Towards Seabird-safe Fisheries - Global Efforts & Solutions

Seabirds are one of the world’s most threatened groups of animals, with many populations in decline due to incidental capture in fishing gears. Birds are caught and drowned on baited longline hooks and in nets, or are killed by collisions with trawl cables. Simple and inexpensive measures can be highly effective in preventing these unintentional deaths. In fact, some fisheries have already reduced seabird bycatch by 80% or more, demonstrating the scale of potential success. Here we present some of the remarkable efforts of fisheries large and small from almost every ocean, where fishers are finding solutions to prevent unnecessary seabird deaths. These stories demonstrate that collaboration – between fishers, scientists and decision makers – can lead to practical solutions that will ultimately turn the tide for many seabird species and improve the sustainability of global fisheries.