ACAP Latest News

Read about recent developments and findings in procellariiform science and conservation relevant to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels in ACAP Latest News.

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ACAP’s 10th Meeting of its Advisory Committee starts in Wellington, New Zealand

Following meetings of the ACAP Seabird Bycatch (SBWG8) and the Population and Conservation Status Working Groups (PaCSWG4) last week in Wellington, New Zealand, this week it is the turn of the Advisory Committee. Ten of the 13 Parties to the Agreement are attending the 2017 session that will last through to Friday.

The 10th Meeting of the Advisory Committee (AC10) started its work on Monday with a welcome from Ian Angus, Acting Director: Aquatic of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation.  In his address he drew attention to the large number of ACAP-listed albatross and petrel species that breed within New Zealand, several of which are endemics.

During the meeting reports were made by observers in attendance, including Namibia and the USA (interested non-Parties) and three international NGOs (American Bird Conservancy, BirdLife International and Humane Society International). Namibia reported that it expected to become a Party to the Agreement in the near future, news welcomed by the AC10 Delegates.

 Meeting Documents and Information Papers (which include Implementation Reports by Parties) being considered at AC10 are available online on this website.

Ian Angus (right) addesses the delegates, with Tatiana Neves (Advisory Committee Vice Chair) and Nathan Walker (Advisory Committee Chair) in attendence

From left: Ian Angus (Department of Conservation), Tatiana Neves, Mark Tasker (past AC Chair), Marco Favero (ACAP Executive Secretary) and Nathan Walker

AC10 Delegates smile for the camera:  from left Anton Wolfaardt (UK),  Aixa Rodriguz Avendaño & Sergio Alejandro Rojo (both Argentina) and Richard Phillips (UK)

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 12 September 2017

Fourth meeting of the ACAP Population and Conservation Status Working Group: a participant portfolio

The Albatross and Petrel Agreement’s Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG4), is holding its fourth meeting this week in Wellington, New Zealand. The two days of discussions follow a three-day meeting of a sister ACAP Working Group on seabird bycatch (SBWG8).  The deliberations of both groups will be reported to the 10th Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee (AC10) next week.

A photographic portfolio of some of the attendees at PaCSWG4 follows:

PaCSWG Convenors: Patricia Pereira Sefarini (Brazil), Richard Phillips (UK) and Rosemary Gales (Australia)

PaCSWG8 attendees ready for day one

Paul Sagar (New Zealand) with Anton Wolfaardt (UK)

Alan Tennyson, Colin Miskelly and Graeme Taylor - New Zealanders all

John Cooper (ACAP Information Officer) with Hannah Nevins (American Bird Conservancy)

Barbara Wienecke and Rosemary Gales in conversation at morning tea (both Australia)

Susan Waugh chats with Nathan Walker (both New Zealand)

Kath Walker (New Zealand) in conversation with Hannah Nevins (USA)

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 08 September 2017

Photos from the last day of the ACAP Seabird Bycatch Working Group in New Zealand

Yesterday, ACAP's Seabird Bycatch Working Group (SBWG) completed its three-day Eighth Meeting in Wellington, New Zealand.  Today its sister group, the Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG), has commenced a two-day meeting, its fourth.  Deliberations of both meetings will be reported to the 10th Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee (AC10) next week.

Photos of some of the atttendees taken at yesterday's SBWG session follow (more have been posted to ACAP's Facebook Page):

 Beth Flint (USA) in conversation with Ed Melvin (USA)

Tea time for Nathan Walker (current Advisory Committee Chair, New Zealand) and Mark Tasker (past Advisory Committee Chair, United Kingdom)

Sebastian Jimenez (Uruguay) and 'Pep' Arcos (Spain)

 Graham Robertson (Australia) with interpreters Cecilia Alal and Sandra Hale

 Anne Saunders and Richard Phillips from the United Kingdom

Photographs by John Cooper.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 07 September 2017

Breeding biology of New Zealand’s Fluttering Shearwater gets studied on Burgess Island

With the Albatross and Petrel Agreement meeting in Wellington, New Zealand this and next week it seems appropriate for ACAP Latest News to highlight a new publication on a procellariiform seabird that can at times be viewed close from the shore in Wellington Harbour, and one that is being translocated to the nearby Matiu/Somes Island Scientific and Historic Reserve.

Martin Berg (Centre for Animal Movement Research, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden) and colleagues have published in the journal Emu – Austral Ornithology on aspects of the breeding biology of the globally Least Concern Fluttering Shearwater Puffinus gavia.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“The Fluttering Shearwater (Puffinus gavia) is an abundant seabird endemic to breeding colonies in northern and central New Zealand. The species remains poorly studied, and here we present the first study to examine its breeding biology in detail. Fluttering Shearwater nests were monitored from laying in September to fledging in January 2016 on Burgess Island in the outer Hauraki Gulf, northern New Zealand. Nine (22%) of forty-one natural nests were located under dense vegetation on the ground. Eggs were laid over a period of 39 days with laying peaking on 12 September. Incubation length was 50.0 ± 3.7 days and chicks fledged after an average of 74.2 ± 4.3 days, from late December to the end of January. Chick growth corresponds to the pattern observed for other Procellariiformes, gaining body mass rapidly to a maximum of 115% of adult mass, and then losing mass until fledging. Chicks were fed most nights throughout chick-rearing. Breeding success was 63.8% and similar to other Puffinus species breeding in pest-free colonies. This study provides baseline biological data for a poorly studied, yet common, New Zealand endemic seabird. The obtained new information will allow for further ecological investigations and improved conservation management.”

 

Fluttering Shearwater at sea, photograph by Kirk Zufelt

Reference:

Berg, M., Linnebjerg, J.F., Ismar, S.M.H., Gaskin, C.P. & Rayner, M.J. 2017. Breeding biology of Fluttering Shearwaters (Puffinus gavia) on Burgess Island in northern New Zealand. Emu – Austral Ornithology.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 06 September 2017

The Agreement on the
Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels

ACAP is a multilateral agreement which seeks to conserve listed albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters by coordinating international activity to mitigate known threats to their populations.

About ACAP

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Hobart TAS 7000
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Email: secretariat@acap.aq
Tel: +61 3 6165 6674