Following meetings of the ACAP Seabird Bycatch (SBWG8) and the Population and Conservation Status Working Groups (PaCSWG4) last week in Wellington, New Zealand, this week it is the turn of the Advisory Committee. Ten of the 13 Parties to the Agreement are attending the 2017 session that will last through to Friday.

The 10th Meeting of the Advisory Committee (AC10) started its work on Monday with a welcome from Ian Angus, Acting Director: Aquatic of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation.  In his address he drew attention to the large number of ACAP-listed albatross and petrel species that breed within New Zealand, several of which are endemics.

During the meeting reports were made by observers in attendance, including Namibia and the USA (interested non-Parties) and three international NGOs (American Bird Conservancy, BirdLife International and Humane Society International). Namibia reported that it expected to become a Party to the Agreement in the near future, news welcomed by the AC10 Delegates.

 Meeting Documents and Information Papers (which include Implementation Reports by Parties) being considered at AC10 are available online on this website.

Ian Angus (right) addesses the delegates, with Tatiana Neves (Advisory Committee Vice Chair) and Nathan Walker (Advisory Committee Chair) in attendence

From left: Ian Angus (Department of Conservation), Tatiana Neves, Mark Tasker (past AC Chair), Marco Favero (ACAP Executive Secretary) and Nathan Walker

AC10 Delegates smile for the camera:  from left Anton Wolfaardt (UK),  Aixa Rodriguz Avendaño & Sergio Alejandro Rojo (both Argentina) and Richard Phillips (UK)

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 12 September 2017

The Albatross and Petrel Agreement’s Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG4), is holding its fourth meeting this week in Wellington, New Zealand. The two days of discussions follow a three-day meeting of a sister ACAP Working Group on seabird bycatch (SBWG8).  The deliberations of both groups will be reported to the 10th Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee (AC10) next week.

A photographic portfolio of some of the attendees at PaCSWG4 follows:

PaCSWG Convenors: Patricia Pereira Sefarini (Brazil), Richard Phillips (UK) and Rosemary Gales (Australia)

PaCSWG8 attendees ready for day one

Paul Sagar (New Zealand) with Anton Wolfaardt (UK)

Alan Tennyson, Colin Miskelly and Graeme Taylor - New Zealanders all

John Cooper (ACAP Information Officer) with Hannah Nevins (American Bird Conservancy)

Barbara Wienecke and Rosemary Gales in conversation at morning tea (both Australia)

Susan Waugh chats with Nathan Walker (both New Zealand)

Kath Walker (New Zealand) in conversation with Hannah Nevins (USA)

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 08 September 2017

Yesterday, ACAP's Seabird Bycatch Working Group (SBWG) completed its three-day Eighth Meeting in Wellington, New Zealand.  Today its sister group, the Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG), has commenced a two-day meeting, its fourth.  Deliberations of both meetings will be reported to the 10th Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee (AC10) next week.

Photos of some of the atttendees taken at yesterday's SBWG session follow (more have been posted to ACAP's Facebook Page):

 Beth Flint (USA) in conversation with Ed Melvin (USA)

Tea time for Nathan Walker (current Advisory Committee Chair, New Zealand) and Mark Tasker (past Advisory Committee Chair, United Kingdom)

Sebastian Jimenez (Uruguay) and 'Pep' Arcos (Spain)

 Graham Robertson (Australia) with interpreters Cecilia Alal and Sandra Hale

 Anne Saunders and Richard Phillips from the United Kingdom

Photographs by John Cooper.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 07 September 2017