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Español Dr Ben Sullivan, the coordinator of BirdLife International's Global Seabird Programme, has been awarded a 2010 Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation to work towards a reduction in the numbers of seabirds (mainly albatrosses and petrels) killed in fishing operations (click here).
The Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation awards five recipients a year US$150 000 for a three-year scientific research or conservation project designed to address critical challenges facing the oceans. Dr Sullivan's fellowship will utilize the existing BirdLife International Albatross Task Force to conduct research and develop best practices for reducing the killing of seabirds in many of the bycatch 'hot spots' around the world.
Ben Sullivan's project will analyze devices to scare birds from behind longliners and trawlers, and will develop and evaluate new technologies to prevent birds accessing hooks. He will also test innovative line weighting to increase the sink rate of longlines.
Since 1996, the Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation has awarded 115 fellowships to individuals from 30 countries. The Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation funds science and other projects that address challenges in the conservation of the ocean, including communication of project information to increase awareness of global marine issues. Click here for the Pew Fellowship press release.
A Pew Fellowship was previously awarded to Dr Graham Robertson of the Australian Antarctic Division in 2004 to undertake similar research on mitigation measures to reduce mortality of seabirds in longline fisheries (click here). Graham also serves on the SBWG.
John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 4 March 2010