Black Petrel, artwork by Helen Worthington for ABUN/ACAP Project #35 “Petrels in Peril” in 2021, after a photograph by Virginia Nicol

In May young Vulnerable Black Petrels Procellaria parkinsoni begun fledging, leaving their burrows on New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island/Aotea and Little Barrier Island/Te Hauturu-o-Toi and heading Pacific waters off Ecuador.

“In the largest Black Petrel tracking study ever undertaken, 47 fledglings are being fitted with live trackers to help researchers better understand one of the ocean’s enduring mysteries: why do fewer than 10% of black petrel chicks ever return home?”

Black Petrel off Mercury Islands, New Zealand, photograph by Kirk Zufelt

“The Tākoketai black petrel, is a taonga species endemic to New Zealand.  Each year, these ocean voyagers travel thousands of kilometres across the Pacific, yet return to breed on just two small islands in the Hauraki Gulf.  With fewer than 5,000 breeding pairs remaining, they face growing pressures at sea, from fisheries bycatch and climate change to light pollution and changing ocean conditions.  The ultimate goal is to chart a course for recovery and protection of this on the brink species, so that we might see their return to some former nesting sites right around the North Island.”

Read more about Black Petrel research and conservation, and follow the tracked birds here.

News from ‘Biz Bell’, Wildlife Management International.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 04 June 2026

Patricia Pereira Serafini, Richard Phillips and Marco Favero, Swakopmund, Namibia, photograph by Barry Baker

On the second day of the 15th Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee (AC15) in Swakopmund, Namibia, the attending delegates and observers heard reports from two working groups and a joint meeting that had met the previous week.  With large agendas and many documents to consider, this article highlights one matter discussed by each meeting thought to be of particular interest to the interested public.,

The Report of the Ninth Meeting of the Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG9) was given by its Co-convenor Dr Patricia Pereira Serafini (Brazil).  Matters covered included population trends, IUCN Red List review, pollutants and marine debris, High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza, and climate change

South African delegates and observers Thando Cebekhulu, Azwianewi Makhado, Andrea Angel and Makhudu Masotla attending the ACAP meetings in Swakopmund, Namibia, May-June 2026, photograph by Barry Baker

Under agenda item 6.1 Updates on Management of Land-based Threats the Population and Conservation Status Working Group considered an update (PaCSWG9 Inf 05) on the “Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project” by Dr Azwianewi Makhado, Marine Top Predators Programme, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa and Dr Anton Wolfaardt, MFM Project Manager, which aims to eradicate invasive House Mice from Marion Island.  The update reports that field trials on the island have confirmed high bait palatability but have also identified strong seasonal variability in mouse abundance and bait uptake, leading to the ongoing refinement of baiting methods.  The eradication operation is currently planned to take place in 2029.

The Advisory Committee recognised the conservation importance of large-scale invasive species eradication programmes, such as on Marion Island.  On behalf of the Advisory Committee, its Chair, Dr Michael Double (Australia), confirmed its support of the MFM Project and wished it well.

Flesh-footed Shearwater at sea, photograph by Nathan Piesse

The outcomes of the Report of the Joint Thirteenth Meeting of the Seabird Bycatch Working Group and Ninth Meeting of the Population and Conservation Status Working Group were presented to the Advisory Committee by SBWG Co-convenors Tatiana Neves (Brazil) and Megan Tierney (UK).  Discussion took place on overlap of birds and at-sea threats, ACAP seabird bycatch mitigation best practice advice and coordination of activities relating to Regional Fisheries Management and Conservation Organisations (RFMCOs).

Under Agenda Item 6 Listing of Species on Annex One the joint meeting discussed the potential listing of the Flesh-footed Shearwater Ardenna carneipes on ACAP Annex 1 (AC15 Doc 18, presented by New Zealand, Australia and France), following its listing on Appendix II of the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS).  The Advisory Committee agreed to study the CMS listing proposal document and identify any additional information that should be included in a potential proposal for listing the shearwater on the Agreement’s Annex One, to bring forward to ACAP’s meetings in 2027.

The Advisory Committee also encouraged research to provide support to ACAP’s taxonomic approach of treating as full species three pairs of ACAP-listed taxa: Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris and Campbell Albatross T. impavida, White-capped Albatross T. steadi and Shy Albatross T. cauta, and Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus and Yelkouan Shearwater P. yelkouan.

Co-convenors of the Seabird Bycatch Working Group, Megan Tierney, Igor Debski, Sebastián Jiménez and Dimas Gianuca, Swakopmund, Namibia, photograph by Barry Baker

The afternoon was taken up with a discussion of the Report of the 13th Meeting of the Seabird Bycatch Working Group , delivered by its Co-convenor, Dr Sebastián Jiménez (Uruguay).  The working group meeting had taken account of 27 Documents and Information Papers, available online from here.  Subjects covered included ACAP’s best practice advice for mitigating seabird bycatch, artisanal and small-scale fisheries, and bycatch mitigation in demersal longline, pelagic longline, trawl and purse seine fisheries.

Under Agenda Item 11 Review of Status of Implementation of NPOA-Seabirds the Working Group congratulated South Africa for its production of an updated National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Seabirds (NPOA Seabirds II) to cover the period 2026 to 2030 (SBWG13 Inf 13).  The new plan builds on the country’s first NPOA Seabirds which dealt only with longline fisheries.  It aligns with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s International Plan of Action for Reducing Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries, which supports the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.  The new version addresses all types of South African fisheries, including artisanal gill netting and beach seining.  It also includes South Africa’s sub-Antarctic Marion and Prince Edward Islands in the southern Indian Ocean with its ambit.

The collation and drafting of South Africa’s NPOA Seabirds II were undertaken by Sven Kerwath, Azwianewi Makhado, Makhudu Masotla, Gerhard Cilliers, Andrea Angel, Joannes de Goede, Peter Ryan and Larvika Singh.

References:

Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism [Cooper, J., Petersen, S. & Ryan, P.G.]  2008.  South African National Plan of Action for Reducing the Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries.  Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism.  32 pp.

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. 2026. National Plan of Action II for the Conservation and Management of Seabirds in South African Fisheries 2026-2030.  Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.  36 pp.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses, 02 June 2026

Ms Graça Bauleth D’Almeida

The Fifteenth Meeting of ACAP’s Advisory Committee (AC15) is being held over five days in the Swakopmund Plaza Hotel, Swakopmund, Namibia.  This is the first time ACAP has met in the country.  Although Namibia is not a Party to the Agreement, it has sent observers to many of its meetings over the years.  AC15 follows on from the previous week’s meetings of its Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG9), the Seabird Bycatch Working Group (SBWG13) and a joint SBWG13/PaCSWG9 meeting.  Reports of these three meetings will be considered by AC15.

Day One of AC15 was opened with an address from Ms Graça Bauleth D’Almeida, Director: Resources Management, Directorate: Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Research,  Namibia Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, who also is attending the Advisory Committee meeting as Head of Delegation for Namibia as an observing Range State.  The Directorate is mandated to conduct research to determine the status of the stocks and providing scientific advice on the sustainable management of Namibia's marine ecosystem and promoting public awareness.  In her address she welcomed delegates and observers to the meeting saying “I wish you all a pleasant stay in Swakopmund and hope that you have time to explore the beautiful Namibian scenery and experience the wonderful hospitality by the Namibian people.  It is indeed a great honour for Namibia to host the 15th Advisory Committee and Subsidiary body meetings of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) and we look forward to participating in an Observer capacity and contribute to the deliberations of the meeting.”

She continued “Namibia continues to translate international commitments into practical conservation actions.   Such examples include the introduction of seabird bycatch mitigation measures into our hake fisheries regulations, which saw a 98% reduction in seabird bycatch in the longline and 95% reduction in the trawl fisheries.  The Namibian hake fishery is one of only two fisheries in Africa certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).  During its first five-year certification period, significant efforts were made to reduce the fisheries’ impact on seabirds.”

Ms D’Almeida closed her remarks by saying that Namibia understands the importance of becoming a Party to Agreement, saying "we have made progress towards accession and expect the instrument of depository to be made by the end of this year, if not before the next ACAP annual meeting.”

In reply, Dr Michael Double, as Chair of the ACAP Advisory Committee, thanked Ms D’Almeida for her welcoming remarks and on behalf of the delegates and observers expressed pleasure that Namibia would become a Party to the Agreement in not too long a time.

During the day the meeting considered the report of the Taxonomy Working Group that conducts its business by correspondence. The working group’s report was presented by its Convenor, Mark Tasker, who is also attending AC15 as the UK’s Member of the Advisory Committee.  Tomorrow the meeting will consider reports on the Population and Conservation Status and Seabird Bycatch Working Groups.  On Wednesday 3 June the meeting, among other matters, will consider the venue and timing for AC16, due to be held in 2027.  On Thursday 4 June the attendees will be taken on an excursion to the nearby fishing town of Walvis Bay.  The meeting will close on Friday 5 June, which will be devoted to adopting the Advisory Committee’s report.  More details of daily discussions are given in the provisional meeting schedule.

AC15 is being attended by 11 of the 13 Parties to the Agreement: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom and Uruguay.  In addition, observers are present from Namibia, Chinese Taipei, BirdLife International, the Namibian Nature Foundation and the South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO).

The first day of AC15 ended with an evening function with a view of the sun setting into the ocean from the Seaview Restaurant in the Seaside Hotel & Spa. The event was hosted by the Government of Namibia and was enjoyed by all the meeting attendees.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses, 02 June 2026

 Attendees at the ACAP working group meetings in the Swakopmund Plaza Hotel, photograph by Barry Baker

Last week the Agreement on Albatrosses and petrels held five days of meetings of two of its working groups in the coastal town on Swakopmund, Namibia.  This is the first time ACAP has met in the country.  Although Namibia is not a Party to the Agreement, it has sent a delegate to many of its meetings over the years.

PaCSWG convenors - Patricia Pereira Serafini, Richard Phillips and Marco Favero, Swakopmund, Namibia, photograph by Barry Baker

On Monday 25 May the Ninth Meeting of the Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG9) met under the Convenorship of Mark Favero (Argentina), Richard Phillips (UK) and Patricia Pereira Serafini (Brazil).  The PaCSWG9 meeting was followed by a joint SBWG13/PaCSWG9 meeting held on Tuesday 26 May to discuss cross-cutting issues.

SBWG convenors - Megan Tierney, Igor Debski, Sebastián Jiménez and Dimas Gianuca, Swakopmund, Namibia, photograph hy Barry Baker

A meeting of the Seabird Bycatch Working Group (SBWG13) held over 27-29 May completed the week.  The three-day meeting was convened by Igor Debski (New Zealand), Dimas Gianuca (BirdLife International), Sebastián Jiménez (Uruguay) and Megan Tierney (UK).  The meeting considered 23 Documents and 17 Information Papers. 

Members attending the Seabird Bycatch Working Group meeting deliberate in Swakopmund, photograph by Barry Baker

The reports of the meetings, and of the Taxonomy Working Group, that conducts its work online under the convenorship of Mark Tasker (UK), will be considered at the Fifteenth Meeting of ACAP’s Advisory Committee (AC15) during Week Two of the Swakopmund events, being held from Monday 1 to Friday 5 June in the Swakopmund Plaza Hotel.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses, 01 June 2026