A report by R. Francis and colleagues to New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries considers the risks imposed by fisheries on ACAP-listed and Vulnerable Antipodean Albatrosses Diomedea antipodensis gibsoni which breed on Adams Island in the Auckland Island Group.

The report’s executive summary follows:

“This report attempts to assess fisheries risks to the population viability of Gibson’s wandering albatross (Diomedea gibsoni), which is endemic to the Auckland Islands and classified as Nationally Critical under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.   Three data sets covering a 21-year period (1991– 2011) were analysed: mark-recapture, nest-based, and counts of breeders. There is cause for concern about the status of this population.  Since 2005, the adult population has been declining at a rate of 5.7%/yr, because of sudden and substantial reductions in three demographic rates: adult survival (from 0.95 to 0.89), proportion breeding (from 0.53 to 0.37), and the proportion of breeding attempts that are successful (from 0.60 to 0.25).  It is now about two-thirds of its estimated size in 1991.  The breeding population dropped sharply in 2005, to 59% of its 1991 level, but has been increasing since 2005 at about 4.2% per year because of slow increases in adult survival and proportion breeding.  The current (2011) breeding population is estimated to be only 54% of the average of 5831 pairs estimated by Walker & Elliott (1999) for 1991–97.  It is difficult to assess the effect of fisheries mortality on the viability of this population.  There is some information about bycatch of Gibson’s in New Zealand waters, and of wandering albatrosses (species unknown) in Australian waters, but little is known about the effect of fisheries in international waters.  Three conclusions are possible from the available data: most fisheries mortality of this species is caused by surface longlines; mortality from fishing is now probably lower than it was; and there is no indication in the data that the sudden and substantial drops in the three above-mentioned demographic rates were caused primarily by fishing.  Forward projections showed that, of these three demographic rates, the most important to the future status of this population is adult survival.  The extent to which this species exhibits philopatry (i.e., breeds where it was born) is not known, and this compromised our ability to estimate juvenile survival.  Assuming full philopatry, the annual rate of juvenile survival was estimated to be 0.88; this will be an under-estimate if philopatry is partial.  The mean age of first breeding was estimated to be 12.4 y.”

Antipodean Albatrosses on Adams Island, photograph by Colon O'Donnell

Reference:

Francis, R.I.C.C., Elliott, G. & Walker, K. 2015.  Fisheries risk to the viability of Gibson’s wandering albatross Diomedea gibsoni.  New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 152.  48 pp.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 22 September 2015

Kath Walker and Graeme Elliott of Albatross Research have produced a report for the New Zealand Department of Conservation’s Conservation Services Programme that analyses the suitability of various census methods, including both ground counts and aerial photography, to estimate the total number of breeding pairs of ACAP-listed and Vulnerable Gibson's Antipodean Albatrosses Diomedea antipodensis gibsoni on Adams Island in the Auckland Island Group.

The “report summarizes our investigations into the problems and potential solutions to the difficulties of obtaining an accurate count of this particular species, and provides some suggestions on the most suitable technique to use in a new estimation of total breeding population size.”

A Gibson's Antipodean Albatross pair on Adams Island, photograph by Colin O'Donnell

Click here to access a related report on surveying Gibson's Antipodean Albatrosses by aerial photography on Adams Island.

The assessment of census techniques is informing a proposed survey to estimate the population size of Gibson's Antipodean Albatrosses and collect data to estimate adult survival and other demographic parameters on Adams Island during 2015/16 (click here).

Reference:

Walker, K. & Elliott, G. 2015.  Gibson’s wandering albatross: analysis of census techniques.  Report prepared for Department of Conservation.  [Nelson]: Albatross Research.  10 pp.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 21 September 2015

Barry Baker and colleagues (Latitude 42 Environmental Consultants) have produced a report for the New Zealand Department of Conservation’s Conservation Services Programme that assesses aerial census methods to estimate the population size of ACAP-listed and Vulnerable Antipodean Albatrosses Diomedea antipodensis gibsoni on Adams Island in the Auckland Island Group.

The assessment is based on a literature review and on the analysis of exploratory aerial census work conducted at the Auckland Islands.  The report recommends use of helicopters and standard digital photography, followed by manual stitching and overlaying stitched images on satellite photos using GIS software.  Ground-truthing should be used to develop meaningful correction factors.  Lastly, aerial surveys should not be conducted until egg laying is complete.

Antipodean Albatross on Adams Island, photograph by Colin O'Donnell

Reference:

Baker, G.B., Jensz, K. & Hamilton, S. 2015. Assessment of aerial census techniques to robustly estimate the total population size of Gibson’s albatross on Adams Island.  Report prepared for New Zealand Department of Conservation.  [Kettering]: Latitude 42 Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd.  18 pp.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 20 September 2015

The American Bird Conservancy and Pennsylvania State University’s Center for Environmental Informatics have created an interactive website to help inform fishers, conservationists and “those promoting fishery sustainability” to assess the risk of accidental capture of seabirds in fisheries, and to take action to reduce bycatch.

“Featuring a database with profiles of 378 seabird species, the website offers a unique way to access a wealth of information.  After drawing a map that outlines an area of interest, one click produces a list of seabirds known to occur there, along with useful information for assessing the risk posed to seabirds by fishing gear. Users can:

create fishery area maps and determine which birds occur there;
review protected status, population size, and range maps;
produce reports with information such as diving depth and diet that may indicate the risk posed by fishing gear; and
find resources on how to reduce bycatch.

In the interactive map feature, users can overlay the base map with layers showing bird species ranges, as well as jurisdictions such as Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) or protected areas.  While the intent is to help minimize bycatch among all seabirds, this component of the site will be particularly valuable in reducing the risk to vulnerable species.

With the wealth of information provided about each species, fisheries managers can make changes to their fishing methods that may reduce or eliminate the accidental injury or killing of bird species found in their area.  These fishermen could consider adding paired streamer lines to scare birds away from the longlines as they are being set or setting their lines at night when birds such as albatrosses, which are especially susceptible to bycatch, are less active."

Paired bird-scaring lines behind a South African trawler keep Black-browed Albatrosses away from the warp cable

Photograph by Barry Watkins

"In addition to providing information on seabirds in a geographic area, the web tool features a search function that allows a user to obtain profiles of specific species or taxonomic groups, or to search for threatened species.  The site allows fishermen to identify the fishing gear they use and search for birds known to interact with that gear.  The site provides information for 17 different types of fishing gear, including set or drift gillnets, different types of longlines, trawls, seines, hand lines, pots, and traps.”

The site is explained in an introductory video. Click here for the press release.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 19 September 2015