Graphical Abstract from the publication

Hsiang-Wen Huang (Institute of Marine Affairs and Resource Management, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung) and colleagues have published open access in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation on testing best-practice methods for mitigating seabird bycatch.  They report that on average nearly three seabirds were taken on each of 103 sets in the south-east Atlantic.  Species caught included Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris, White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis and Great Shearwater Ardenna gravis.  Night setting emerged as the most effective mitigation measure, although Whie-chinned Petrels were still caught at night.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“Seabird bycatch—particularly involving albatrosses and petrels—remains a significant conservation concern in pelagic longline fisheries.  This study evaluated the effectiveness of three mitigation measures—bird-scaring lines (BSLs), weighted branch lines, and night setting—in reducing seabird bycatch in the Taiwanese albacore (Thunnus alalunga) longline fishery operating in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean.   Observations were conducted aboard a commercial vessel during 103 longline sets in 2013. Four BSL treatments were tested: single and double conventional BSLs and single and double experimental BSLs recommended by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), each combined with either weighted (60 g at 3 m from the hook) or unweighted branch lines.  A total of 298 seabirds were [sic] caught during line setting, with an additional 18 birds caught and released alive during hauling and trolling.  Night setting emerged as the most effective mitigation measure, with a bycatch rate of 0.046 birds per 1000 hooks—substantially lower than the 1.101 birds per 1000 hooks recorded during daytime setting. While BSLs effectively deterred seabird attacks within their aerial extent, their efficacy declined when baited hooks remained within the diving range of seabirds beyond this zone.  Weighted branch lines reduced seabird bycatch by 61 %; however, they were also associated with a potential decrease in albacore catch rates.  Our findings highlight that the effectiveness of best practice mitigation—namely, the combined use of BSLs and weighted branch lines—depends on ensuring that baited hooks reach depths beyond seabird diving capabilities before exiting the aerial extent of the BSLs.  Further optimization is needed to balance conservation outcomes with fishery performance.

Reference:

Huang, H.-W., Liao, H.-C., Kuo, T.-C., Chen, S.-C. & Yeh, Y.-M. 2025.  Best practices for mitigating seabird bycatch on Taiwanese albacore longline fishing vessels operating in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean.  Global Ecology and Conservation 62, e03752.

 One of the 10 ten: A Laysan Albatross family

“The first annual Friends of Midway Art Contest judges have already selected the 1st and 2nd place winners, who have been notified.  Now we need YOUR help on voting for the Peoples' Choice Award winner!

The Art Contest Committee has gone through the difficult process of selecting the top 10 pieces of art out of an incredible 31 submissions.  We appreciate each and every artist who participated and will be showcasing all artwork publicly (and announcing winners) August 15th.

Voting is now open August 1st - 8th, one vote per person - anyone can vote.   The voting poll can be found here.

Feel free to share this voting poll with friends and family.  The more voters, the better!”

George and Geraldine: Midway's breeding Short-tailed Albatrosses, artwork by Holly Parsons

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 01 August 2025

Tsunami signal from Midway Atoll, 30 July 2026

UPDATE FROM THE KURE ATOLL CONSERVANCY: "Updates from the crew stationed on Kure rolled in yesterday. The scene from the pier shows that the high water mark came up the beach but did not inundate the dunes or any of the paths to the interior. The westernmost point of the island is a long sandy spit and there was some overwash there, but overall the impact from the tsunami is minimal".

An earthquake registered at 8.8 off Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on 29 September has triggered up to four-metre tsunami waves in the North Pacific.  It has been reported as the sixth largest on record.  The low-lying atolls of the North Western Hawaiian Islands and their breeding populations of three species of albatrosses and of other ground-nesting seabirds are particularly at risk to being overrun and flooded by climate change-induced sea level rise, tsunamis, and surges and strong winds caused by storms as has happened in the past, leading to the loss, depending on the stage of breeding, of eggs, chicks and adult Black-footed Phoebastria nigripes and Laysan P. immutabilis Albatrosses.

At risk of flooding: a Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus pair on Kure Atoll, photograph by Cynthia Vanderlip

At the time of writing, the highest tsunami wave from the 29 September earthquake recorded by the tidal station at Midway Atoll was 1.8 m.  It seems likely a similar height occurred at Kure Atoll.   Inhabitants on both atolls sheltered above the ground floor in buildings.

ACAP Latest News will continue to track and report on any effects of the tsunami on the Hawaiian albatross-breeding atolls as information comes to hand from those currently living on Kure and Midway.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 30 July 2025

Flesh-footed Shearwater on Lord Howe Island, photograph by Tim Reid

Megan Grant (Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Newnham, Australia) and colleagues have published open access in the journal Ecology and Evolution on Near Threatened Flesh-footed or Sable Shearwaters Ardenna carneipes adding nutrients via guano to their breeding sites on Lord Howe Island.

The abstract follows:

“Seabirds are long-range transporters of nutrients, linking their marine feeding grounds with their terrestrial breeding and roosting sites. Seabirds can influence the terrestrial environment in which they reside by depositing nutrient-rich guano, which acts as a natural fertiliser. Here, we determined the nutrient content of Sable Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes) guano and used stable isotope analysis to determine changes in isotope signals and nutrient concentrations through the terrestrial environment across three sites on Lord Howe Island, Australia: active shearwater colony, abandoned shearwater colony and un-colonised area. The concentration of nitrogen in Sable Shearwater guano was like other Procellariiformes, and this was reflected in the palm leaves and invertebrates (slugs) sampled from seabird colonies, which were enriched in δ15N relative to the control site. In contrast, nitrogen stable isotope values in soils were not significantly different among sites, indicating the presence of historic seabird colonies. Guano was rich in phosphorous and potassium, which fertilised soils in the shearwater colony compared to sites without seabirds present. It is expected that the island will experience a reduction in nutrient inputs from guano because the shearwater population is in decline, and this may result in changes to vegetation assemblages in the colonies over time.”

Reference:

Grant, M.L., Reichman, S.Z., Bond, A.L. & Lavers, J.L. 2025.  Seabirds enhance primary producer and consumer isotope signals on a sub-tropical island.  Ecology and Evolution 15(7) doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71636.