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The history of activities undertaken and measures adopted by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR, www.ccamlr.org) to reduce the bycatch of seabirds, especially of albatrosses and petrels, is described and reviewed in two scientific papers published this year (Croxall 2008, Waugh et al. 2008).

Commencing with longline fisheries, and then expanding too all fin fisheries within the CCAMLR region of the Southern Ocean, there has been a progressive reduction in the numbers of seabirds killed by legal fishers since the mid 1990s, now approaching (or even achieving) zero levels in some statistical regions.

The application of the CCAMLR approach, and of its successes, to other and adjacent regions (both domestic through national states, and international, through southern RFMOs [Regional Fishery Management Organizations]) of the Southern Ocean is considered in the two papers.

Croxall, J.P. 2008.  The role of science and advocacy in the conservation of Southern Ocean albatrosses at sea.  Bird Conservation International 18: S13-S29.

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=BCI&volumeId=18&issueId=S1&iid=2040084#

Waugh, S.M., Baker, G.B., Gales, R. & Croxall, J.P. 2008.  CCAMLR process of risk assessment to minimise the effects of longline fishing mortality on seabirds.  Marine Policy 32: 442-454.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VCD-4PYJPCT-1&_user=10&_coverDate=05%2F31%2F2008&_rdoc=24&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%235952%232008%23999679996%23684552%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=5952&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=34&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=d40425f38f206b7a7eef11e1731c331b

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, Posted 17 December 2008