - TERNS AND SKUAS | Laridae |
LDO | KELP GULL | Larus dominicanus |
LHX | SEAGULLS NEI | Larus spp |
MAI | ANTARCTIC GIANT PETREL (or SOUTHERN GIANT PETREL) | Macronectes giganteus |
MAH | HALL'S GIANT PETREL (or NORTHERN GIANT PETREL) | Macronectes halli |
MBX | GIANT PETRELS NEI | Macronectes spp |
PWX | PRIONS NEI | Pachyptila spp |
n/a | COMMON DIVING PETREL | Pelecanoides urinatrix |
DAQ | SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS | Phoebastria albatrus |
DIZ | LAYSAN ALBATROSS | Phoebastria immutabilis |
DKN | BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS | Phoebastria nigripes |
PHU | SOOTY ALBATROSS | Phoebetria fusca |
PHE | LIGHT-MANTLED SOOTY ALBATROSS | Phoebetria palpebrata |
PRO | WHITE-CHINNED PETREL | Procellaria aequinoctialis |
PCI | GREY PETREL | Procellaria cinerea |
PCN | SPECTACLED PETREL | Procellaria conspicillata |
PRK | PARKINSON'S (or BLACK) PETREL | Procellaria parkinsoni |
PTZ | PETRELS NEI | Procellaria spp |
PCW | WESTLAND PETREL | Procellaria westlandica |
PRX | PETRELS AND SHEARWATERS NEI | Procellariidae |
WTP | TAHITI PETREL | Pseudobulweria rostrata |
PDM | GREAT-WINGED PETREL | Pterodroma macroptera |
UIM | BALEARIC SHEARWATER | Puffinus mauretanicus |
CSK | GREAT SKUA | Stercorarius skua |
DSQ | MASKED BOOBY | Sula dactylatra |
EBQ | BROWN BOOBY | Sula leucogaster |
BWR | BOOBIES NEI | Sula spp |
SZV | BOOBIES AND GANNETS NEI | Sulidae |
DIB | BULLER'S ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche bulleri |
TQH | INDIAN YELLOW-NOSED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche carteri |
DCU | SHY ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche cauta |
DCR | ATLANTIC YELLOW-NOSED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche chlororhynchos |
DIC | GREY HEADED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche chrysostoma |
DER | CHATHAM ALBATROSS | Thalassarche eremita |
TQW | CAMPBELL ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche impavida |
DIM | BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche melanophris |
DKS | SALVIN'S ALBATROSS | Thalassarche salvini |
n/a | MOLLYMAWKS | Thalassarche spp |
TWD | NEW ZEALAND WHITE-CAPPED ALBATROSS (or MOLLYMAWK) | Thalassarche steadi |