Albatrosses and petrels gather behind a fishing vessel; photograph by Nahuel Chavez

Note: Today is Day Six of “WADWEEK2024”, a series of seven daily posts to ACAP Latest News leading to World Albatross Day on 19 June, in support of this year’s theme of “Marine Protected Areas – Safeguarding our Oceans”.

From 1 October, a transformative shift will sweep across New Zealand’s pelagic longline fishing fleet. Fisheries New Zealand has unveiled new regulations designed to significantly reduce the accidental capture of seabirds, particularly its many species of albatrosses.

The new regulations are grounded in ACAP's Best Practice Advice, which identifies the most effective methods to reduce seabird bycatch in pelagic longline fisheries. ACAP recommends that fishers simultaneously implement three key measures: branch line weighting, night setting, and bird scaring lines. Alternatively, the use of an assessed hook-shielding device or underwater bait setting device is recommended.

Sebastián Jimenez, Co-convenor of ACAP’s Seabird Bycatch Working Group said the announcement from Fisheries New Zealand is warmly welcomed by the Agreement. 

“These regulations are a significant step forward in protecting seabirds from the threats posed by bycatch. By adopting these proven measures, New Zealand is demonstrating global leadership in marine conservation."

These ACAP-endorsed measures, known as 'three out of three,' will replace the current rules, which require only two of the seabird mitigation measures to be implemented. This comprehensive approach ensures that New Zealand’s fishing practices align with the highest standards of seabird conservation.

Fisheries New Zealand’s Director of Fisheries Management, Emma Taylor says the new rules will strengthen protections for some of the nation’s most vulnerable seabirds and have come only months after the installation of electronic monitoring (EM) camera systems on 100% of New Zealand’s fishing fleet. 

"We have systems to monitor the position of all commercial fishing vessels in real time, and fishers are legally required to report their catch and position to us electronically. Alongside this, onboard cameras provide independent verification of fishing activity, including accidental bycatch of protected species.”

ACAP Best Practice Advice for seabird bycatch mitigation, including its Factsheets are available at the website under, Resources, here.

18 June 2024

Geoff Tyler (pictured) designed this year's World Albatross Day poster and the anniversary logo marking twenty years of ACAP

Note: Today is Day Five of “WADWEEK2024”, a series of seven daily posts to ACAP Latest News leading to World Albatross Day on 19 June, in support of this year’s theme of “Marine Protected Areas – Safeguarding our Oceans”.

South African born Graphic Designer, Geoff Tyler, was the mind behind this year’s poster for World Albatross Day with its theme, Marine Protected Areas: Safeguarding our Oceans. In the lead up to World Albatross Day on Wednesday, we turned our attention to Geoff to find out more about his connection to nature and his belief in how design can support conservation.

Where and what did you study?

I originally studied to be a Microsoft programmer but found coding to be very tedious, I realized that I was a more visual creative in that way. Afterwards, I did some short Desktop publishing courses and then I studied to get my Bachelor of Design at Inscape College Durban.

When and how did you first become involved in ACAP?

In 2018/2019 I was approached by one of your field researchers, Michelle Jones, and was offered a chance to get involved. At the time I was working for a Financial Technology business and found it to be “soul crushing,” so I thought it would be a nice change of pace.

What have you designed for ACAP over the years?

Mostly minor changes to the original logo and designing World Albatross Day logos with translations into other languages. I am thrilled to be able to use more of my skills and ideas now with the updated logos, posters and social media artwork. 

The original World Albatross Day Logo designed by Geoff Tyler

When and why did you become interested in conservation?

I have been fascinated by the natural world since I was a child and even had aspirations of becoming a game ranger here in South Africa. As I got older, my path shifted as technology become more prevalent in our day to day lives but my goal was always the same, to do my part to give back to nature. 

We are blessed in South Africa to have a huge amount of biodiversity and a high density of wildlife, even in our backyards. It just seems that technology and media have become shiny objects that steal our attention, like jingling keys in front of a newborn, and keep us from seeing the reality of the damage being done to our planet. Now more than ever, we need more people to take conservation more seriously. 

How do you think art and design can help conservation efforts?

I personally believe that humanity is meant to be the shepherds of the world, the caretakers of the living ecosystem. 

Art has the power to cut through and affect people at their core, it can invoke emotions and leave a long-lasting personal impact. I believe design can have the same impact and when used correctly, can reach a staggeringly large crowd to convey a powerful message. 

2024's World Albatross Day poster by Geoff illustrating this year's theme, Marine Protected Areas: Safeguarding our Oceans

This year’s World Albatross Day poster is available in the three official ACAP languages of English, French and Spanish, as well as in Japanese to mark the fact that the majority of the Short-tailed Albatrosses, one of the featured albatrosses for WAD2024, breeds on Japan’s Torishima. The posters and logos can be downloaded at a high resolution from the ACAP website, here.  

ACAP would like to thank Michelle Risi, Enzo M. Reyes, Ross Wheeler and John Klavitter for the use of their photographs in this year’s poster. 

17 June 2024

The plenary speakers from the 7th International Albatross and Petrel Conference in Mexico (left to right): Joan Ferrer Obiol, Nicholas Carlile, Carlos Zavalaga, Jolene Giacinti and ACAP Executive, Dr Christine Bogle

Note: Today is Day Four of “WADWEEK2024”, a series of seven daily posts to ACAP Latest News leading to World Albatross Day on 19 June, in support of this year’s theme of “Marine Protected Areas – Safeguarding our Oceans”.

ACAP’s work in protecting albatrosses and petrels was marked at the recent 7^th International Albatross and Petrel Conference (IAPC7) held in Mexico, with the delivery of a plenary talk by ACAP’s Executive Secretary, Dr Christine Bogle. 

In her talk, Dr Bogle spoke about the origins of ACAP and its role in the conservation its listed species since the Agreement came into force in 2004. She said being invited to speak at the conference was a real privilege.

“It was wonderful to have an audience who are all deeply committed to albatross and petrel conservation and to seeking solutions for the conservation crisis these species face. Speaking at the conference provided the opportunity to highlight ACAP’s achievements over the last twenty years, as well as the challenges ahead,” she said.

“Equally impressive was to listen to the accounts of other presenters and attendees about their efforts to conserve these birds. I learned about a vast number of petrel species and dedicated projects underway to preserve their habitat, to eradicate predators from their breeding sites, and to track their distribution.  Several of the participants were young researchers with many years ahead of them to continue working for the conservation of albatrosses and petrels, which surely augurs well for the future,” she said.

Excerpts from ACAP's 20 year anniversary booklet - Achievements in the First 20 Years 2004-2024 - available in ACAP's three official languages of English, French and Spanish, can be downloaded at the ACAP website

Over 100 people from 21 countries came together at IAPC7, sharing insights and progress on their work with albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, ranging from research regarding population sizes and status, potential use of new tools such as genomics and artificial intelligence, and results from restoration efforts such as invasive alien species eradications. 

Sessions dedicated to the emerging threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) also took place, two of which were supported by ACAP through its Secondment Programme. 

Dr Bogle's presentation, 20 years of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, is available at the ACAP website as well as the YouTube Channel of Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas (GECI), alongside those of other keynote speakers. The conferences’ full program, including the abstracts for all 75 oral talks and 18 posters, is available at, www.islas.org.mx/iapc7.

The 8^th International Albatross and Petrel Conference (IAPC8) will be held in 2028.

16 June 2024

NOTE:  Today is Day three of “WADWEEK2024”, a series of seven daily posts to ACAP Latest News leading to World Albatross Day on 19 June, in support of this year’s theme of “Marine Protected Areas – Safeguarding our Oceans”.

The ACAP Species Infographic for the Near Threatened Buller’s Albatross Thalassarche bulleri, recently released in English, is now available in all three official ACAP languages, with the French and Spanish versions released today.  Their production has been sponsored by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation.

The Buller’s Albatross infographic, along with that for the already released Vulnerable Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus, have been produced in support of this year’s World Albatross Day on 19 June (WAD2024) and its theme of “Marine Protected Areas – Safeguarding our Oceans”.

Read how the Buller’s Albatross received its name in an ACAP Monthly Missive.

The ACAP Species Infographic series has been designed to help inform the public, including school learners, of the threats faced by albatrosses and petrels and what is being and can be done to combat them.  The infographics serve to complement the more detailed and referenced ACAP Species Assessments, the concise and illustrated ACAP Species Summaries and the ACAP Photo Essay series.   English and Portuguese* language versions of the infographics produced to date are available to download here. French and Spanish versions can be found in their respective language menus for the website under Infographies sur les espèces and Infographía sobres las especies.

All the 16 infographics produced to date may be freely downloaded at a high resolution to allow for printing professionally in two poster sizes (approximately A2 and A3).  Please note they are only being made available for personal use or when engaging in activities that will aid in drawing attention to the conservation crisis faced by the world’s albatrosses and petrels – when ACAP will be pleased to receive a mention.  They should not be used for personal gain.

The ACAP Species Infographics have all been created by Thai illustrator Namasri ‘Namo’ Niumim from Bangkok.  Namo is a graduate of the School of Architecture and Design, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design.

With thanks to ‘Pep’ Arcos, Maëlle Connan and Johannes Fischer for their help.

*Being produced for the six ACAP-listed species that regularly visit waters off Brazil.  To date, those produced are for the Tristan Albatross D. dabbenena and the Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris.

John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 15 June 2024