David Costantini (Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium) and colleagues have published in the online and open-access journal PloS One on the stress physiology of Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans of known breeding history.

One of the major challenges in ecological research is the elucidation of physiological mechanisms that underlie the demographic traits of wild animals.  We have assessed whether a marker of plasma oxidative stress (TBARS) and plasma haptoglobin (protein of the acute inflammatory phase response) measured at time t predict five demographic parameters (survival rate, return rate to the breeding colony, breeding probability, hatching and fledging success) in sexually mature wandering albatrosses over the next four years (Diomedea exulans) using a five-year individual-based dataset.  Non-breeder males, but not females, having higher TBARS at time t had reduced future breeding probabilities; haptoglobin was not related to breeding probability.  Neither TBARS nor haptoglobin predicted future hatching or fledging success.  Haptoglobin had a marginally positive effect on female survival rate, while TBARS had a marginally negative effect on return rate.  Our findings do not support the role for oxidative stress as a constraint of future reproductive success in the albatross.  However, our data point to a potential mechanism underlying some aspects of reproductive senescence and survival.  Our results also highlight that the study of the consequences of oxidative stress should consider the life-cycle stage of an individual and its reproductive history.

Displaying Wandering Albatrosses, photograph by Rowan Treblico

Reference:

Costantini, D., Goutte, A., Barbraud, C., Faivre, B., Sorci, G., Weimerskirch, H., Delord, K. & Chastel, O.  2015.  Demographic responses to oxidative stress and inflammation in the Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans).  PloS One DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133967.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 02 September 2015

A new seabird mitigation device called a water sprayer being developed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is reported to reduce seabird interactions with the cables or warps used to tow nets from trawlers by 90% (click here).

“The water sprayer sits over each warp and rains a heavy stream of water down on the area where the warps enter the sea.  This stream can be aimed at the warp to allow for wind and whether the vessel is fishing shallow or deep.  If the vessel is fishing deep the angle of the warp is steeper and it is closer to the vessel.”

The water sprayer has been developed using Australian Government funding.  A video of it in action can be viewed here.  The project is ongoing and testing of a second device is still underway.

Black-browed Albatrosses gather in large numbers around a trawler, photograph by Graham Parker

Read more on AFMA’s efforts to mitigate seabird mortality by trawlers.

Click here to access ACAP’s best-practice advice for mitigating seabird mortality by both pelagic and demersal trawlers.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 01 September 2015

In July ACAP’s Executive Secretary attended a meeting of the Common Oceans – Sustainable Management of Tuna Fisheries and Biodiversity Conservation in the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (The ABNJ Tuna Project) Steering Committee, held at the FAO Headquarters.  The ABNJ Tuna Project is one of four projects that constitute the Common Oceans Program funded in part through the Global Environment Fund (GEF).  The objective of the Project is to achieve responsibility, efficiency and sustainability in tuna production and biodiversity conservation in the ABNJ, through the systematic application of an ecosystem approach in tuna fisheries.

The project consists of four components:

1. Promotion of sustainable management of tuna fisheries in accordance with an ecosystem approach;
2. Strengthening and harmonizing monitoring, control and surveillance to address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing;
3. Reducing ecosystem impacts of tuna fishing; and
4. Information and best practices dissemination and monitoring and evaluation.

A juvenile Black-browed Albatross gets caught as it goes for a baited longline hook, photograph by Martin Abreu 

ACAP is contributing to the third and fourth components of this project through the provision of information on best-practice bycatch mitigation measures to reduce the incidental bycatch of seabirds in tuna fisheries.  This information will form a component of the Bycatch Management Information System (BMIS), whose objective is that ‘Management decision making processes are enhanced and accelerated through access to all relevant material on bycatch management measures and practices in tuna fisheries.

This work will update and redesign the existing BMIS established by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).  Specifically, “The Bycatch Management (formerly ‘Mitigation’) Information System (BMIS) is being redeveloped as a global resource with funding provided through the Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project.  It is proposed that the new look BMIS will present a broader range of material, particularly regarding the management of bycatch, e.g., bycatch species interaction rates and threats, population-level assessments, and national and international management schemes. Progress on bycatch data harmonisation, electronic reporting (e-reporting) and e-monitoring will be included.  A new database platform will offer improvements in database stability, security and flexibility, and facilitate more efficient data entry, reference management and general administration.  A new web interface will be required, given the proposed changes in the underlying database, as well as in scope and content.  The redevelopment will enhance the role of the BMIS in building understanding of bycatch mitigation and management among those involved in tuna and billfish fisheries, thereby supporting the adoption and implementation of science-based management measures so that bycatch is managed comprehensively and sustainably (WCPFC/SC11-EB-IP-07)”.

Warren Papworth, ACAP Executive Secretary, 31 August 2015

BirdLife International’s Marine Programme along with financial support from the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation has produced a seven and a half minute instructional video directed at longline fishers.  BirdLife reports:

 “The BirdLife Marine Programme’s work to reduce seabird bycatch in high seas fisheries will be familiar to followers of our efforts to save several albatross species from extinction.  We have succeeded in encouraging all five tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs – the bodies that manage high seas fisheries) to put seabird conservation measures in place, requiring vessels to deploy bycatch mitigation on board.  Our next task is to help ensure that these measures are actively implemented on vessels and track their efficacy in reducing seabird bycatch.  To that end, and thanks to funding from the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, we have developed an instructional film for the skippers and crew of longline vessels, highlighting the issue of seabird bycatch and describing the simple and effective measures that can be taken to minimise fishing impacts on seabird populations.  While this is mainly aimed at fishermen, it’s stuffed full off great albatross footage and neatly illustrates how to solve the problem of bycatch in longliners.”

The Albatross and Petrel Agreement has also worked at meetings of all the tuna RFMOs to encourage the adoption of the three best-practice mitigation measures of deployment of bird-scaring (streamer) lines, adequate line weighting and night-time setting for pelagic longline fishing (click here).

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 30 August 2015