Defining high-risk areas in the argentinean continental shelf: at-sea distribution of black-browed albatrosses and overlapping with longline and trawl fleets

COPELLO S.; SECO PON, J. P.; FAVERO, M.

Conferencia; V International Albatross and Petrel Conference; 2012

Fisheries are one of the most important threats affecting the survival of most albatrosses and<br />petrels species around the globe and mortality in fisheries has already been characterised in<br />the Argentinean commercial longline and trawl fisheries. The main objective of this project is<br />to conduct an analysis of the interactions between Black-browed albatrosses with fisheries<br />operating in Patagonian Shelf waters in order to develop a comprehensive model to define<br />areas of high risk, and spatio-temporally predict their interactions over the Patagonian Shelf.<br />We deployed satellite transmitters on black-browed albatrosses during the non-breeding<br />period. Birds were capture at-sea in winter 2011. The at-sea distribution of tracked birds was<br />overlapped with data obtained through the Argentinean Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). A<br />total of 2,965 fixes was obtained over four months during the non-breeding season. The birds<br />were distributed over the Patagonian Shelf reaching waters off Uruguay and southern Brazil,<br />ranging from the 30° to 52°S and from high seas (48°E) to neritic waters. A kernel analysis<br />showed core distribution areas located at the mouth of Río de la Plata, El Rincón and shelf<br />break near Malvinas Islands and Península Valdes. Albatross distribution showed a high<br />spatio-temporal overlap with longliners as well as with trawlers. Besides the development<br />and implementation of conservation measures for the use of mitigation in the fisheries under<br />study, a comprehensive modelling of distribution and overlap may help in designing the<br />spatial use of the Patagonian shelf in order to minimise interactions between seabirds and<br />fisheries.