For Immediate Release: June 19, 2006

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Senate Passes Fisheries Legislation, Protects Seabirds

Washington, D.C. - American Bird Conservancy (ABC) hails the unanimous passage of the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Bill (S. 2012) by the United States Senate as a major advance in the conservation of some of the world's most imperiled bird species. ABC successfully advocated for the inclusion of provisions within the bill that protect seabirds from mortality in commercial longline fisheries. Species that will benefit include the Short-tailed Albatross, an endangered species that nests on islands in the northwestern Pacific, as well as Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses whose main nesting colonies are in the northwest Hawaiian islands.

"Few people ever witness the sight of an albatross being dragged under the water to drown after becoming impaled on a longline hook, but it is an all too common occurrence," said George Fenwick, President of American Bird Conservancy. "The millions upon millions of baited hooks reeled out from longline fishing boats act as an irresistible smorgasbord of free fish to hungry seabirds who can't know the danger the baits pose. Solutions exist - and are already being implemented in places - to prevent these deaths. This bill moves protection efforts forward a significant step."

With demand for large ocean fish at an all-time high, hundreds of thousands of albatrosses, shearwaters, fulmars, and other seabirds are being killed each year by fleets of longline fishing vessels which now crisscross the world's oceans. The Senate bill reauthorizes the Magnuson-Stevens Act (the country's primary legislation governing fisheries) and contains ABC-supported language on "seabird bycatch" that creates a mandatory bycatch reduction program. ABC believes the bill presents an opportunity to promote the use of bird avoidance measures that have been proven to virtually eliminate albatross and other seabird mortality without decreasing fishing efficiency.

"I'm pleased that finally, two-hundred years after Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote the Rime of the Ancient Mariner - a story of a ship's subsequent misfortunes after the wanton killing of an albatross, a bird of good omen - the United States has moved one step closer in protecting these awe-inspiring creatures for future generations to enjoy," said Fenwick.

The bill now awaits action by the U.S. House of Representatives, where alternative legislation has already passed the Resources Committee and is due for debate.

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American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is the only 501(c)(3) organization that works solely to conserve native wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. ABC acts to safeguard the rarest bird species, restore habitats, and reduce threats, while building capacity in the conservation movement. ABC is the voice for birds, ensuring that they are adequately protected; that sufficient funding is available for bird conservation; and that land is protected and properly managed to maintain viable habitat. ABC is a membership organization that is consistently awarded a top, four-star rating by the independent group Charity Navigator.