Two Shy Albatrosses sit on their artificial nests on Albatross Island; the birds behind are natural mud nests they have made, photograph by Matthew Newton, WWF Australia

Here follows a report of efforts to improve the breeding success of Near Threatened Shy Albatrosses Thalassarche cauta that falls directly within the theme of “Habitat Restoration” for World Albatross Day on 19 June 2026.

“The Shy albatross (Thalassarche cauta) is listed as Vulnerable under the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.  It is unique to Tasmania, breeding exclusively on three offshore islands: Albatross Island in western Bass Strait and Pedra Branca and the Mewstone south of Tasmania. The total population is estimated to be around 15 000 annual breeding pairs.

Shy albatross populations have been studied since the 1980s by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (Marine Conservation Program) and in partnership with the CSIRO has been working to understanding how shy albatross will be impacted by climate change in the short and long-term. We aim to use this knowledge to identify practical on-ground adaptation options that will help buffer the species against negative effects.

Potential adaptation options include building wind breaks, tr uanslocations, building artificial nests, reducing disease and reducing bycatch from fisheries. Each option will vary in its magnitude of benefit and act upon different components of the population demographics (through one or more of chick, juvenile or adult survival, and breeding success).

Albatross make nests using mud surrounding the nest area, in which they lay one egg. Higher nests have higher chick survival than low nests.  One of the options we tested to help shy albatross was to supply them with artificial nests made of air-blown concrete. These nests keep the egg and chick out of the mud. In our trial of using more than 100 artificial nests, chick survival was almost three times higher compared to natural nests.

Testing these adaptation options is helping both birds and conservation managers to prepare and cope with a warmer world and provides options to keep larger populations of these magnificent birds.”

Read more about the artificial albatross nests on Albatross Island here and here.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 09 June 2026

Attendees at the 15th Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee, Swakop Plaza Hotel, Swakopmund, Namibia, photograph by Wiesława Misiak

Wings reach over swells,
thirteen nations keep the watch,
the albatross glides

The AI-generated “HAIku” comes from the closing remarks of the AC15 Chair, Dr Michael Double

Following Thursday’s outing to Walvis Bay last week, the fifth day of the 15th Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee (AC15) in Swakopmund, Namibia was allocated to adopting the final report.  The Secretariat had spent Thursday completing a draft for comment by the attending delegates and observers and by Friday morning a clean version was available for adoption.  In the event, the whole day was not required, and with the report adopted section by section under the Chair of Dr Michael Double, AC15 was wrapped up by the afternoon tea break.  Once Parties have signed off the final report, it will be posted to this website.

Antonella Carminati Woll (Argentina), Elisa Goya Sueyoshi (Peru), Helena Moreno Colera (Spain) and Patricia Pereira Serafini (Brazil) at an AC15 evening reception hosted by Namibia, photograph by John Cooper

During the week, Chief Officers who chair the Advisory Committee and convene the working groups were all re-elected.  Dr, Johannes Fischer (Department of Conservation, New Zealand) joined the existing officers as a Vice-Convenor of the Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG), following being nominated by the United Kingdom and seconded by Brazil.

Where the next meeting of the Advisory Committee should be held is always an important matter to decide before the end of the meeting.  Chile offered to host AC16 in August or September 2027, in Punta Arenas in Southern Patagonia.  The Advisory Committee thanked Chile and warmly welcomed the offer.  Advisor to Chile’s Delegation, Mr Luis Adasme (Instituto de fomento pesquero, IFOP), then showed a one-minute video entitled “Punta Arenas & Nature” to whet the attendees’ appetites.  A draft agenda for AC16 was reviewed by the Advisory Committee and will be forwarded to AC members for their consideration in advance of the meeting.

The Africa contingent at AC15.  Namibia’s Head of Delegation and meeting host, Ms Graça Bauleth D’Almeida, Director: Resources Management, Directorate: Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Research, Namibia Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, is in the centre in a white jacket, photograph by Makhudu Masotla

Following the formal adoption of the AC15 report, Michael Double closed the meeting with a vote of thanks to the Namibian hosts, also offering his thanks to his Vice Chair, Tatiana Neves (Brazil), all the Chief Officers, and the Secretariat.

Another AI effort by the Advisory Committee Chair, Dr Michael Double to accompany his closing remarks

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 08 June 2026

Delegates and observers to the 15th Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee hold up a trawl bird scaring line at Walvis Trawl, Walvis Bay, Namibia, photograph by Makhudu Masotla

On Thursday 04 June delegates and observers attending the 15th Meeting of the ACAP Advisory Committee (AC15) in Swakopmund, Namibia travelled to the nearby fishing town of Walvis Bay to make site visits to two businesses involved with the fishing industry.

Seawork's trawler, Victory

We first met up with Pierre le Roux, Sales and Marketing Manager for Seawork Fish Processors (Pty) Ltd in the fishing harbour who took us aboard one of his demersal hake trawlers, the Victory, which was getting ready for sea.  We visited the ship’s bridge in batches where Pierre explained how twin bird-scaring lines were deployed either side of the trawl and showed us how interactions with the nest or warps by birds (and seals and turtles) were logged.

Seawork Fish Processors specializes in the catching, value-adding and marketing of frozen seafood products for the international market.  The main product line is Hake Merluccius capensis/paradoxus, with Kingklip or Ling Genypterus capensis and Monkfish Lophius vomerinus as bycatch.

Trawl (back) and longline bird-scaring lines.  The orange traffic cones act as drags in the water, keeping the lines taught when deployed, photograph by Makhudu Masotla

Back on the bus for a short ride to Walvis Trawl Import and Export, where Titus Shaanika who was previously Leader, Albatross Task Force, Namibia Nature Foundation, showed us examples of bird-scaring lines for longliners and for trawlers.  We had fun unrolling one as the photos show!  The bird-scaring lines are made by the all-woman Meme Itumbapo Craft cooperative, which collaborates with the Albatross Task Force and Namibia Nature Foundation.

The women of Meme Itumbapo making bird-scaring lines, photograph from the Benguela Current Convention

Excursions at ACAP meetings usually take attendees out to sea to spot seabirds, or if an inland meeting, to a game reserve or the like to view wildlife and natural habitats.  This trip was different, but equally enjoyable, and perhaps more valuable as we got to see and handle the actual equipment that contiunues tosave so many seabirds, in Nambian waters, and elsewhere around the world.

Mandi Livesey (Australia) and Tatiana Neves (Brazil) ham it up with a dropper from a trawl bird-scaring line, photograph by Makhudu Masotla

With thanks to Pierre le Roux, Seawork Fish Processors and Titus Shaanika, Managing Director, West Pelican Investments.

References:

Da Rocha, N. et al. 2021.  Reduction in seabird mortality in Namibian fisheries following the introduction of bycatch regulation.  Biological Conservation 253, 108915.

Munro, A. 2021.  Namibian fishery reduces seabird deaths by 98%.  BirdLife International  07 January 2021.

Paterson, J.R.B. et al. 2017.  Seabird mortality in the Namibian demersal longline fishery and recommendations for best practice mitigation measures.  Oryx 53: 300-309.

Thomson, G.C., Shaanika, T., Matjila, S. & Paterson, J. 2021.  Gliding into a brighter future.  Albatrosses and Namibian fisheries.  Conservation Namibia, 09 September 2021.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 05 June 2026

Black Petrel, artwork by Helen Worthington for ABUN/ACAP Project #35 “Petrels in Peril” in 2021, after a photograph by Virginia Nicol

In May young Vulnerable Black Petrels Procellaria parkinsoni begun fledging, leaving their burrows on New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island/Aotea and Little Barrier Island/Te Hauturu-o-Toi and heading Pacific waters off Ecuador.

“In the largest Black Petrel tracking study ever undertaken, 47 fledglings are being fitted with live trackers to help researchers better understand one of the ocean’s enduring mysteries: why do fewer than 10% of black petrel chicks ever return home?”

Black Petrel off Mercury Islands, New Zealand, photograph by Kirk Zufelt

“The Tākoketai black petrel, is a taonga species endemic to New Zealand.  Each year, these ocean voyagers travel thousands of kilometres across the Pacific, yet return to breed on just two small islands in the Hauraki Gulf.  With fewer than 5,000 breeding pairs remaining, they face growing pressures at sea, from fisheries bycatch and climate change to light pollution and changing ocean conditions.  The ultimate goal is to chart a course for recovery and protection of this on the brink species, so that we might see their return to some former nesting sites right around the North Island.”

Read more about Black Petrel research and conservation, and follow the tracked birds here.

News from ‘Biz Bell’, Wildlife Management International.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 04 June 2026