Transcript presentation by BirdLife South Africa

Education and Awareness
Awareness materials should contain:
• Are seabirds really of conservation concern
or is this an animal rights issue?
• Why are seabirds vulnerable?
• Is the Atlantic important for seabirds?
• Are there solutions?
• What are the benefits to fisherman?
Are seabirds really
of conservation
concern or is this an
animal rights issue?
Some global stats
• BLI – 300 000 seabird
mortalities annually
• 19 of 21 species of
albatross threatened
with extinction
Red List Indices for selected species-groups
1988
0.00
1992
1996
2000
2004
Pigeons
Waterbirds
Better
-0.04
-0.08
-0.10
-0.12
-0.14
-0.16
Parrots
Raptors
Gamebirds
Seabirds
0.06
Seabirds
Worse
Red List Index
-0.02
Threats to albatrosses and petrels
Pollution
Human disturbance
Impact
Habitat degradation
High
Medium
Hunting
Low
Unknown
Natural causes
Introduced predators
Bycatch
0
5
10
15
No. of species
© BirdLife International
20
25
Albatrosses at South Georgia are decreasing
at an alarming rate!
Wandering albatrosses: 1960’s–1997: 1 % per year
1997–2004: 4.5 % per year
2000
Number of pairs
1600
1200
1980
1960s
1990
500
2000
2005
Grey-headed albatrosses: 2.4 % per year
400
300
200
100
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
Black-browed albatrosses: 4.8 % per year
200
100
0
1970
1975
Data courtesy British Antarctic Survey
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
Why are seabirds
vulnerable?
• Long-lived
• Delayed sexual
maturity
• Slow breeding
• High adult
survival rates
VULNERAB LE to
MORTALITY
TRAVEL LARGE DISTANCES
South
Georgia
Winter 99
Breeding 00
Winter 00
Grey-headed Albatross tracks
SMALL POPULATIONS
Spectacled Petrel - Critically endangered
Total population: 3000 pairs at one island
Their life history strategy makes them
vulnerable to even small increases in
adult mortality
The fishers
perspective…
• In some cases events are rare –
complicates perceptions regarding the need for conservation
• E.g. for every seabird taken, 100s of fish are caught
• Many sets don’t catch any
• Often large no’s around vessel
• BUT SMALL NUMBERS ADD UP WHEN WE CONSIDER THE
ENTIRE FLEET OR REGION
Is the Atlantic
important for the
conservation of
these species?
• 41 species known to interact with ICCAT
fisheries
– 1 Critically endangered
– 7 Endangered
– 9 Vulnerable
• 35% of breeding albatrosses occur in the
Atlantic
Are there solutions?
Set lines at night
• Albatrosses feed mainly during the day
• Some smaller petrel species not conserved
Put enough weights onto line
Use bird-scaring (tori) lines
• Bycatch rate reduced by up to 80%
Mitigation measures
10m
What are the benefits to fisherman?
• Protecting marine
life will protect
the food chain
• Protecting the
food chain will
protect your
livelihood
• Baits lost to birds
and turtles cannot
catch fish!
Thanks!