What is being done to save albatross populations around the world?
Longlines dont have to kill seabirds. To prevent birds swallowing the baited hooks before they have sunk below their reach, many simple measures have been devised some of which are cheap and easy to implement. Examples include: • Towing bird-scaring (or tori) lines behind the vessel. These have plastic streamers tied to them that flap in the wind and scare birds away from the baited fishing line. • Using an underwater setting tube. These set the fishing line underwater out of reach of the birds. • Tying enough weights to the fishing line so that it sinks more quickly out of reach of the birds. • Using thawed not frozen bait as it sinks more quickly. • Dying the bait blue. This puts birds off eating it. • Setting lines at night. Most albatrosses feed mainly by day. For further information on how Falklands Conservation has and is working to reduce seabird deaths go to Saving Seabirds. For details of the major albatross campaign run by BirdLife International go to: www.savethealbatross.ne
