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Ninety days at sea, part 1: my first trip!

Back in July, we set sail from the port of Coquimbo in Chile with the challenge of studying mitigation measure design and the associated reduction of seabird bycatch. Historically, bycatch has been particularly high on the vessel that I have now joined...

Published 11-19-2009 4:48 PM by Luis Cabezas

Tags Chile albatross tori-lines bycatch

Going back to school

I was recently invited by the International School to give a talk to their students about my work - a brilliant opportunity as many of the kids have parents involved in the fishing industry. In fact, my invitation came about because two of the senior...

Published 08-07-2009 12:37 PM by john paterson

Tags Namibia albatross bycatch

Cape Town capers

Hi everyone, It has been a very busy winter here in Cape Town with lots of rain and cold weather, but summer is coming, along with some changes. We have moved to a new office close to the harbour - a major upgrade, and it makes life so much easier when...

Published 10-19-2008 4:47 PM by meidad goren

Tags South Africa bycatch

Good news from Argentinian waters

During the last few weeks, we have been working onshore on a variety of activities with individual fishermen, fishing companies and governmental representatives. Following two trips on the Sirius III, a 60-metre 'fresh' trawler (which keeps the...

Published 09-23-2008 2:54 PM by Leo Tamini

Tags Argentina Task Force on-shore bycatch award

A bang and a fizzle in Namibia

Hi everybody. My name is John Paterson and I am the first Albatross Task Force Instructor to be based in Namibia. I have been tasked to work with the hake trawl fishery in Namibia and a second Instructor is to be recruited to work with the hake longline...

Published 07-24-2008 11:20 AM by john paterson

Tags Namibia albatross workshop bycatch

Patience is often rewarded

During the later half of June it was off to sea again on the Irvin & Johnson wet-fish trawler, the Stevia. Once again I was looking at making the tori lines (bird scaring lines) work their best to prevent seabird deaths. Naturally, winter is the season...

Published 06-30-2008 2:58 PM by barry watkins

Tags South Africa albatross bird-scaring lines bycatch seabirds research

How many seabirds are dying?

Less than 24 hours after I sent my first diary, I finally received a long awaited call allowing me to board the FV Sirius III, a 60 metre-long 'freshie' trawler ship. I left the Mar del Plata port on 26 April at 6 pm. We started the voyage with...

Published 06-25-2008 3:33 PM by Leo Tamini

Tags Argentina albatross bycatch

Hoping to see a dramatic decline in seabird bycatch

The year started with a big decrease in the numbers of longline fishing vessels active in the swordfish fishery in Chile. Currently there are now five vessels at-sea and two industrial freezer ships waiting to leave port. That gives us a total of just...

Published 05-22-2008 11:04 AM by humberto flores

Tags Chile Task Force bird-scaring lines bycatch

Gaining trust

The 2007 fishing season is finishing! As the Christmas holidays are coming, the vessels are finishing the last trip of the year. During the year each vessel completes around 11 fishing cruises. From March until September, they fish around the Brazilian...

Published 12-13-2007 10:56 AM by fabiano peppes

Tags Brazil albatross bycatch

A nervous and worried start

I have been on the high seas fishing vessel Tami S II. It is the largest and most modern longliner of the Chilean pelagic fleet. This factory freezer vessel is 53 m long and can remain at sea for three to four month periods, setting lines of 60 nautical...

Published 11-12-2007 10:56 AM by humberto flores

Tags Chile albatross at sea tori-lines bycatch research

First observations not good

The longline vessel 'Portugal II' sailed from the port of Coquimbo (30°S) on the 19th July, with a course set for Robinson Crusoe Island (33°40'S, 78°50'W) on the Juan Fernandez Archipelago. After three days steaming in rough...

Published 09-28-2007 11:07 AM by Rodrigo Vega

Tags albatross bycatch research

Fond farewell

Last month we said goodbye to a special person, colleague, friend, albatross admirer, Samantha Petersen, who left the Albatross Task Force (ATF) after four years of managing BirdLife South Africa Marine Programme, most of the time being the only one on...

Published 08-31-2007 10:42 AM by meidad goren

Tags South Africa albatross Task Force bycatch

Sad to be leaving

When I had started here, working in seabird conservation, I had never even seen an albatross before, never been on a fishing boat before - the challenge was unknown to me. Now, almost two years down the line, I can safely say that I have achieved what...

Published 04-19-2007 4:49 PM by maria honig

Tags South Africa albatross bycatch

Appalling numbers

My God... let me tell you that this is not an easy job... it really is not, but it must be done with courage, persistence and with good heart. I persist with the local fishermen and captains in order to instruct them why they should adopt the tori lines...

Published 02-09-2007 4:26 PM by antonio migueis

Tags Brazil albatross workshop tori-lines bycatch

The impact of trawlers on albatrosses

Barry and I spend as much time on deck as possible. Our main work is monitoring interactions between seabirds and the two warp cables at the stern. To do this, we sit for hours on end on the 'catwalk', a raised metal gantry above the stern of...

Published 01-23-2007 11:53 AM by peter exley

Tags South Africa albatross tori-lines bird-scaring lines bycatch seabirds

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