A 'one-stop-shop' for fisheries around the world, aiming to prevent high seas deaths of up to 40,000 seabirds, was launched today by the Department of Conservation and Southern Seabirds Trust.
The new Seabird-Safe Fishing Toolkit is an online, interactive platform to help fishing companies understand how they can reduce their captures of seabirds on longline hooks set for tuna.
Included in the toolkit are maps showing where threatened seabirds occur, fishing practices to reduce the risk of fishers accidentally catching seabirds, and resources to help companies monitor and improve their seabird-safe fishing performance over time.
DOC's Senior International Advisor Mandy Leathers is the project co-lead with Southern Seabirds Trust.
"We all have a responsibility to care for our vulnerable seabirds and address the pressures and dangers we put on them," Mandy says.
"New Zealand is known as the seabird capital of the world, and many are taonga to Māori. They're a part of our identity.
"But unfortunately, 90% of seabirds that breed in New Zealand are in trouble, with bycatch in high seas longline fisheries being a significant pressure. It's estimated that 30,000-40,000 seabirds are caught every year in the Southern Hemisphere.
"The good news – there are proven ways to reduce seabird deaths in longline fishing, and these are included in the 'one-stop-shop' toolkit," Mandy says.
Examples of seabird-safe practices include setting fishing lines at night, sinking baited hooks quickly using weights, using a bird scaring line or using a hookpod, which protects seabirds from getting hooked during line setting.
"New Zealand's own surface longline fleet is now using these best practices and has digital monitoring. We are well placed to support international high seas fleets to follow suit."
Mandy says the toolkit results from a truly collaborative effort with crucial input from the fishing industry and sustainability experts around the world.
The toolkit is a New Zealand-led project, developed through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Oceans and Fisheries Working Group.
Mandy says even people who don't fish can help ease the pressure on seabirds while they're out naturing.
"Pick up plastics on the beach and other rubbish, and take part in trapping, because invasive predators are a huge problem at breeding sites. While preventing bycatch is our greatest priority, anything we can do to relieve the pressure on our seabirds will help."
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