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title: "Getting longline fisheries into line: the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission adopts a new seabird conservation and management measure"
---

# Getting longline fisheries into line: the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission adopts a new seabird conservation and management measure

The [Ninth Regular Session](http://www.wcpfc.int/meetings/2012/9th-Regular-Session-Commission) of the The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission ([WCPFC](http://www.wcpfc.int/)) has adopted a new seabird conservation and management measure that strengthens the protection provided to seabirds, and in particular albatrosses and petrels, in the World's largest ocean basin.

 Meeting in Manila, Philippines over 2-6 December, the WCPFC session agreed to replace the existing Conservation and Management Measure to Mitigate the Impact of Fishing for Highly Migratory Fish Stocks on Seabirds ([CMM-2007-04](http://www.wcpfc.int/doc/cmm-2007-04/conservation-and-management-measure-mitigate-impact-fishing-highly-migratory-fish-st)).

 South of 30°S longline vessels will now be required to use a minimum of two mitigation measures, either setting hooks at night, weighting branch lines to increase sink rate, or using a bird-scaring (tori or streamer) line.  These three mitigation measures, used in combination, have been identified by the Albatross and Petrel Agreement as representing best-practice bycatch mitigation in longline fisheries.

 The new Conservation Measure was drafted and put forward for consideration by the Government of New Zealand ([click here](https://acap.aq/latest-news/western-and-central-fisheries-commission-to-revise-its-seabird-bycatch-measure)).  ACAP was represented at the meeting by its Executive Secretary, Warren Papworth.

 ![Fact_Sheet_05_Fig2](https://acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Mitigation/Fact_Sheet_05_Fig2.jpg)

 The new measure brings the WCPFC in line with the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission ([IOTC](http://www.iotc.org/)) and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas ([ICCAT](http://www.iccat.int/en/)) which have both previously adopted the same "two out of three" best-practice mitigation measures over the last 12 months for longline fisheries of member countries within their jurisdictions.  For earlier news items on adoption of their new mitigation measures click on [IOTC](https://acap.aq/latest-news/getting-into-line-the-indian-ocean-tuna-commission-adopts-best-practice-mitigation-measures-for-albatrosses-and-petrels) and [ICCAT](https://acap.aq/2011-news-archive/iccat-commission-meeting-adopts-a-supplemental-seabird-recommendation-in-the-south-atlantic).

 For an NGO perspective on the adoption of the new conservation and management measure by the WCPFC [click here](http://www.birdlife.org/community/2012/12/landmark-move-to-protect-albatrosses-in-the-western-and-central-pacific-just-announced/).

 The meeting also agreed to the collection of additional data on seabird bycatch through its Regional Observer Programme.

 **Reference:**

 New Zealand 2012.  *Draft Amendments to CMM2007-04 Conservation and Management Measure to Mitigate the Impact of Fishing for Highly Migratory Fish Stocks on Seabirds*.  [WCPFC9-2012-DP-16](http://www.wcpfc.int/meetings/2012/9th-Regular-Session-Commission) (Rev 2).  9 pp.

 *Warren Papworth, ACAP Executive Secretary and John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 8 December 2012*