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The Southern Seabird Solutions Trust is embarking on a "seabird smart" expertise-building programme with New Zealand's commercial inshore fishers.

The programme will be delivered through a series of workshops where fishers will learn about the lives of seabirds they see around their vessels, and gain a deeper understanding of the impact of fishing on seabird populations.  Fishers will discuss and agree on the "current best practice" mitigation methods and practices for their fishing method and commit to using these as a collective.

The content of the workshops will be tailored to fit each fishing fleet.  This includes consideration of the seabird interactions each fleet encounters (due to their fishing method and location) and what specific "seabird smart" practices are likely to work best for their vessels.

The hope is that fishers will leave the workshops with a strengthened interest in seabirds, an understanding of "seabird smart" fishing practices suitable for their fishing method, and a strong motivation to use these at all times.  Assessments of the effectiveness of the workshops in motivating fishers and changing their attitudes and behaviour will be carried out in tandem with this project.

The Trust is currently looking for an experienced facilitator/trainer to design and deliver three workshops to New Zealand inshore commercial fishers during the course of 2011.  The closing date for applications to the post is 13 July 2011.  Click here for more information.

The Trust supports and encourages fishers in Southern Ocean fisheries to adopt responsible fishing practices.  It is an alliance that includes representatives from the seafood industry, New Zealand Government, WWF and Te Ohu Kaimoana who take a cooperative approach to seabird conservation.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 29 June 2011