Representatives of some of the 13 ACAP Parties attending MoP8, photograph by Johan de Goede

The Eighth Session of the Meeting of the Parties (MoP8) of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), held from 19 to 23 May in Dunedin, New Zealand, concluded with a strong commitment to take urgent action to address the conservation crisis faced by albatross and petrels.  The meeting was chaired by Danica Stent of New Zealand.

In her opening address, Ms Stephanie Rowe, Deputy Director-General of Biodiversity, Heritage, and Visitors of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, applauded the world-leading research and technical guidance ACAP has produced over the last 20 years.  She emphasised, however, that “advice needs action”, and international collaboration is essential to addressing the threat posed by fisheries bycatch.  Ms Rowe wished parties success “to advance ACAP’s mission to reverse the decline of these treasured species”.

Stephanie Rowe gives her address, photograph by Johan de Goede

In 2019, ACAP's Advisory Committee highlighted a conservation crisis with hundreds of thousands of albatrosses and petrels dying every year as a result of fisheries operations.  The implementation of ACAP’s Best Practice seabird bycatch mitigation advice by ACAP Parties, non-Party Range States and, critically, Regional Fisheries Management and Conservation Organisations was identified as essential for the conservation of these majestic seabirds.

ACAP has developed a comprehensive range of Best Practice Advice guidelines and fact sheets containing proven mitigation measures that can be implemented by coastal States and distant water fishing nations, and other entities to reduce seabird bycatch.  These are available in multiple languages and can be accessed through the ACAP website.

The Meeting of the Parties recognised the need to renew efforts to improve the uptake of ACAP Best Practice Advice.  The Meeting adopted a Resolution declaring that new evidence shows that the conservation crisis facing albatrosses and petrels due to the threat of fisheries bycatch is ongoing.  The Parties agreed to allocate funding in the Advisory Committee Work Programme to implement the Communications Strategy to communicate more effectively the conservation crisis facing albatrosses and petrels, and the solutions available.

Dr Michael Double, Vice Chair and the Chair of the ACAP Advisory Committee, in his report to the Parties, emphasised the declining overall conservation status of ACAP-listed species.  Key progress of the past triennium included continued development of seabird bycatch mitigation Best Practice Advice, funding of Small Grants and Secondments projects, and provision of advice on High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI).

Parties agreed to increase the Agreement’s budget and member contributions for the 2026-2028 triennium.  Parties recognised that fully and sustainably funding the Advisory Committee Work Programme is integral to addressing the drivers behind the worsening overall conservation status of ACAP species.

This meeting also marked the end of Dr Christine Bogle’s term (2019-2025) as Executive Secretary.  Parties paid tribute to Dr Bogle’s unwavering support during her term.  Parties also welcomed Mr Jonathon Barrington (Australia) as the new Executive Secretary-designate. Dr Bogle congratulated Mr Barrington on his appointment, highlighting their long-standing professional relationship and his valuable support.

ACAP Secretariat, 30 May 2025

 A Northern Royal Albatross chick in the Pukekura/Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve

Day Four of a Session of the Meeting of the Parties has the ACAP Secretariat readying the meeting report and resolutions for adoption on the next and final day.  On the same day delegates are traditionally taken on an excursion organized by the host country.  The Eighth Session (MoP8) held in Dunedin, New Zealand last week over five days was no exception with an outing arranged to undertake a guided walk at the well-known (and intensely managed) colony of Endangered Northern Royal Albatrosses Diomedea sanfordi in the Pukekura/Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve on the headland of the Otago Peninsula.  The mainland Taiaroa Head colony can be visited by the public who are able to view the breeding albatrosses through a glass window in an observatory operated by the Royal Albatross Centre.

During the Second Session of the Meeting of the Parties held in New Zealand in 2008, attendees were taken from Christchurch on an excursion to view albatrosses and petrels at sea off Kaikoura.  Three years later in 2011, the Sixth Meeting of ACAP's Advisory Committee (AC6) was held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, when a group of delegates took the opportunity to arrange an outing to the island of La Plata where they saw a single Critically Endangered Waved Albatross Phoebastria irrorata brooding its chick  However, MoP8 was the first time an ACAP meeting has made an official visit to see breeding albatrosses.

 
The Royal Albatross Centre

Last week’s excursion also included a visit to a Marae (Māori community centre).  For cultural reasons no photographs were taken of the pōwhiri (traditional welcome ceremony).

The Ōtākou marae on the Otago Peninsula, all photographs by Johan de Goede

Watch a breeding pair and their chick at Taiaroa Head via the live-streaming Royal Cam operated by the Department of Conservation.

With grateful thanks to the South African Delegate to MoP8, Johan de Goede, Assistant Director, Small Pelagic Fisheries Management, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment for the photographs.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 29 May 2025

The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) has chosen “Effects of Disease” as its  theme  for this year's World Albatross Day (WAD2025) to be celebrated on 19 June 2025  Two versions (landscape and portrait) of the WAD2025 logo in the three ACAP official languages of English, French and Spanish, as well as in Japanese, have been released today  The 2025 logo also marks 21 years since ACAP came into force on 01 February 2004.

Click here to see all the eight versions of the WAD2025 logo.

This year’s theme continues the tradition of featuring specific threats that albatrosses (and ACAP-listed petrels and shearwaters) face.  It follows on from the inaugural theme “Eradicating Island Pests” in 2020, “Ensuring Albatross-friendly Fisheries” in 2021, “Climate Change” in 2022, “Plastic Pollution” in 2023, and Marine Protected Areas” in 2024.

Two new albatross species are being used to feature the theme for this year’s World Albatross Day, with artworks from Artists and Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN), species infographics and art posters (to be released next month).  They are the Endangered Amsterdam Albatross Diomedea amsterdamensis, endemic to France’s Amsterdam Island, and the Endangered Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri, that breeds on islands in the southern Indian Ocean  The latter species is particularly at risk from Pasteurella multocida that causes avian cholera and Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (causing erysipelas) on Amsterdam Island, where its breeding population has been decreasing.

The Agreement thanks South African graphic designer and long-time ACAP collaborator, Geoff Tyler, who has  designed ACAP’s World Albatross Day logos since the inaugural WAD in 2020.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 28 May 2025, updated 03 June 2025

Critically Endangered African Penguins

“The 4th World Seabird Conference will take place in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia from 7-11 September 2026. The theme for the conference is “Wings of Adaptation: Seabirds in a Changing Climate”.

“The 4th World Seabird Conference will build on the progress and success of previous conferences and once again place seabirds on the global stage. Our goal is to provide a hub for seabird scientists from across the world to gather with colleagues and discuss research, conservation, and innovative technology related to the study of seabirds and their marine environment.

The Conference will focus on the biology, ecology, adaptive capacity, and conservation of these globally relevant species in an era of unprecedented global change. WSC 4 will be structured around a series of symposia, contributed sessions, and workshops. It will provide participants with abundant opportunities to network with colleagues worldwide.

The World Seabird Conference has been held every five years since 2010, bringing together international seabird scientists, managers, and conservationists to tackle global challenges.  

 We invite scientists and professionals involved in seabird research and management to create symposia centred around the conference theme.”

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 27 May 2025