| Albatross Task Force (ATF) |
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Earlier this year, the ATF were able to report on some good news for the conservation of embattled albatrosses. Bycatch of albatrosses by the tuna longline fleet in South Africa dropped by an estimated 85% in 2008 compared to 2007. A similar reduction has happened in the trawl fishery, and compliance with key permit conditions prescribing mitigation measures is now high. The South African Team. Who are we?Bronwyn MareeBronwyn is a Task Force member in South Africa. She undertook both Honours and Masters degrees in Ichthyology and Fisheries Science at Rhodes University. Her Masters degree was titled: Home range dynamics of spotted grunter, Pomadasys commersonnii, in a South African intermittently open estuary. She has been lucky enough to work twice as a scientist onboard the Norwegian research vessel DR Fridjof Nansen. She is currently in charge of the Task Force's work related to the South African deep-sea hake trawl fishery and has been to sea on many occasions on these vessels. Recreationally, she enjoys camping, scuba diving and the outdoors and nature in general. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Tshikana RasehlomiTshikana joined the Albatross Task Force team in December of 2010 and his responsibilities include, but are not limited to, completing the ‘line weighting experiment’ on tuna longline vessels by the end of 2011. He is also responsible for educating fishermen about seabird bycatch mitigation measures and related matters. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Contact details:Albatross Task Force, BirdLife South Africa Our work on landWorkshops:We conduct training workshops to fishermen, fisheries observers and governmental compliance officers. In these workshops we discuss the impacts that modern fishing has on the marine ecosystem and how all stakeholders can help in assuring a better future for all our marine life by implementing a responsible approach to fisheries. Harbour visits:A key ATF strategy is to build personal relationships with fishermen. We visit them at the harbour, an environment where they feel at home. We discuss their recent trips, any issues that came up, and plan future sea trips with them. We also deliver Bird Scaring lines and discuss other mitigation measures. Education and awareness:Each year during the Save Our Seabirds (SOS) week, we visit schools and raise awareness about seabird conservation. We also give public talks in an effort to reach the widest audience possible.
We share Our office with Ross Wanless, BLSA's Seabird Division manager. We are situated in the foreshore, close to Cape Town harbour, Marine and Coastal Management offices and one of the independent observer company's head office. Our work at seaThe main work of the ATF instructors is done at sea when we join fishing trips to collect data and conduct experiments. The companies accommodate us on a voluntary basis and for this we are always grateful. These trips help us to understand the realities of the fishing industry. We collect seabird abundance data during fishing operations. This helps us to understand ways we can prevent them from getting caught in fishing gear. By trying different mitigation measures at sea and improving we try to adjust practical solutions so fishermen can easily implement them at sea. The main idea of the ATF is that we are here to work with the fishermen towards finding and implementing solutions to the problem of seabird bycatch. Fishermen don't want to see a dead albatross on the hook or a drowned petrel taken by a net cable. We all have to put our heads together and keep on working towards creating a safe environment for these impressive birds.
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| Last Updated on Friday, 17 June 2011 16:51 |
The parlous state of seabird conservation globally was recognized as a priority by BirdLife International in the 1990s, resulting in the development of the Global Seabird Programme (GSP). While the GSP is addressing an impressive range of seabird conservation issues, a major focus was, and remains, saving albatrosses from extinction by working with fishing industries and, wherever possible, to find innovative and win-win solutions to seabird bycatch. This, in a nutshell, is the work of the Albatross Task Force (ATF). South Africa became the first country to establish an ATF team (in 2006). Since then, teams have been established in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Namibia and Uruguay.
