Brazil’s Projeto Albatroz is helping promote World Albatross Day

Estabished in 1990 in Santos, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, Projeto Albatroz aims to reduce the incidental capture of albatrosses and petrels by pelagic longline fishing in Brazilian waters.  Towards this aim the NGO develops and conducts research into mitigation measures that reduce seabird bycatch.  It also works in partnership with governmental and educational institutions to raise awareness among fishers and the youth of marine conservation issues, especially those facing albatrosses and petrels.  The project is sponsored by Petrobras (a semi-public Brazilian multinational corporation in the petroleum industry) through its environmental programme.

Earlier this year ACAP instituted a World Albatross Day Intersessional Group with Tatiana Neves, Projeto Albatroz founder and General Coordinator (Coordenação Geral), as a member.  This allows Projeto Albatroz and ACAP to work closely together on awareness raising and activity planning as the inaugural day approaches on 19 June next year.

Tatiana Neves, Projeto Albatroz General Coordinator

Tatiana Neves has written to ACAP Latest News in both English and her home language, Portuguese:

“Having a World Albatross Day is a great idea.  I have dedicated a lifetime to the conservation of albatrosses and petrels, so having a World Albatross Day, as recognition of the global importance of those magnificent birds and the threats they face, is important in increasing global awareness of the importance of actions to prevent their extinction.”

“Ter um Dia do Albatroz é uma ótima ideia.  I tenho dedicado todo uma vida para a conservação de albatrozes e petreis, e ter um Dia do Albatroz, como um reconhecimento da importância global para essas aves magníficas e das ameaças que elas enfrentam, é crucial para aumentar a consciência global sobre a importância das ações para prevenir sua extinção.”

Tatiana is a veteran of ACAP meetings, attending on both Brazilian Delegations (Brazil became a Party to ACAP by ratification in 2008) and as an observer representing Projeto Albatroz.  Currently she serves as Vice-chair of ACAP’s Advisory Committee; previously she was Vice-convenor of the ACAP Seabird Bycatch Working Group.  She has also written a coffee-table book on albatrosses in Portuguese entitled Albatroz um Projeto pela Vida, published in 2013.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 13 December 2019