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Our work in the ATF generally brings us into close contact with the community, without which we would not be able to explain the phenomenon of seabird bycatch and our mission to reduce the impact on vulnerable species (see here for an example ). During these activities we always share our experiences...

Ross Wanless, South African regional co-ordinator for the Global Seabird Programme reports back from a seabird bycatch workshop in South Korea, with some promising developments: Asian longline fleets account for ~90% of the fishing effort that overlaps with albatrosses. This meant that getting an...

Hi everybody. I thought twice before writing this diary, because we usually try to provide more positive information and show beautiful pictures of our work. However, our job is not always about happy endings; we also witness a lot of sad situations. In this instance I specifically refer to the albatrosses...

On a recent trip in early June, we had a few extra “little crew members” join us. Four pintado petrels joined us on the vessel when they got entangled with some of the fishing gear and got a bit greasy. Washing, feeding and caring for these four little birds proved to be an excellent platform...

Tori lines (or bird-scaring lines) are one of the measures most commonly used to reduce seabirds from being accidentally killed by longline vessels. In previous years we have undertaken trips on Uruguayan longline vessels to get crews to use them. Unfortunately, we've found that some tori lines...

It's a great pleasure for me to tell you what is going on in Namibia at the moment, especially on the side of the longline fleet. Since February 2009 I have been organising a trip with one of the hake longline vessels so that we can get a better idea of the contact this fleet has with seabirds. I...

Hello companions, it is with great satisfaction that I'm sharing with you my activities. As Martin Abreu, an Albatross Task Force member working in Brazil, said recently, we are at such an 'important moment'. The Brazilian and Uruguay Albatross Task Forces are working together so we can find...

We are at an important moment for the team. Finding a bird-scaring line design for the Uruguayan fleet that works for their operations has been a worry for us since we started. We have been working to try and raise awareness of the seabird issue with them and developing ideas to stop the mortality of...

Hello to all albatross fans! We don't just speak to fishermen at sea. Most fishermen spend long periods of time at-sea and as there are only a few ATF instructors around, we try to meet them in between their trips. Albatross Task Force South Africa has for the last three years been conducting...

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 catch on ice), we have been arranging a trip...

My first day finally arrived with some anticipation but also with some excitement. This was the day I was to set sail onboard a commercial trawler for the first time. This was my training trip for my new job as an Instructor for the South African Albatross Task Force Team. After two trips to sea had...

Having been selected as one of the first two Albatross Task Force (ATF) instructors in Uruguay, I arranged my first trip to sea. The Uruguayan longline fleet had been less active recently due to relatively low catches, but seeing that the vessels were starting to head out again, I secured a position...

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 seven vessels. As each vessel prepared to leave...

Well... first, before I introduce myself, I would like to share my happiness and enthusiasm to join the Albatross Task Force Team, Guardians of Albatrosses! I am very pleased to join this select group of people who dedicate their work and effort for this noble matter which is the conservation of such...

During Spring on the oceanic islands, albatrosses are being born! The same is happening with the Albatross Task Force! New members are joining in order to maintain the oceanic species diversity. In December several candidates applied for two positions at ATF-Brazil. We had 75 applications and we did...

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 the team. On a personal note, Sam was the one...

Have you ever wondered what a thousand hungry albatrosses squabbling for food sounds like? Well, just a few weeks back I found out. The location, Danger Point, a scarily-named nautical location some 90 miles south of the most southerly point of the African continent, a place where the Benguela and Agulhas...

As the co-ordinator of the Projeto Albatroz seabird observation programme, it was with great honour that I accepted a role as an Albatross Task Force Member and to work towards saving seabirds in Brazilian waters. On Monday (11 September), my first AFT Field Instructor activities began. With the arrival...

As I told you before I am on land right now, getting ready for the next trip. We're also busy preparing a workshop for the tuna longliners all about bycatch - I'm meeting the chairman of the Tuna Longline Association on Thursday. Today the vessel which took me onboard last month came back from...

First, here's a little about me. I have always been fascinated by marine life and living in such a beautiful and diverse country as South Africa, really motivated me to work as a conservationist. My aspirations grew and progressed into a determination to study Marine Ecology at the University of...