S.Georgia : Dame Ellen Heads for South Georgia
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 21.10.2005 (Article Archived on 04.11.2005)
Dame Ellen MacArthur is headed for South Georgia to research Albatross.
Photo (c) Ned Kelly Albatross on Bird Island
DAME ELLEN HEADS FOR SOUTH GEORGIA
Albatross on Bird Island (c) Ned Kelly
By J. Brock (SARTMA)
Dame Ellen MacArthur is heading for South Georgia at the end of November. During her time in South Georgia she will be doing research in relation to the “Save the Albatross Campaign” and will see first hand the dangers long-line fishing has on Albatross survival.
In truth Dame Ellen will see a fisheries regime at its best in that Albatross losses due to long-line fishing are minimal. Several factors contribute to this, including the timing of the Toothfish season to when the Albatross are not breeding and mitigation measures that are required in order to receive a licence to fish in South Georgia waters.
The “Save the Albatross Campaign” has trained instructors, who teach fishermen and fishing companies some of the methods that are needed to prevent Albatross from taking bait on long-lines, thus preventing seabird deaths.
What Dame Ellen MacArthur will not see are the real culprits – poachers who do not use mitigation measures or even care about Albatross by-catch.
On the research list will be research into what Albatross eat and how that fits into the food chain, as well as the affects of red tide catches on the cumulative toxins present in some Albatross.
While at South Georgia Dame Ellen will meet up with Sally Poncet, a biologist and researcher with 20 years’ experience in South Georgia as well as the Falklands and will liaise with British Antarctic Survey possibly with their base at Bird Island. Sally Poncet will be aboard “Golden Fleece” with a group of scientists on the same project.
Dame Ellen will be aboard the B&Q and is expected back in the UK in mid February 2006.
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