Seabird conservation

Seabird fledglings are often attracted to artificial, bright lights, leading to their grounding. This phenomenon is termed "fallout" and is associated with an increased risk of mortality from land-based threats. This study evaluated temporal trends and spatial factors, such as fallout clustering near lights and proximity to colonies, to inform targeted management actions. Standardized surveys were conducted from 2002 to 2010 for Wedge-tailed Shearwater Ardenna pacifica (WTSH) fallout on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA. First, yearly fallout counts along the transect showed a two-year cycle and identified 25 November as the date with the highest fallout across years. Second, artificial lights and utility lines were present in 94% and 83% of fallout locations, leading to significantly higher fallout rates at these locations compared to random points along the transect. Third, fallout decreased significantly as the distance from the colonies increased and was negligible farther than 5 km from the nearest colony. Overall, 60% of all fallout occurred along a 1.7 km section of the survey route, with 27% of this fallout occurring within 8 m of two light poles, highlighting the need for targeted management. Finally, the disposition outcomes of rescued shearwaters from non-fatal fallout were analyzed. Among grounded individuals that were recovered alive, 78% were admitted for rehabilitation with no injury and released. This suggests that rescue efforts during high-risk periods that are focused within 5 km of colonies, in fallout hot spots, are likely to enhance survival. Because little is known about the environmental drivers of WTSH fallout, our results specify when, where, and how targeted management could be used most effectively to reduce fallout on O'ahu. Our targeted approach may be applied in other regions where seabird fledging is heavily impacted by artificial lights.

In Argentina, one major factor playing a significant role in the implementation of better fishing practices is related to the advent of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification schemes in marine fisheries, given that one of its component addresses the impact of fishing operations on the ecosystem (e.g. effects on the environment, related species, bycatch). In recent years, several fisheries in Argentina-ranging from coastal ice trawlers targeting the Argentine anchovy Engraulis anchoita to freezer trawlers targeting the Patagonian scallop Zygochlamys patagonica and the Patagonian grenadier or Hoki Macruronus magellanicus have been certified under the MSC scheme. Although these processes are not driven by the Government certainly creates opportunities to develop better fishing practices including in the agendas of fishermen not only target species but also other management issues affecting the marine environment. In this chapter, we will review the current status of the certification schemes implemented in the latter referred fisheries regarding seabird conservation discussing challenges and opportunities from the seabird perspective.

In Argentina, one major factor playing a significant role in the implementation of better fishing practices is related to the advent of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification schemes in marine fisheries, given that one of its component addresses the impact of fishing operations on the ecosystem (e.g. effects on the environment, related species, bycatch). In recent years, several fisheries in Argentina-ranging from coastal ice trawlers targeting the Argentine anchovy Engraulis anchoita to freezer trawlers targeting the Patagonian scallop Zygochlamys patagonica and the Patagonian grenadier or Hoki Macruronus magellanicus have been certified under the MSC scheme. Although these processes are not driven by the Government certainly creates opportunities to develop better fishing practices including in the agendas of fishermen not only target species but also other management issues affecting the marine environment. In this chapter, we will review the current status of the certification schemes implemented in the latter referred fisheries regarding seabird conservation discussing challenges and opportunities from the seabird perspective.

In Argentina, one major factor playing a significant role in the implementation of better fishing practices is related to the advent of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification schemes in marine fisheries, given that one of its component addresses the impact of fishing operations on the ecosystem (e.g. effects on the environment, related species, bycatch). In recent years, several fisheries in Argentina-ranging from coastal ice trawlers targeting the Argentine anchovy Engraulis anchoita to freezer trawlers targeting the Patagonian scallop Zygochlamys patagonica and the Patagonian grenadier or Hoki Macruronus magellanicus have been certified under the MSC scheme. Although these processes are not driven by the Government certainly creates opportunities to develop better fishing practices including in the agendas of fishermen not only target species but also other management issues affecting the marine environment. In this chapter, we will review the current status of the certification schemes implemented in the latter referred fisheries regarding seabird conservation discussing challenges and opportunities from the seabird perspective.

Seabird fledglings are often attracted to artificial, bright lights, leading to their grounding. This phenomenon is termed "fallout" and is associated with an increased risk of mortality from land-based threats. This study evaluated temporal trends and spatial factors, such as fallout clustering near lights and proximity to colonies, to inform targeted management actions. Standardized surveys were conducted from 2002 to 2010 for Wedge-tailed Shearwater Ardenna pacifica (WTSH) fallout on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA. First, yearly fallout counts along the transect showed a two-year cycle and identified 25 November as the date with the highest fallout across years. Second, artificial lights and utility lines were present in 94% and 83% of fallout locations, leading to significantly higher fallout rates at these locations compared to random points along the transect. Third, fallout decreased significantly as the distance from the colonies increased and was negligible farther than 5 km from the nearest colony. Overall, 60% of all fallout occurred along a 1.7 km section of the survey route, with 27% of this fallout occurring within 8 m of two light poles, highlighting the need for targeted management. Finally, the disposition outcomes of rescued shearwaters from non-fatal fallout were analyzed. Among grounded individuals that were recovered alive, 78% were admitted for rehabilitation with no injury and released. This suggests that rescue efforts during high-risk periods that are focused within 5 km of colonies, in fallout hot spots, are likely to enhance survival. Because little is known about the environmental drivers of WTSH fallout, our results specify when, where, and how targeted management could be used most effectively to reduce fallout on O'ahu. Our targeted approach may be applied in other regions where seabird fledging is heavily impacted by artificial lights.

The use of wildlife rehabilitation for conservation is growing, but quantitative criteria are rarely used to guide whether and when to remove animals from the wild. Since 2006, large numbers of African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) chicks have been abandoned annually when adults enter moult with dependent young still in the nest. As part of conservation initiatives for this Endangered species, these chicks were collected and hand reared to fledging age. Post-release survival has been well documented; in this study we develop models to predict survival of individuals during rehabilitation with the aim of improving hand-rearing success and guiding the use of scarce resources. For 1455 chicks abandoned between 2008 and 2013, we assessed whether a chick body condition index (BCI) could predict outcome (death or release) and time spent in rearing. In addition, for a subset of 173 chicks in 2012, we assessed whether BCI at admission influenced chick growth rates during rehabilitation and examined whether the use of additional structural measurements and sex provided additional power to predict outcome. Models predicted an 82.9% (95% confidence interval: 73.3-89.5%) release rate for chicks admitted with a BCI > 0, the proposed guideline for removal from colonies. This fell below 50% for BCIs < -1.05; 66% of chicks were admitted with BCIs between these thresholds. Adding bill length to BCI improved the relative model fit, but in both cases only ~70% of rehabilitation outcomes were correctly predicted. Chicks that grew more quickly were more likely to be released and, for those that were released, had lower BCI at admission suggesting compensatory growth. Chicks were generally removed at an appropriate time to ensure successful hand-rearing. However, 32% were admitted in good condition, highlighting the importance of using adaptive management to guide wildlife rehabilitation and the allocation of conservation resources.

The Cape Gannet Morus capensis is one of several seabird species endemic to the Benguela upwelling ecosystem (BUS) but whose population has recently decreased, leading to an unfavourable IUCN Red List assessment. Application of 'JARA' ('Just Another Red-List Assessment,' a Bayesian state-space tool used for IUCN Red List assessments) to updated information on the areas occupied by Cape Gannets and the nest densities of breeding birds at their six colonies, suggested that the species should be classified as Vulnerable. However, the rate of decrease of Cape Gannets in their most-recent generation exceeded that of the previous generation, primarily as a result of large decreases at Bird Island, Lambert's Bay, and Malgas Island, off South Africa's west coast (the western part of their range). Since the 1960s, there has been an ongoing redistribution of the species from northwest to southeast around southern Africa, and ~70% of the population now occurs on the south coast of South Africa, at Bird Island in Algoa Bay, on the eastern border of the BUS. Recruitment rather than adult survival may be limiting the present population; however, information on the seabird's demographic parameters and mortality in fisheries is lacking for colonies in the northern part of the BUS. Presently, major threats to Cape Gannet include: substantially decreased availability of their preferred prey in the west; heavy mortalities of eggs, chicks and fledglings at and around colonies, inflicted by Cape Fur Seals Arctocephalus pusillus and other seabirds; substantial disturbance at colonies caused by Cape Fur Seals attacking adult gannets ashore; oiling; and disease. Le fou du Cap Morus capensis fait partie d'un groupe d'espèces d'oiseaux marins endémiques à la région du Benguela dont les populations sont en déclin sévère. En utilisant JARA (un outil Bayesien d'espace-état communnément utilisé dans l'évaluation du statut des espèces dans les Listes Rouges de l'UICN) sur des données récentes de surfaces occupées et de densité de nidification sur les six colonies de fous du Cap, nous estimons que cette espèce devrait être classée Vulnérable. Cependant, le déclin des fous du Cap au cours de leur dernière génération s'est acceléré par rapport à la précédente, principalement à cause du déclin rapide des colonies de Bird Island, Lambert's Bay et de Malgas Island, toutes deux au large de la côte ouest de l'Afrique du Sud. Depuis les années 1960, la distribution de l'espèce s'est progressivement déplacée du nord-ouest vers le sud-est, concentrant maintenant 70% de l'espèce sur une seule colonie, Bird Island/Algoa Bay, à la limite est de la region du Benguela. Plus que la survie adulte, c'est le recrutement des juvéniles qui semble à ce jour limiter la population, bien que les informations manquent encore sur la mortalité associée aux pêcheries, ainsi que sur les paramètres démographiques des colonies du nord de la région du Benguela. Les menaces majeures actuelles pesant sur l'espèce comprennent une pénurie des proies favorites le long de la côte ouest, une mortalité élevée des oeufs et poussins à l'envol par les otaries du Cap Arctocephalus pusillus et d'autres oiseaux marins, un dérangement important de certaines colonies par les otaries attaquant poussins et adultes à terre, ainsi que les marées noires et épizooties.

The Cape Gannet Morus capensis is one of several seabird species endemic to the Benguela upwelling ecosystem (BUS) but whose population has recently decreased, leading to an unfavourable IUCN Red List assessment. Application of 'JARA' ('Just Another Red-List Assessment,' a Bayesian state-space tool used for IUCN Red List assessments) to updated information on the areas occupied by Cape Gannets and the nest densities of breeding birds at their six colonies, suggested that the species should be classified as Vulnerable. However, the rate of decrease of Cape Gannets in their most-recent generation exceeded that of the previous generation, primarily as a result of large decreases at Bird Island, Lambert's Bay, and Malgas Island, off South Africa's west coast (the western part of their range). Since the 1960s, there has been an ongoing redistribution of the species from northwest to southeast around southern Africa, and ~70% of the population now occurs on the south coast of South Africa, at Bird Island in Algoa Bay, on the eastern border of the BUS. Recruitment rather than adult survival may be limiting the present population; however, information on the seabird's demographic parameters and mortality in fisheries is lacking for colonies in the northern part of the BUS. Presently, major threats to Cape Gannet include: substantially decreased availability of their preferred prey in the west; heavy mortalities of eggs, chicks and fledglings at and around colonies, inflicted by Cape Fur Seals Arctocephalus pusillus and other seabirds; substantial disturbance at colonies caused by Cape Fur Seals attacking adult gannets ashore; oiling; and disease. Statut et conservation le fou du Cap Morus capensis Le fou du Cap Morus capensis fait partie d'un groupe d'espèces d'oiseaux marins endémiques à la région du Benguela dont les populations sont en déclin sévère. En utilisant JARA (un outil Bayesien d'espace-état communnément utilisé dans l'évaluation du statut des espèces dans les Listes Rouges de l'UICN) sur des données récentes de surfaces occupées et de densité de nidification sur les six colonies de fous du Cap, nous estimons que cette espèce devrait être classée Vulnérable. Cependant, le déclin des fous du Cap au cours de leur dernière génération s'est acceléré par rapport à la précédente, principalement à cause du déclin rapide des colonies de Bird Island, Lambert's Bay et de Malgas Island, toutes deux au large de la côte ouest de l'Afrique du Sud. Depuis les années 1960, la distribution de l'espèce s'est progressivement déplacée du nord-ouest vers le sud-est, concentrant maintenant 70% de l'espèce sur une seule colonie, Bird Island/Algoa Bay, à la limite est de la region du Benguela. Plus que la survie adulte, c'est le recrutement des juvéniles qui semble à ce jour limiter la population, bien que les informations manquent encore sur la mortalité associée aux pêcheries, ainsi que sur les paramètres démographiques des colonies du nord de la région du Benguela. Les menaces majeures actuelles pesant sur l'espèce comprennent une pénurie des proies favorites le long de la côte ouest, une mortalité élevée des oeufs et poussins à l'envol par les otaries du Cap Arctocephalus pusillus et d'autres oiseaux marins, un dérangement important de certaines colonies par les otaries attaquant poussins et adultes à terre, ainsi que les marées noires et épizooties.

Seabird fledglings are often attracted to artificial, bright lights, leading to their grounding. This phenomenon is termed "fallout" and is associated with an increased risk of mortality from land-based threats. This study evaluated temporal trends and spatial factors, such as fallout clustering near lights and proximity to colonies, to inform targeted management actions. Standardized surveys were conducted from 2002 to 2010 for Wedge-tailed Shearwater Ardenna pacifica (WTSH) fallout on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA. First, yearly fallout counts along the transect showed a two-year cycle and identified 25 November as the date with the highest fallout across years. Second, artificial lights and utility lines were present in 94% and 83% of fallout locations, leading to significantly higher fallout rates at these locations compared to random points along the transect. Third, fallout decreased significantly as the distance from the colonies increased and was negligible farther than 5 km from the nearest colony. Overall, 60% of all fallout occurred along a 1.7 km section of the survey route, with 27% of this fallout occurring within 8 m of two light poles, highlighting the need for targeted management. Finally, the disposition outcomes of rescued shearwaters from non-fatal fallout were analyzed. Among grounded individuals that were recovered alive, 78% were admitted for rehabilitation with no injury and released. This suggests that rescue efforts during high-risk periods that are focused within 5 km of colonies, in fallout hot spots, are likely to enhance survival. Because little is known about the environmental drivers of WTSH fallout, our results specify when, where, and how targeted management could be used most effectively to reduce fallout on O'ahu. Our targeted approach may be applied in other regions where seabird fledging is heavily impacted by artificial lights.

During 2021-22 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) killed thousands of wild birds across Europe and North America, suggesting a change in infection dynamics and a shift to new hosts, including seabirds. Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) appeared especially severely impacted, but limited understanding of how the virus spread across the metapopulation, or the demographic consequences of mass mortality limit our understanding of its severity. Accordingly, we collate information on HPAIV outbreaks across most North Atlantic gannet colonies and for the largest colony (Bass Rock, UK), provide impacts on population size, breeding success, adult survival, and preliminary results on serology. Unusually high numbers of dead gannets were first noted in Iceland during April 2022. Outbreaks in May occurred in many Scottish colonies, followed by colonies in Canada, Germany and Norway. By the end of June, outbreaks had occurred in five Canadian colonies and in the Channel Islands. Outbreaks ...

Seabird fledglings are often attracted to artificial, bright lights, leading to their grounding. This phenomenon is termed “fallout” and is associated with an increased risk of mortality from land-based threats. This study evaluated temporal trends and spatial factors, such as fallout clustering near lights and proximity to colonies, to inform targeted management actions. Standardized surveys were conducted from 2002 to 2010 for Wedge-tailed Shearwater Ardenna pacifica (WTSH) fallout on the island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, USA. First, yearly fallout counts along the transect showed a two-year cycle and identified 25 November as the date with the highest fallout across years. Second, artificial lights and utility lines were present in 94% and 83% of fallout locations, leading to significantly higher fallout rates at these locations compared to random points along the transect. Third, fallout decreased significantly as the distance from the colonies increased and was negligible farther than 5 km from the nearest colony. Overall, 60% of all fallout occurred along a 1.7 km section of the survey route, with 27% of this fallout occurring within 8 m of two light poles, highlighting the need for targeted management. Finally, the disposition outcomes of rescued shearwaters from non-fatal fallout were analyzed. Among grounded individuals that were recovered alive, 78% were admitted for rehabilitation with no injury and released. This suggests that rescue efforts during high-risk periods that are focused within 5 km of colonies, in fallout hot spots, are likely to enhance survival. Because little is known about the environmental drivers of WTSH fallout, our results specify when, where, and how targeted management could be used most effectively to reduce fallout on O‘ahu. Our targeted approach may be applied in other regions where seabird fledging is heavily impacted by artificial lights.

During 2021-22 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) killed thousands of wild birds across Europe and North America, suggesting a change in infection dynamics and a shift to new hosts, including seabirds. Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) appeared especially severely impacted, but limited understanding of how the virus spread across the metapopulation, or the demographic consequences of mass mortality limit our understanding of its severity. Accordingly, we collate information on HPAIV outbreaks across most North Atlantic gannet colonies and for the largest colony (Bass Rock, UK), provide impacts on population size, breeding success, adult survival, and preliminary results on serology. Unusually high numbers of dead gannets were first noted in Iceland during April 2022. Outbreaks in May occurred in many Scottish colonies, followed by colonies in Canada, Germany and Norway. By the end of June, outbreaks had occurred in five Canadian colonies and in the Channel Islands. Outbreaks ...

Removal of introduced rats from islands is a proven and powerful conservation tool that can help restore ecosystem functioning and/or processes. Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada, is an isolated marine archipelago with distinct flora and fauna that have evolved during 14,000 years of isolation from the mainland. Approximately 1.5 million seabirds from 13 species nest on the islands of Haida Gwaii, including 50% of the global ancient murrelet population, a federally designated species at risk in Canada. Within Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (located at the southern end of Haida Gwaii) there are 9 designated Important Bird Areas (IBAs), established primarily to denote important seabird nesting sites. However, unintentional historical introductions of rats to islands within IBAs and throughout Haida Gwaii have led to the demise of several seabird nesting colonies. In September 2013, Parks Canada Agency, in partnership with Coastal Conservation and Island Conservation, implemented Canada's first aerial broadcast eradication of black rats from two islands within the Ramsay Island and Northern Juan Perez Sound Islands IBA, where seabird colonies and ecosystem processes have been negatively impacted by this species. The eradication of black rats from Murchison and Faraday Islands posed several challenges including ensuring adequate bait density to maximize the probability of eradication success while minimizing risks to native species. Our planning efforts focused on addressing bait competition by non-target species, the consequence of bait interception by the forest canopy, minimizing bait entering the marine environment, mitigating potential negative impacts to non-target species, and determining the ideal timing for the eradication operation. We present here a summary of these challenges and the measures that were implemented to address them.

Invasive ants have the potential to cause severe impacts on the structure and composition of native invertebrate communities and interfere with the natural processes of pollination and seed dispersal. Less frequently reported, direct and indirect impacts on vertebrates, namely birds, are also known to occur. The Argentine ant Linepithema humile is one of the worst invasive species worldwide, and is responsible for economic and ecological impacts in Madeira since its introduction. Previous reports indicated that Argentine ants may be a frequent predator of nestlings on the Desertas Islands which harbour internationally important seabird colonies. Here, we provide a survey of the records of bird predation by Argentine ants in the Desertas. Furthermore, we also assessed if these invasive ants affected the most abundant crevice-nesting seabird on Deserta Grande, the Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii, by nest monitoring in the years of 2014, 2015 and 2016. We found that breeding success varied annually between 0.56 and 0.63 chicks produced per nesting attempt. Ant predation of chicks was observed in only two out of 294 study nests. Furthermore, no relationship was found between local abundance of Argentine ants and breeding success of Bulwer's petrels. We conclude that Argentine ants do not seem to pose a major threat to nesting petrels on the Desertas, although we acknowledge the possibility that environmental changes and episodic population explosions of this invasive species may lead to a greater impact on seabirds' reproductive success.

In Argentina, one major factor playing a significant role in the implementation of better fishing practices is related to the advent of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification schemes in marine fisheries, given that one of its component addresses the impact of fishing operations on the ecosystem (e.g. effects on the environment, related species, bycatch). In recent years, several fisheries in Argentina-ranging from coastal ice trawlers targeting the Argentine anchovy Engraulis anchoita to freezer trawlers targeting the Patagonian scallop Zygochlamys patagonica and the Patagonian grenadier or Hoki Macruronus magellanicus have been certified under the MSC scheme. Although these processes are not driven by the Government certainly creates opportunities to develop better fishing practices including in the agendas of fishermen not only target species but also other management issues affecting the marine environment. In this chapter, we will review the current status of the certification schemes implemented in the latter referred fisheries regarding seabird conservation discussing challenges and opportunities from the seabird perspective.

The Cape Gannet Morus capensis is one of several seabird species endemic to the Benguela upwelling ecosystem (BUS) but whose population has recently decreased, leading to an unfavourable IUCN Red List assessment. Application of 'JARA' ('Just Another Red-List Assessment,' a Bayesian state-space tool used for IUCN Red List assessments) to updated information on the areas occupied by Cape Gannets and the nest densities of breeding birds at their six colonies, suggested that the species should be classified as Vulnerable. However, the rate of decrease of Cape Gannets in their most-recent generation exceeded that of the previous generation, primarily as a result of large decreases at Bird Island, Lambert's Bay, and Malgas Island, off South Africa's west coast (the western part of their range). Since the 1960s, there has been an ongoing redistribution of the species from northwest to southeast around southern Africa, and ~70% of the population now occurs on the south coast of South Africa, at Bird Island in Algoa Bay, on the eastern border of the BUS. Recruitment rather than adult survival may be limiting the present population; however, information on the seabird's demographic parameters and mortality in fisheries is lacking for colonies in the northern part of the BUS. Presently, major threats to Cape Gannet include: substantially decreased availability of their preferred prey in the west; heavy mortalities of eggs, chicks and fledglings at and around colonies, inflicted by Cape Fur Seals Arctocephalus pusillus and other seabirds; substantial disturbance at colonies caused by Cape Fur Seals attacking adult gannets ashore; oiling; and disease. Statut et conservation le fou du Cap Morus capensis Le fou du Cap Morus capensis fait partie d'un groupe d'espèces d'oiseaux marins endémiques à la région du Benguela dont les populations sont en déclin sévère. En utilisant JARA (un outil Bayesien d'espace-état communnément utilisé dans l'évaluation du statut des espèces dans les Listes Rouges de l'UICN) sur des données récentes de surfaces occupées et de densité de nidification sur les six colonies de fous du Cap, nous estimons que cette espèce devrait être classée Vulnérable. Cependant, le déclin des fous du Cap au cours de leur dernière génération s'est acceléré par rapport à la précédente, principalement à cause du déclin rapide des colonies de Bird Island, Lambert's Bay et de Malgas Island, toutes deux au large de la côte ouest de l'Afrique du Sud. Depuis les années 1960, la distribution de l'espèce s'est progressivement déplacée du nord-ouest vers le sud-est, concentrant maintenant 70% de l'espèce sur une seule colonie, Bird Island/Algoa Bay, à la limite est de la region du Benguela. Plus que la survie adulte, c'est le recrutement des juvéniles qui semble à ce jour limiter la population, bien que les informations manquent encore sur la mortalité associée aux pêcheries, ainsi que sur les paramètres démographiques des colonies du nord de la région du Benguela. Les menaces majeures actuelles pesant sur l'espèce comprennent une pénurie des proies favorites le long de la côte ouest, une mortalité élevée des oeufs et poussins à l'envol par les otaries du Cap Arctocephalus pusillus et d'autres oiseaux marins, un dérangement important de certaines colonies par les otaries attaquant poussins et adultes à terre, ainsi que les marées noires et épizooties.

In Argentina, one major factor playing a significant role in the implementation of better fishing practices is related to the advent of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification schemes in marine fisheries, given that one of its component addresses the impact of fishing operations on the ecosystem (e.g. effects on the environment, related species, bycatch). In recent years, several fisheries in Argentina-ranging from coastal ice trawlers targeting the Argentine anchovy Engraulis anchoita to freezer trawlers targeting the Patagonian scallop Zygochlamys patagonica and the Patagonian grenadier or Hoki Macruronus magellanicus have been certified under the MSC scheme. Although these processes are not driven by the Government certainly creates opportunities to develop better fishing practices including in the agendas of fishermen not only target species but also other management issues affecting the marine environment. In this chapter, we will review the current status of the certification schemes implemented in the latter referred fisheries regarding seabird conservation discussing challenges and opportunities from the seabird perspective.

The Cape Gannet Morus capensis is one of several seabird species endemic to the Benguela upwelling ecosystem (BUS) but whose population has recently decreased, leading to an unfavourable IUCN Red List assessment. Application of 'JARA' ('Just Another Red-List Assessment,' a Bayesian state-space tool used for IUCN Red List assessments) to updated information on the areas occupied by Cape Gannets and the nest densities of breeding birds at their six colonies, suggested that the species should be classified as Vulnerable. However, the rate of decrease of Cape Gannets in their most-recent generation exceeded that of the previous generation, primarily as a result of large decreases at Bird Island, Lambert's Bay, and Malgas Island, off South Africa's west coast (the western part of their range). Since the 1960s, there has been an ongoing redistribution of the species from northwest to southeast around southern Africa, and ~70% of the population now occurs on the south coast of South Africa, at Bird Island in Algoa Bay, on the eastern border of the BUS. Recruitment rather than adult survival may be limiting the present population; however, information on the seabird's demographic parameters and mortality in fisheries is lacking for colonies in the northern part of the BUS. Presently, major threats to Cape Gannet include: substantially decreased availability of their preferred prey in the west; heavy mortalities of eggs, chicks and fledglings at and around colonies, inflicted by Cape Fur Seals Arctocephalus pusillus and other seabirds; substantial disturbance at colonies caused by Cape Fur Seals attacking adult gannets ashore; oiling; and disease. Statut et conservation le fou du Cap Morus capensis Le fou du Cap Morus capensis fait partie d'un groupe d'espèces d'oiseaux marins endémiques à la région du Benguela dont les populations sont en déclin sévère. En utilisant JARA (un outil Bayesien d'espace-état communnément utilisé dans l'évaluation du statut des espèces dans les Listes Rouges de l'UICN) sur des données récentes de surfaces occupées et de densité de nidification sur les six colonies de fous du Cap, nous estimons que cette espèce devrait être classée Vulnérable. Cependant, le déclin des fous du Cap au cours de leur dernière génération s'est acceléré par rapport à la précédente, principalement à cause du déclin rapide des colonies de Bird Island, Lambert's Bay et de Malgas Island, toutes deux au large de la côte ouest de l'Afrique du Sud. Depuis les années 1960, la distribution de l'espèce s'est progressivement déplacée du nord-ouest vers le sud-est, concentrant maintenant 70% de l'espèce sur une seule colonie, Bird Island/Algoa Bay, à la limite est de la region du Benguela. Plus que la survie adulte, c'est le recrutement des juvéniles qui semble à ce jour limiter la population, bien que les informations manquent encore sur la mortalité associée aux pêcheries, ainsi que sur les paramètres démographiques des colonies du nord de la région du Benguela. Les menaces majeures actuelles pesant sur l'espèce comprennent une pénurie des proies favorites le long de la côte ouest, une mortalité élevée des oeufs et poussins à l'envol par les otaries du Cap Arctocephalus pusillus et d'autres oiseaux marins, un dérangement important de certaines colonies par les otaries attaquant poussins et adultes à terre, ainsi que les marées noires et épizooties.

The Cape Gannet Morus capensis is one of several seabird species endemic to the Benguela upwelling ecosystem (BUS) but whose population has recently decreased, leading to an unfavourable IUCN Red List assessment. Application of 'JARA' ('Just Another Red-List Assessment,' a Bayesian state-space tool used for IUCN Red List assessments) to updated information on the areas occupied by Cape Gannets and the nest densities of breeding birds at their six colonies, suggested that the species should be classified as Vulnerable. However, the rate of decrease of Cape Gannets in their most-recent generation exceeded that of the previous generation, primarily as a result of large decreases at Bird Island, Lambert's Bay, and Malgas Island, off South Africa's west coast (the western part of their range). Since the 1960s, there has been an ongoing redistribution of the species from northwest to southeast around southern Africa, and ~70% of the population now occurs on the south coast of South Africa, at Bird Island in Algoa Bay, on the eastern border of the BUS. Recruitment rather than adult survival may be limiting the present population; however, information on the seabird's demographic parameters and mortality in fisheries is lacking for colonies in the northern part of the BUS. Presently, major threats to Cape Gannet include: substantially decreased availability of their preferred prey in the west; heavy mortalities of eggs, chicks and fledglings at and around colonies, inflicted by Cape Fur Seals Arctocephalus pusillus and other seabirds; substantial disturbance at colonies caused by Cape Fur Seals attacking adult gannets ashore; oiling; and disease. Statut et conservation le fou du Cap Morus capensis Le fou du Cap Morus capensis fait partie d'un groupe d'espèces d'oiseaux marins endémiques à la région du Benguela dont les populations sont en déclin sévère. En utilisant JARA (un outil Bayesien d'espace-état communnément utilisé dans l'évaluation du statut des espèces dans les Listes Rouges de l'UICN) sur des données récentes de surfaces occupées et de densité de nidification sur les six colonies de fous du Cap, nous estimons que cette espèce devrait être classée Vulnérable. Cependant, le déclin des fous du Cap au cours de leur dernière génération s'est acceléré par rapport à la précédente, principalement à cause du déclin rapide des colonies de Bird Island, Lambert's Bay et de Malgas Island, toutes deux au large de la côte ouest de l'Afrique du Sud. Depuis les années 1960, la distribution de l'espèce s'est progressivement déplacée du nord-ouest vers le sud-est, concentrant maintenant 70% de l'espèce sur une seule colonie, Bird Island/Algoa Bay, à la limite est de la region du Benguela. Plus que la survie adulte, c'est le recrutement des juvéniles qui semble à ce jour limiter la population, bien que les informations manquent encore sur la mortalité associée aux pêcheries, ainsi que sur les paramètres démographiques des colonies du nord de la région du Benguela. Les menaces majeures actuelles pesant sur l'espèce comprennent une pénurie des proies favorites le long de la côte ouest, une mortalité élevée des oeufs et poussins à l'envol par les otaries du Cap Arctocephalus pusillus et d'autres oiseaux marins, un dérangement important de certaines colonies par les otaries attaquant poussins et adultes à terre, ainsi que les marées noires et épizooties.

The pole and line fishery for skipjack tunas depends totally on consistent supply of live–bait fishes. Small sized fishes belonging to the families clupeidae, apogonidae, pomacentridae, ceasionidae, atherinidae etc constitutes the bait fishes.

another recent specimen recovered near Valparai in Tamil Nadu (Robin & Rao 2006). Recent sight records for this decade are from the Lakshadweep archipelago, and Kerala. Mike Prince records two individuals seen off Agatthi and Kavaratti Islands in the Lakshadweep group of islands (Prince 2008). One was found at Kallambalam, Kollam, and another at Kothamangalam, both in Kerala, at the end of May 2011 (Sreekumar 2011). A flock was observed at sea off the coast near Kannur on 28 May 2011 (Praveen 2011). From the distribution map given in Kazmierczak (2000), there are only a few scattered records of the bird, mostly along the western shores, and very few off the eastern seaboard. This is consistent with the records of the species given above. Ali & Ripley (1987) record the species as being, “A pelagic tern seldom coming to land except in the breeding season ... Usually seen in flocks well out to sea.” In a straight line, the nearest coast from Kotepally, where we observed the bird, is ap...