A Tristan Albatross (a species considered in the publication) pair on Gough Island by ABUN artist Virginia Potter Vredeveld for World Albatross Day, 19 June 2020, after a photograph by Michelle Risi

James Bell (Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK) and colleagues have published open access in the journal Biological Conservation on assessing incidental mortality risk for four procellariiform species in the South Atlantic.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“Incidental mortality (bycatch) of seabirds in pelagic longline fisheries remains a major threat to many populations.   The design and implementation of technical innovations aimed at reducing seabird bycatch rates have long been a focus of research. However, it has historically been difficult to extrapolate the efficacy of a particular mitigation measure to the scale of seabird populations or oceanic basins. Here, we develop an ecological risk assessment for five populations of threatened albatross and petrel species that forage in the south Atlantic Ocean. Since seabird bycatch rates are likely under-reported to fisheries regulatory bodies, we adopted a risk-based approach to predict differences in bycatch rates between different combinations and specifications of mitigation measures, comparing those currently specified by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) against best practice guidelines recommended by the Seabird Bycatch Working Group of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP). We conclude that updating existing mitigation measure specifications for pelagic longlining in the South Atlantic to reflect current best practice guidelines would potentially reduce seabird mortality by 41–86 %, compared to use of any two of the three options by vessels. Simultaneous application of all three mitigation measures recommended as current ACAP best practice was predicted to reduce seabird mortality by 72–93 % and therefore should be considered by ICCAT as the most appropriate management measure for seabirds until further data are available to undertake more rigorous analyses.”

With thanks to Richard Phillips.

Reference:

Bell, J.B., Fischer, J.H., Carneiro, A.P.B., Griffiths, S., Bielli, A., Jiménez, S., Oppel, S., Phillips, R.A., Wade, H.M., Yates, O. & Reeves, S.A. 2025.  Evaluating the effectiveness of seabird bycatch mitigation measures for pelagic longlines in the South Atlantic.  Biological Conservation 302. 110981.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 21 January 2025

The USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has designated the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary, home of the vast majority of the world’s Black-footed Phoebastria nigripes and Laysan P. immutabilis Alvatrosses, with the publication of a final rule on 16 January 2025.  Following the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, after the final rule for sanctuary designation is published, sanctuary designation will take effect following 45 days of continuous session of the U.S. Congress.  The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and its expansion out to 200 nautical mile, were established under the Antiquities Act of 1906 through, respectively, Presidential Proclamations in 2006; 2007 and 2016.

A Laysan Albatross flies over Midway Atoll, photograph by Eric VanderWerf

“NOAA is designating Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary (sanctuary) to protect nationally significant biological, cultural, and historical resources and to manage this special place as part of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The sanctuary consists of an area of approximately 582,570 square statute miles (439,910 square nautical miles) of Pacific Ocean waters surrounding the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and the submerged lands thereunder. NOAA is establishing the terms of designation for the sanctuary and the regulations to implement the national marine sanctuary designation. NOAA has also published a final environmental impact statement (final EIS) in coordination with the State of Hawai'i, final management plan, and Record of Decision” (click here).

A brooding Black-footed Albatross on Midway Atoll, photograph by Wieteke Holthuijzen

Copies of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) and management plan described in this rule and the record of decision (ROD) are available here.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 20 January 2025

The latest ACAP Species Infographic released today, the 18th to be produced in the 31-species series, is for the Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli (Least Concern).  It is the third to be produced for an ACAP-listed petrel, following those for the Near Threatened Grey Petrel Procellaria cinerea and the Vulnerable White-chinned Petrel P. aequinoctialis.  The other 15 infographics are all for albatrosses.  It is also being produced in the official ACAP languages of French and Spanish.. These versions will be released soon.

Northern Giant Petrel chick on Marion Island, watercolour by ABUN artist Andrea Siemt, after a photograph by Liezl Pretorius

The ACAP Species Infographic series has been designed to help inform the public, including school learners, of the threats faced by albatrosses and petrels and what is being and can be done to combat them.  They serve to complement the more detailed and referenced ACAP Species Assessments, the concise and illustrated ACAP Species Summaries and the ACAP Photo Essay series.  English and Portuguese language versions of the infographics produced to date are available to download here.  French and Spanish versions can be found in their respective language menus for the website under Infographies sur les espèces and Infographía sobres las especies.

The 18 infographics produced to date may be freely downloaded at a high resolution to allow for printing professionally in two poster sizes (approximately A2 and A3). .Please note they are only being made available for personal use or when engaging in activities that will aid in drawing attention to the conservation crisis faced by the world’s albatrosses and petrels – when ACAP will be pleased to receive a mention.  They should not be used for personal gain.

Work has now commenced on producing the infographics for the Southern Giant Petrel M. giganteus, sponsored by the Australian Antarctic Division.

The ACAP Species Infographics are being created by Thai illustrator Namasri ‘Namo’ Niumim from Bangkok.  Namo is a graduate of the School of Architecture and Design, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design.

With thanks to Pep Arcos, Jonathon Barrington, Karine Delord, Johannes Fischer and Richard Phillips for their help.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 17 January 2025

Sooty Albatross by ABUN artist Jayashree Sadasivan for the “Conservation Campaign for Marion Island”.  Digital, after a photograph by Stefan Schoombie

The Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project is a registered non-profit company in South Africa, established to eradicate the invasive albatross- and petrel-killing House Mice on Marion Island in the Southern Ocean.  The project was initiated by BirdLife South Africa and the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.  Upon successful completion, the project will restore the critical breeding habitat of over two million seabirds, many globally threatened, and improve the island’s resilience to a warming climate.

To increase awareness, and to raise funds, the project team has been working with artists from around the world in two important ways.

The “Conservation Campaign for Marion Island” Special Project

For the three months of November 2024 to January 2025 the MFM Project has been collaborating with the collective Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature (ABUN) in a special project entitled “Conservation Campaign for Marion Island”.  ABUN artists are invited to create and submit artworks that the MFM project may use.  Their chosen subjects are inspired by photograph’s of Marion Island’s biota, notably its avifauna that is threatened by the mice  To date, 30 artworks have been submitted; they can all be viewed here.  The artists’ original art remains their own property.

Grey Petrel and chick by ABUN artist Andrea Siemt for the “Conservation Campaign for Marion Island”.  Gouache on black watercolour paper, after a photograph by Ben Dilley

Auction aboard the Flock to Marion AGAIN! 2025 voyage

“Subantarctic Soaring” by Hannah Shand; a print will be auctioned

On 24 January 2025, the MSC Musica will set sail from Durban, South Africa towards sub-Antarctic Marion and Prince Edward Islands in the southern Indian Ocean on a week-long cruise with 1850 excited birdwatchers aboard.  On the last night of the voyage the Mouse-Free Marion Project will hold a live auction, with well-known author of seabird guides and project patron, Peter Harrison MBE as the auctioneer.  The project has received a number of donated artworks, both originals and high-quality prints to auction.  These include artworks by ACAp-illustrator Namo Niumim, who lives in Bangkok, Thailand, Caren Loebel-Fried from Volcano, Hawaii, New Zealanders Angela Newport and Hannah Shand, and Kitty Harvill (ABUN Co-founder) and Holly Parsons who reside in the USA.  South African contributing artists include Elizabeth Poulsom and Leigh Wolfaardt.

“The Albatrosses of the Prince Edward Islands"  by Leigh Wolfaardt; the original will be auctioned on the Flock voyage

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 16 January 2025