Saving South Africa's Threatened Albatross: A Lifeline Against Lethal Fishing Lines

A Perilous Journey: Albatrosses and the Open Ocean

Picture this: a small boat bobs on the vast Atlantic, roughly 27 nautical miles (50km) off South Africa's iconic Cape Point. A chorus of excited calls fills the air as birdwatchers eagerly identify magnificent seabirds – “Atlantic Yellow-nosed! Black-browed Albatross!” These wildlife enthusiasts have embarked on a unique tour from Cape Town, seeking out endangered albatross species rarely seen from the mainland.

On a clear, warm summer day, conditions are ideal. The skipper, communicating via radio, is on the hunt for fishing trawlers. Soon, one is spotted, and the tour boat – operated by Cape Town Pelagics, a dedicated non-profit – makes a direct course. As they approach, an incredible spectacle unfolds: hundreds of seabirds emerge, seemingly from nowhere.

The boat eventually halts beside the fishing vessel, and a vast feathered entourage trails behind it. These birds have learned a dangerous association: fishing boats often mean an easy meal. They follow the trawler, patiently awaiting discarded fish heads and guts – the byproducts thrown overboard as fishermen sort their catch. While this offers a temporary feast, this perilous feeding strategy puts these majestic birds directly in harm's way.

The Hidden Threat: Bycatch and Longline Fishing

The quest for an easy meal can prove fatal. Tim Appleton, a British conservationist and founder of the Global Bird Fair, highlights the devastating impact of “long lines.” He explains, “Some of these long lines that go out the back of fishing boats are 100 kilometres (62 miles) long. They have 4,000 hooks on them. Every 4,000 hooks are baited with a bit of squid or fish and of course the birds try and get the bait and end up getting caught on the hooks, dragged under and drowned.”

This accidental killing of marine life by fishing vessels is termed “bycatch.” It's not just longline fishing that poses a threat; seabirds also become entangled in the heavy cable lines used to haul fishing nets onto boats. Albatrosses, spending nearly half their lives far out at sea, are particularly susceptible to injury or death from these encounters with fishing gear.

Albatrosses: A Species Under Immense Pressure

Andrea Angel, who leads the Albatross Task Force at BirdLife South Africa, underscores the severity of the situation. “Of all of the groups of birds in the world, the seabirds are one of the most endangered,” she states. Her team has tirelessly worked for two decades to prevent these deaths.

“There are only 22 species of albatrosses globally, 15 of those are threatened by fishing activity,” Angel elaborates. Albatrosses are true pelagic birds, living exclusively on oceanic fare like squid and fish. Their lives are spent almost entirely at sea, making encounters with fishing vessels an unavoidable reality.

Fragile Breeding Cycles

Beyond the immediate threat of fishing lines, albatrosses' unique breeding habits make them even more vulnerable to extinction. They are monogamous, mating for life, and produce only one egg every two years on remote breeding islands. Both parents are deeply invested in raising their single chick.

Angel explains the devastating ripple effect: “There's a huge investment in raising that chick, and that investment is made by both of the parents. So when one of them is out following fishing vessels, if one of those parents is injured or dies, the chick back on the island will also die.” The loss of one parent means the entire two-year investment in reproduction is tragically wasted.

The monogamous nature adds another layer of vulnerability. If a partner is lost, it can take up to four years for an albatross to bond with a new mate and restart the breeding cycle. The disruption caused by the death of even one bird at sea is, therefore, “tremendous.”

A Simple Yet Powerful Solution: Bird Scaring Lines

Fortunately, there's a remarkably effective way ofsaving South Africa's threatened albatross from lethal fishing lines: the use of bird scaring lines. These ingenious devices act like nautical scarecrows, deterring birds away from dangerous nets and hooks.

Constructed from colourful plastic streamers attached to rope and plastic tubing, these lines flutter above the water, creating a visual barrier that keeps birds at a safe distance. They are both inexpensive and easy to fabricate.

Community Empowerment Through Conservation

BirdLife South Africa has partnered with the Ocean View Association for Persons with Disabilities, training their members to produce these vital bird scaring lines. Deborah Gonsalves, the association's manager, notes the profound impact: “Ocean View started off as a fishing community... Some of our members were fishermen prior to having a disability. So to see BirdLife partnering with them has been amazing.”

This initiative not only aids conservation but also empowers the association's members, providing them with purpose and self-worth. “It's actually enabled them to still be productive,” Gonsalves states, adding that the work supplements their disability grants, allowing loved ones to work while they are cared for.

Economic Sense: Why Conservation Benefits Everyone

Andrea Angel emphasizes that the benefits of bird scaring lines extend beyond conservation and community upliftment to include economic incentives for fisheries. “We call them bird scaring lines because it's a very evocative name. It tells exactly what they do. But originally they were called tori lines. Tori means bird in Japanese.”

These lines were, in fact, developed by a Japanese fisherman in the late 1990s who was frustrated by catching birds instead of his intended target. Angel points out the clear financial benefit: “Fishermen would rather catch a big tuna than a bird. A tuna is worth around $10,000 (£7,400) and a bird is worth nothing. So the economic incentive for them is huge.”

While some fishermen might face time constraints, safety concerns, or strict quotas that lead them to occasionally forgo using the lines, the Albatross Task Force consistently advocates for their deployment. These “negotiations and reminders” are crucial, as the lines are “really saving tens of thousands of bird lives.”

A Model for Global Conservation

Since its inception in 2004, the Albatross Task Force has achieved remarkable success, overseeing a staggering 90% reduction in seabird deaths attributed to southern African fisheries. This incredible achievement offers a beacon of hope.

The ultimate goal is to replicate this proven model in other parts of the world, ensuring that these magnificent, long-lived birds can continue to grace our oceans for generations to come. The effort to save South Africa's threatened albatross from lethal fishing lines is not just a local victory; it's a blueprint for global marine conservation.