BirdLife International Albatross Task Force’s wins a ‘Greening the Future’ award for its work reducing seabird mortality in a South African trawl fishery

The Mail & Guardian, a South African weekly newspaper, has for the past decade been making annual environmental awards to deserving individuals and bodies in South Africa.  The “Greening the Future” awards embrace technological innovations and forward-thinking green technologies that help combat climate change, encourage renewable energy and foster the strategic management of natural resources.  Annual awards are given in 10 categories.

This year BirdLife South Africa’s Albatross Task Force’s has taken first prize in the ‘Green Technology’ category for its work reducing seabird mortality in a South African trawl fishery, previously described in ACAP Latest News (click here).  The award was made at a ceremony held this week in Johannesburg.

Best practice: twin bird-scaring lines set behind this South African trawler keep Black-browed Albatrosses away  from colliding with the warp cables

Photograph by Barry Watkins

The award follows an international award made to the task force when Bronwyn Maree, the ATF Team Leader in South Africa, travelled to The Netherlands to receive her ‘Future for Nature Award’ (click here).

Selected Literature:

Maree, B.A., Wanless, R.M., Fairweather, T.P., Sullivan, B.J. & Yates, O. 2014.  Significant reductions in mortality of threatened seabirds in a South African trawl fishery.  Animal Conservation doi:10.1111/acv.12126.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 27 June 2014