By Veronica Iriarte - On Wednesday we celebraed our fifth World Albatross Day! The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) announced “Marine Protected Areas – Safeguarding our Oceans” as the theme for this year’s World Albatross Day.
The latest edition of the South Georgia Newsletter refers to seabirds, which are amongst the most globally threatened birds, often as a consequence of incidental mortality (bycatch) in fisheries. At South Georgia, wandering albatrosses have declined since the 1970s, and are listed by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) as one of nine global High-Priority populations for conservation.
A review of breeding distributions, population trends, threats and key priorities for conservation actions on land and at sea for the 29 species covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) has been published in the journal Biological Conservation. It reveals increased conservation efforts are required in order to secure a sustainable future for albatrosses and large petrels.
The conservation status of the Falkland Islands Black-browed albatross could be down listed from endangered based on ground and aerial surveys carried out in 2010, ACAP* Coordinator Anton Wolfaardt reported to the Falklands’ Environmental Committee.