The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP): international efforts to improve the conservation status of threatened seabirds

MARCO FAVERO, BARRY BAKER, MIKE DOUBLE, ROSEMARY GALES, WIESLAWA MISIAK, WARREN PAPWORTH, RICHARD PHILLIPS, MARK TASKER, ANTON WOLFAARDT

Wellington

Conferencia; V International Albatross and Petrel Conference; 2012

The objective of ACAP is to achieve and maintain a favourable conservation status for albatrosses and petrels. The Agreement’s Advisory Committee and its three Working Groups provide scientific and technical advice to its Parties and other organizations. A substantial amount of work is being done by ACAP Parties to implement the Agreement, including the adoption and implementation of NPOA-Seabirds, conservation strategy documents, seabird recovery plans, marine protected areas and introduced pest eradication programmes. Non-Party Range States and NGOs have also contributed significantly to the implementation of the Agreement. Of particular significance is the large body of research that has been undertaken in recent years on seabird bycatch mitigation. Effective mitigation measures have been identified and best practice advice developed for longline and trawl fisheries. ACAP’s strategy to engage RFMOs has been developed to assist with the adoption and implementation of these measures in high seas fisheries. A key challenge now is to ensure that such knowledge is applied and that mitigation measures are implemented widely and effectively. It is also important to improve the quantity and quality of data on seabird bycatch. Another significant achievement has been the development of a framework for identifying conservation priorities, a tool that will assist in setting, monitoring and reporting on progress against conservation actions. Ongoing analyses of the global population trends has enabled review of their current status and highlighted the species and populations that are most critically at risk, or for which more data are urgently required. Underpinning the above initiatives has been the development of the online ACAP web portal and database. These tools have provided the means to efficiently maintain current, accurate and comprehensive information on populations’ trends and threats, both at-sea and on land, essential for further developing effective strategies, prioritising actions and assessing the success of the Agreement.