Ocean Sentry
(From birdlife.org)- A study of trawl fishing in South Africa suggests that around 18,000 seabirds may be killed annually in this fishery, highlighting trawl fisheries as a major threat to seabirds, especially several species of albatross already facing a risk of extinction. The vessels were trawling for hake, and the majority of bird deaths were a result of collisions with wires – known as warp lines – leading from the stern of the vessels. “Most mortality relates to the dumping of fishing waste behind the boat. This attracts seabirds which can either hit the warp lines or become entangled in the nets,” commented Dr Croxall. “Potential mortality at this scale for the albatrosses is unsustainable”.
Credits: Albatross Task Force
