Archived News

The first in a series of national workshops to promote seabird-smart fishing practices have been held in Auckland and Timaru, New Zealand. The workshops are being organised by the Southern Seabird Solutions Trust and are hosted by fishing companies to educate inshore commercial fishers about the issue of fisheries-related seabird mortality.

Southern Seabird Solutions Convenor Janice Molloy reports that the fishing industry has been actively working to address this issue for some time now as a partner of Southern Seabird Solutions, and the seabird-smart workshops are the next step in that work. As well as providing information about the issue, she hopes the workshops will motivate fishers to share their own knowledge about what proven or new methods they use to keep seabirds away from fishing vessels, and inspire them to make further changes on their boats.

At least six seabird-smart fishing workshops will be held around the country this year. The content of each workshop is being tailored to the needs of the particular fishing fleet attending, and will typically cover information on local seabirds, the latest developments in seabird-smart fishing practices, how to care for seabirds if they are caught, and benefits for the fishing industry of being seabird-smart. Fishing company Sanford Ltd hosted the Auckland workshop, which was attended by about 25 skippers and crew contracted to Sanford, and Talley's Group Ltd hosted the workshop in Timaru.

Sanford Ltd spokesperson Jim Fitzgerald said: "Sanford takes this issue very seriously. For instance we have a company-wide policy in place requiring all of the inshore trawl skippers who fish for us to use particular measures to keep seabirds away from their vessels."

Janice Molloy reports two skippers have already modified the devices they're using to keep seabirds away from their boats as a result of attending the Auckland workshop. Southern Seabird Solutions will keep in touch with workshop participants and will offer support and advice to fishers wanting to learn more or test particular seabird-smart practices to measure their effectiveness.

This project is sponsored by the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the New Zealand Seafood Industry Council, the New Zealand Department of Conservation and Sanford Ltd. The Southern Seabird Solutions Trust is an alliance including representatives from the seafood industry, New Zealand Government, WWF and Te Ohu Kaimoana, that takes a cooperative approach to seabird conservation.

Taken from the SSST's media release. Click here for further information on this initiative.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 23 February 2012