The overlap of threatened seabirds with reported bycatch areas between 25 degrees and 30 degrees South in the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Area.

Citation
Baird K, Small C, Bell B Elizabeth, et al (2015) The overlap of threatened seabirds with reported bycatch areas between 25 degrees and 30 degrees South in the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Area. WCPFC, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
Abstract

The WCPFC seabird conservation measure (CMM 12/07) requires that seabird bycatch mitigation measures are mandatory for all longline fishing effort south of 30 degrees S. Here we show the distribution of five species of threatened albatrosses (Antipodean, Northern Royal, Wandering, Black-browed and White-capped albatrosses) and two species of threatened petrels (Black and White-chinned petrel) in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission area. The data indicate these threatened species are at risk from bycatch in the South Pacific up to 25 degrees S, outside the current area where mitigation measures are mandatory. This is supported by published information on bycatch and sightings of seabirds in the area between 25 and 30 degrees S. We conclude that these two lines of evidence represent a meaningful risk to seabirds, which would be mitigated by extending the area of application of CMM 12/07 to south of 25 degrees S.