S.Atlantic : Governments May Take Action to Save the Albatross
Submitted by SARTMA.com (Juanita Brock) 13.11.2004 (Article Archived on 27.11.2004)

Governments may be about to take concerted action to save the world’s Albatross populations. At least that is the hope of Conservationists, who believe that many species, including the Falklands Black-Browed are under imminent threat of extinction. Graham Bound tells us more.

Graphic (c) FINN

GOVERNMENTS MAY TAKE ACTION TO SAVE THE ALBATROSS

A Report for BBC World Service “Calling the Falklands” by Graham Bound (GB) 12/11/04

Governments may be about to take concerted action to save the world’s Albatross populations.  At least that is the hope of Conservationists, who believe that many species, including the Falklands Black-Browed are under imminent threat of extinction.  The problem is long-line fishing.  The birds are attracted by the baited lines that may be many miles long,.  They are snagged on the hooks and they drown.  Now, however, the international conservation organisation Birdlife International and the Royal Society for the protection of birds has produced a report that should help countries that have agreed to tackle the issue to take meaningful action.  Graham Madge (GM), a spokesman for the RSPB told me more about the report.

GM:  This week, the Birdlife International Report has, for the first time, identified the real conflict zones between fisheries and Albatross.  We now know where the main migration areas are for Albatross, the best areas of them finding food and now, by simply over-laying those areas.  The information has been obtained by satellite tracking.  We will now be able to focus on those fisheries that pose the most risks to the security of the future of Albatross.

GB:  Considering the geographical area that we are talking about – almost the entire Southern Hemisphere – and the range of species that must have been a major task. 

GM:  It has been a major task but thankfully now we are able to narrow down our focus a little bit so we know, for example, that the waters of New Zealand and South-east Australia are very important.  Particularly important are areas around the Falklands extending out to South Georgia and also up the western coast of South America.  Basically, it’s beginning to confirm what we felt for a long time that the concentrations of Albatross occur in those areas where you get this major up-welling of nutrients and obviously, that provides food for fish as well as Albatross.

GB:  Now, the publication co-insides with the first formal meeting of the signatories of the Agreement for the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels.  Is this the tool that they now need to crack on with solving the problem?

GM:  I think what we have now is that we have identified major areas of conflict, we’ve been quite successful in getting countries to sign and ratify the ACAP agreement.  We now know the measures that fisheries owners and vessels captains need to take in order to try and curb the alarming number of Albatross that are killed every hour on these long-lines.  It now really falls to trying to get proper enforcement to ensure that those measures are taken.  According to Birdlife International calculations, every hour 11 Albatross in the Southern Ocean will die on the end of a long-line.  That equates to 100,000 every year. 

GB:  That’s very sobering stuff.  I mean, the conference is very important but conferences are very often talking shops.  Has anything concrete come out of this?  Are we actually going to see any action?

GM:  We haven’t heard back yet from any findings from the conference but we are quite hopeful that now we have pin-pointed the areas for immediate action that there are now no excuses.  We know the areas.  We know the measures.  It really is now down to good will to try and ensure that this happens.  And, I think in his forward, HRH Prince Charles sums it up perfectly when he said that this is now a test of whether conservation works.

GB:  Are you optimistic?  You presumably have contact with the British Government and the British Government is indirectly responsible for the dependent territories in the South Atlantic, which are very important.  Do you get the feeling that there is more than good will and they really will do something now?

GM:  Unfortunately, there has been a little bit of a delay with the UK bringing the UK Overseas Territories to the ACAP Agreement.  Unfortunately, Tristan da Cunha is still outstanding.  But given that, we know that the UK Government is taking this very responsibly as, indeed, are the French.  Perhaps we have to see the Japanese and South Korean Governments recognise the existence of the ACAP Agreement and to ratify it but we are quite confident that we can begin to address this very, very alarming problem.  What’s happening with the Albatross is that all of the world’s species are facing extinction at either a greater or lesser rate.  We are in danger of lopping off an entire branch from the evolutionary tree.  If we don’t sort this problem out, there will be no Albatross left within 30 or 40 years.

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