We hosted the first international trawl workshop devoted to searching for ways to reduce seabird by-catch in trawl fisheries.

Fishermen, fishing industry representatives, scientists, government officials, observers, environmentalists and others gathered for the two-day workshop in Nelson in September.

Representatives from Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, the USA and the UK discussed the successes and challenges of current mitigation measures and considered additional ways to address this global issue. This was an opportunity for all parties to share what practices have and haven’t worked over the past year and to consider where we go from here.
 
A big issue is birds being killed when they are hit by warp lines attached to the trawl nets as they try to feed on offal or fish. Scientists and fishermen agreed that while several mitigation measures were emerging to reduce this problem, a long term solution was need for managing offal at sea.

The trawl workshop was sponsored by WWF-US, Ministry of Fisheries, Deepwater Group Ltd, Clement and Associates Ltd, New Zealand Seafood Industry Council and the Department of Conservation.

Dave Kellian spent three weeks in Peru as a Southern Seabird Solutions representative, sharing experiences and knowledge with fishermen about reducing seabird by-catch.

During his visit Dave undertook fishing trip sand met with fishermen at ports up and down the country. Based on his conversations and observations, it became apparent that some of the mitigation strategies which work well in New Zealand aren’t as appropriate for Peru. However, Dave was encouraged by the number of fishers, scientists and environmentalists looking for creative and inexpensive solutions to reduce seabird deaths.

At the time of the visit Peru was putting observers on vessels to get the real numbers of birds being caught and killed and identify where the problem is so it can direct resources accordingly.

Dave’s trip was made possible through funding from IMPARPE, the Peruvian government’s scientific research agency for living marine and inland water resources, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Birds Australia, and the Department of Conservation.

Ever wondered why giant petrels had such a strange beak looking beak? Or wanted to know more about the specific significance of toroa (albatross) to many Maori? The answers can be found in a series of fact sheets we developed for school students aged 7-11, along with associated lesson plans for teachers.

The 10 web-based fact sheets cover both seabird ecology and human interactions. They give children an opportunity to explore the lives of seabirds and understayd why New Zealand is considered the ‘seabird capital of the world’.  As well as the facts, the sheets also emphasise conservation efforts, the cultural importance of seabirds and highlight actions each of us can take to help our seabirds and oceans.   

This project was funded by the Department of Conservation’s Marine Conservation Unit.

In 2000, the New Zealand Department of Conservation, in conjunction with the Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the New Zealand fishing industry held the first International Fishers Forum in Auckland. The purpose of the forum was to bring fishermen and fishing industry representatives from different countries together to exchange information on fishing practices that reduce or avoid the incidental mortality of seabirds. This was seen as a way to encourage the rapid spread of seabird safe fishing practices around the globe. Two further forums have since been held; one in Hawaii and another in Japan. The scope of the forums has been expanded to include turtles, marine mammals and responsible fishing.

The next logical step to ensure ongoing communication of information between fleets  was more focused workshops within regions, addressing the fisheries and fishing methods that were typical of the region.

The Southern Seabird Solutions Trust proposed the idea of a South American forum to key contacts working on the issue within South America, and they all responded favorably. Sponsorship for the forum was then secured from Care for the Wild in the UK, and Projeto Albatroz agreed to organize and host the forum. Funding support was also received from the US Embassy, and the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries. Organisational support was received from IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of the Environment) and Southern Seabird Solutions.

A steering group was created including Tatiana Neves and Heloisa Azevedo (the key individuals within Projecto Albatroz), Jose Kowalski (ship owner, Brazil), Joanna Alfaro (Pro Delphinus, Peru), Carlos Moreno (Universidad de Austral de Chile), Esteban Frere (Birdlife International, Argentina) and Janice Molloy (Southern Seabird Solutions, NZ). A team of Projeto Albatroz volunteers assisted during the forum.

The forum was held at the Hotel Delphin, Guaruja, Sao Paulo, Brazil between the 12 - 14th December 2006. Simultaneous interpretation was provided in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Additional information about the forum can be found at www.forumdepescadores.com.br/.