A New Zealand Northern Giant Petrel gets hooked

A Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli, identified by its reddish bill tip, has been photographed recently at sea off Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand with a longline hook and a length of line through its lower mandible (click here to view the photograph).  The bird is reported as looking in good health.

Giant petrels of both species are perhaps less known to fall victim to longlining than are albatrosses and some of the Procellaria petrels.

To read about a colour-banded Gibson's Antipodean Albatrosses Diomedea antipodensis gibsoni caught off Kaikoura that was entangled with fishing line and then successfully released click here.  More pictures of this albatross may be found at http://albatrossencounter.blogspot.com/.

Click here to access the ACAP Species Assessment for the Northern Giant Petrel.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 5 March 2011

The Agreement on the
Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels

ACAP is a multilateral agreement which seeks to conserve listed albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters by coordinating international activity to mitigate known threats to their populations.

About ACAP

ACAP Secretariat

119 Macquarie St
Hobart TAS 7000
Australia

Tel: +61 3 6165 6674