Albatrosses hooked and drowned The timeless seafaring symbol immortalised in the Coleridge poem "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" - the albatross - is being driven toward extinction by pirate fishing around Antarctica.

Toothfish is not the only species put under threat by the fish poachers raging in the Southern Ocean. The decimation of albatross and other Southern Ocean wildlife is one more reason why the out-of-control illegal toothfish fishery must be stopped.

There is a legend among sailors: they say the souls of drowned seamen live on in albatrosses. These great ocean wanderers are the largest flying sea birds in the world, with a wingspan of up to 3.5 metres, and live for up to 85 years mating for life. Albatross spend most of their year aloft riding the ocean thermals. When the do come ashore they lay eggs and rear their young on remote islands. Albatrosses return to a few sub-Antarctic islands to breed. Once they leave the nest, they spend between five and eight years at sea, often feeding in key commercial fishing grounds.

 

Some species return each spring to the island where they hatched to begin a complex courtship ritual. Courtship takes years. Sometimes it is not until their sixth year together that they breed. They then usually spend the rest of their lives together.

Albatrosses do not reach breeding age until at least ten years of age. Only one chick is produced every one to three years (depending of the species) and is tended by both parents for at least nine months. Adult survival rates must remain high to ensure chick survival. If one of the adults dies it is more than likely that the chick will also perish. Scientists now estimate that around 330,000 seabirds have been hooked and drowned in the past four years by pirate 'long line' fishing vessels. These vessels set lines with up to 20,000 baited hooks. In just one year, the pirate fishery for Patagonian Toothfish drowned an estimated 15 % of some albatross species. Of the 24 species of albatross, 21 are known to be killed on longlines and at least two species are critically endangered. Closest to extinction is the Amsterdam albatross, which has been reduced to between five and eight breeding pairs on the French territory of Amsterdam Island.

WANDERING ALBATROSS by Pablo Neruda In the high sea the wind navigates guided by the albatross: that is the ship of the albatross: crossing, descending, dancing, rising, suspended in the dark light, he touches the towers of the wave, he nests in the boiling mortar of the unruly element while the salt decorates him and the frenetic foam whistles, the albatross slips flying with his large wings of music leaving over the storm a book that continues flying: it is the codex of the wind. Translation from Spanish

Albatrosses feed primarily on squid and fish - the main bait used to catch toothfish - and are attracted to fishing vessels as an easy source of food. The longlines commonly used in the Southern Ocean are particularly perilous for albatrosses and other sea birds. The baited hooks are cast from the vessel and sink beneath the surface. The birds dive for the bait and swallow it, hook and all, and are pulled underwater and drowned. With between 50 and 100 million hooks set in the Southern Ocean each year, such losses are not sustainable for any albatross population.

The problem of albatross bycatch is well documented and some governments have recently taken some small steps to address the problem. However the steps that are being taken will not be enough to prevent the imminent biological extinction of some species. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
(CCAMLR) has instituted some measures to reduce seabird bycatch. Unfortunately, the pirate fishing vessels ignore these rules and fish on regardless.

Conservation status of albatross species.

Critically Endangered:	Amsterdam albatross, Chatham albatross
Endangered:	Northern Royal albatross, Tristan albatross
Vulnerable:	Antipodean albatross, Gibson's albatross, Wandering albatross, Black-footed albatross, Short-tailed albatross, Campbell albatross, Pacific albatross, Salvin's albatross, White-capped albatross, Indian yellow-nosed albatross, Buller's albatross, Grey-headed albatross, Shy albatross, Sooty albatross, Southern Royal albatross, Waved albatross
Near Threatened:	Black-browed albatross
Least Concern:	Laysan albatross
Data Deficient:	Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross, Light-mantled albatross
Source: Croxall and Gales (in press) cited in Alexander, Robertson and Gales (1997).

More about Pirate Fishing:

Introduction - Modern-day pirates plunder ocean life
Dodging the rules: flag of convenience fishing
Governments recognise the pirate fishing problem...will they act to stop it?
Trouble ahead for pirate fishing talks!

Pirate Fishing in the Southern Ocean:
Introduction
CCAMLR - Governments are failing the toothfish and albatross
Consumers - Retailers begin to move away from toothfish and how you can help
Southern Ocean Ecosystem
Toothfish - Rapidly approaching commercial extinction
Southern Ocean Expedition web site, 2000

Pirate Fishing in the Atlantic Ocean:
Atlantic - Pirate fishers plunder Atlantic tuna
Pirates Plunder the Atlantic
Eradicating Pirate Fishing: a study of the current status of tuna and tuna-like fish stocks in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean, May 2000 (pdf file, 91KB)
Atlantic Expedition web site, 2000