 Leo Tamini, Aves Argentinas
Black-browed Albatrosses are one of the main species affected by bycatch in Argentinean fisheries
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Argentinean albatross and petrels get boost
29-08-2008
The Argentinean Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) has passed a resolution to adopt the use of mitigation measures that reduce the seabird bycatch in all vessels that operate longlines in Argentinean waters.
The established measures aim to reduce the mortality of seabirds in longline fishing and include: the addition of weight to the main line, obligatory night setting, use of bird-scaring lines (tori lines), and the release of any bird captured live during hauling. It is hoped that these measures have a swift effect in reducing the current levels of seabird mortality plus that caused by any future increase in the fleet.
Various people, institutes and NGOs have worked for over five years to achieve these measures to reduce of seabird bycatch in Argentinean fisheries.
Recently, Drs. Marco Favero and Patricia Gandini developed a technical document that was presented to Government Agencies with the aim of bringing about the preparation of the National Plan of Action (in agreement with FAO guidelines) to reduce the bycatch of albatross and petrels.
“This is the result of work from many people, each of whom has contributed to ensure this becomes concrete. This encourages us to keep working between all the sectors for the conservation of seabirds”, said Dr. Patricia Gandini, CONICET researcher and current vice-president of the National Parks Administration.
The next step is to look at the jiggers and trawl fleets. Preliminary evidence exists of seabird mortality as a consequence of these fishing operations with the net and trawl warp cables. In Argentina, the trawl fleet is composed of over 400 vessels.
"We are supported by various key government bodies, plus the collaboration of investigative researchers in the field to ensure we can tackle this challenge" —Fabian Rabuffetti, Aves Argentinas
“We know that the effort to take on this enormous fleet will be considerable, but we are supported by various key government bodies, plus the collaboration of investigative researchers in the field to ensure we can tackle this challenge. We are already working in the trawl fleet and shortly we will provide valuable information to facilitate the necessary arrangements to reduce the seabird mortality on trawl vessels”, commented Fabian Rabuffetti, coordinator of the ATF in Argentina and Aves Argentinas’ Seabird Programme.
The Albatross Task Force – ATF in Argentina, locally lead by Aves Argentinas (BirdLife in Argentina) and with the support of local researchers and government bodies, have will begin the evaluation and reduction of seabird mortality on trawl vessels.
“Considering that the Argentinean sea is one of the most important regions on earth in terms of abundance and diversity of albatross and petrels, the CFP resolution and its effective implementation will be crucial in improving the conservation status of various species under the Agreement. This news was more than welcome for the seabird conservation community during the recent 4th Advisory Committee of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels (ACAP – www.acap.aq), which took place from August 22-25 in Cape Town, South Africa”, said Dr Marco Favero, current President of the ACAP Advisory Committee.
BirdLife’s ATF is the world’s first international team of mitigation instructors working with fishermen and government agencies in global bycatch ‘hotspots’, including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Namibia, South Africa and Uruguay. ATF instructors routinely show that the adoption of mitigation measures are both operationally and economically effective. To support the work of the ATF, please click here to donate today.
This news is brought to you by BirdLife's Global Seabird Programme.
Credits: Global Seabird Programme