Thank you Geoff for posting this news update. I will froward so others will know to and hopefully help.

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Thank you for posting these important links and news Nyack.

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http://www.iucnredlist.org/news/north-pacific-albatrosses-acap

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Last modified: 05 October 2009

Kate Humble in portrait wearing RSPB fleece - (RSP

Television presenter Kate Humble has been appointed as our new President.

We hope that Kate’s infectious enthusiasm for wildlife and wild places will inspire millions of people to get closer to nature.

RSPB members at Saturday’s AGM in London’s Queen Elizabeth II conference centre, voted for Kate to become their new President (3rd October). She is only the second female President since we were founded in 1889 - the first, the Duchess of Portland, served for more than 60 years.

Kate is best known for presenting programmes such as Springwatch, Autumnwatch, Animal Park and The Frankincense Trail, and for her recent appearance on Who Do You Think You Are?

Her interest in wildlife stems from a childhood in the country and travels abroad in her late teens.

Kate says: 'I’m not an academic or a specialist, but I do love learning new things and asking questions – I’m never afraid to ask. If I can communicate some of the amazing things I learn about wildlife on an almost daily basis and spark the same interest in others, that would be great.

'I’m extremely proud to be asked to be President of such a highly respected and popular organisation. With over one million members behind it, the work of the RSPB is rightly renowned for making a huge difference for birds, other wildlife and the environment.'

Kate’s TV appearances have made her a hit with everyone from serious naturalists to everyday wildlife enthusiasts, a spread that reflects our membership.

'Kate has a long held passion for nature and wildlife, plus a knack for spreading her enthusiasm to others.  She is a great choice for RSPB President.'

In her new role, Kate aims to increase support for our work. In particular, she aims to get more people enjoying wildlife first hand, whether feeding birds in their back garden, walking in the countryside or visiting nature reserves. She will also be promoting our campaigns to stop the illegal killing of birds of prey, to save albatrosses from extinction and to protect tropical rainforests.

Graham Wynne, RSPB Chief Executive says: 'Kate has a long held passion for nature and wildlife, plus a knack for spreading her enthusiasm to others.  She is a great choice for RSPB President.

'We are delighted that Kate has taken on this role.  I know she’ll make a huge contribution to our conservation efforts over the next five years.'

Kate takes over from Julian Pettifer, who has given outstanding service, having served two terms as RSPB President. Julian is a distinguished journalist and broadcaster who has written and presented many wildlife, conservation and social history programmes.

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FOR THE LATEST NEWS OF THE CAMPAIGN PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

www.savethealbatross.net

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The RSPB and BirdLife International today will be urging the European Fisheries Commissioner, Joe Borg, to take action to prevent the deaths of over 200,000 seabirds which are killed in fisheries in European waters every year. With at least one of the impacted seabird species so threatened that it potentially faces extinction within 40 years, the RSPB and BirdLife remain extremely worried that the European Commission has delayed the introduction of measures that may save these birds. Dr Euan Dunn, the head of the RSPB's marine policy team, said: 'We are highly concerned about the Commission's apparent lack of commitment to reduce the deaths of seabirds caught in longline and gillnet fisheries in European waters.' Of most concern are those species that are either facing global extinction or those with the majority of their breeding populations in Europe. In particular, the Balearic shearwater, which is confined as a nesting bird to Spain's Balearic Islands, is predicted to become extinct within 40 years. 'Further delays will result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of birds' It is believed that bycatch in longline fisheries is a significant factor in the decline of this Critically Endangered bird to a precarious population of only 2,000 pairs. Up to 50 individuals have been caught on hooks on a single longline. The Balearic shearwater, a dove-sized relative of the albatross, is becoming a regular visitor to British seas, especially to the English Channel and Irish Sea in late summer. Experts believe the birds are traveling further north along the coast of Europe as they search for food following the climate-driven collapse of sardine and anchovy fisheries further south. Dr Euan Dunn added: 'Globally, seabirds are the most visible indicators of ocean health and yet, globally, they are declining faster than any other group of birds. 'We have known for many years about the deaths of albatrosses and other seabirds in longline fisheries in the Southern Ocean, but I suspect that many people would be aghast to learn that a species rarer than the tiger is being threatened with extinction by fisheries operating in European waters. 'We have been waiting for a decade for the European Commission to take action to reduce the toll of seabirds in Europe's fisheries. Further delays will result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of birds. The technical adjustments to fishing practices needed to prevent this bycatch are often very simple but the political will to apply them has been lacking for far too long.' Other species affected in European waters include: the great shearwater, which suffers an exceptionally high annual bycatch rate of 50,000 birds in the Galician longline hake fishery on the Gran Sol grounds to the west of Ireland the Cory's shearwater, which, according to Maltese fishermen, may suffer an annual bycatch rate of up to 10 per cent of the population in local longline fisheries. Malta is Joe Borg's home country Steller's eider, a species of duck facing global extinction, is among the victims of gill-nets in the Baltic Sea. Other birds affected in both the Baltic and North Sea regions include divers, grebes and smew, a type of duck The RSPB and BirdLife International are calling on the European Commission to implement a Community Plan of Action for reducing the incidental catch of seabirds in fisheries. This should include measures to: address all relevant fishing gears which cause seabird bycatch include all EU vessels operating in both Community and international waters (with targets for Regional Fisheries Management Organisations – RFMOs) set an implementation timetable: prioritise measures to be taken within one year for the most threatened seabird species, within five years for other measures. Balearic, Cory's and Yelkouan shearwaters are especially vulnerable to demersal (= bottom-set) longlines. Strengthen and amend regulation to require the best mix of mitigation measures (night-setting, integrated line weighting and bird-scaring lines) appropriate to the relevant fleets (inshore, offshore, large vessels, artisanal vessels), introduce mitigation standards in Special Protection Areas (SPAs, part of the EU's Natura 2000 network) when drawing up fisheries management measures, including gill-net fisheries oblige Member States to collect and report seabird bycatch data in longline fisheries to an agreed protocol; establish observer programmes with minimum 10 per cent of fishing effort (= hooks set) observed to enable detection of a bycatch problem, and at least 20 per cent once a problem is detected (e.g. Gran Sol); amend the EU Data Collection Regulation to facilitate this work with Member States to direct European Fisheries Fund (EFF) spend towards awareness-raising and training for fishermen, observer programmes and research on tailoring mitigation measures to specific fisheries Sacha Cleminson is the RSPB's EU advocacy manager. He said: 'Joe Borg only has a few months remaining as European Fisheries Commissioner: the proper protection of our great continent's seabirds would be a great legacy.'

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"so why are some killing me?"  this is a good question.  The poem is true and the words are strong.  Thank you for this poem.

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Acclaimed poet, novelist and playwright Benjamin Zephaniah supports the 'Save the Albatross' campaign. He wrote this fantastic poem to highlight their plight.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/tweet/benzephaniah.asp

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Thank you Geoff for this link.  A major threat is the fishing.  Although, the video beautiful as it may be still shows the devstation the birds suffer....It is a promising sign however to see the fisherman are working together with the tasks force to ensure the birds stop dying in these lines.  Thank you for this and your never ending love for these beautiful and gentle birds.

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The official RSPB save the albatross website seems to be up and running although a few of the links dont work yet.

www.savethealbatross.net

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There will shortly be a new RSPB official save the albatross web site.  

Watch this space for details when I have them!

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On tuesday evening I was interviewed on BBC radio about my music and the albatross campaign. They even played two of my songs. The result has been a massive increase i hits on my youtube site. The video to one of the songs has now been watched 30000 times. As I offer free downloads of the songs in return for donations to the campaign via the official site the benefits to the albatross are obvious.

The media is a powerfull weapon in spreading the word. Wherever you are and wherever you live please use it. News stories are always wanted. In doing so you could save a birds life. 

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http://www.care2.com/news/member/525884267/1168541

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Pictured: The Astonishing Collection of Everyday Plastic Items Swallowed By a Single Albatross

Offbeat  (tags: plastics, albatross, rubbish, killing marine life ) 
 
Simone 
- 5 hours ago - dailymail.co.uk 

At first glance this collection of bright plastic toothbrushes and bottle tops looks like a colourful mosaic. But astonishingly all these pieces were found in the stomach of a dead fledgling Laysan albatross. The stark image is on the cover of today's

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http://www.care2.com/news/member/525884267/1168541

31

Pictured: The Astonishing Collection of Everyday Plastic Items Swallowed By a Single Albatross

Offbeat  (tags: plastics, albatross, rubbish, killing marine life ) 
 
Simone 
- 5 hours ago - dailymail.co.uk 

At first glance this collection of bright plastic toothbrushes and bottle tops looks like a colourful mosaic. But astonishingly all these pieces were found in the stomach of a dead fledgling Laysan albatross. The stark image is on the cover of today's

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http://www.care2.com/news/member/100041282/1102006

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Wildlife Biologists Probe Mystery of Missing Albatross

Animals  (tags: albatross, missing colony, birds,animals, AnimalWelfare, environment, habitat,protection, wildanimals, wildlife ) 
 Cher - 5 hours ago - honoluluadvertiser.com 

Wildlife biologists monitoring a little-known Laysan Albatross colony at Kuaokala in the Northern Wai'anae mountains discovered on Tuesday that the entire colony of up to 50 birds has disappeared in the last month.

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GReat news!!! Thank you Pam.  Noted and commented.

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http://www.care2.com/news/member/193692282/1091840

Lifeline for Endangered Albatross

Animals  (tags: animals, animalwelfare, wildlife,protection ) 
 Cal - 4 hours ago - friendsoftheirishenvironment.net 

The outlook for endangered seabirds looks better thanks to a scheme that reduces the numbers accidentally killed by the fishing industry. Three-quarters of albatross species are at risk of extinction, largely due to the way long lines are deployed to catc

hot!!!  |  add comment

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"Fishermen now understand that in order to continue fishing they must avoid killing seabirds, and are very cooperative."

I hope the above paragraph continues to help the birds which really need all they can get from us.  The articles are great and I thank you for posting them.

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Just received this from the RSPB. There are now 15 Albatross Task Force Members in 7 countries. South Africa, Uraguay, Nambia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Equador. 

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http://www.care2.com/news/member/735851257/1040422

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ALBATROSSES

Animals  (tags: wildlife, extinction,endangered, conservation ) 
 Ana  - 32 minutes ago - savethealbatross.net 

100,000 albatrosses are killed every year on fishing hooks. They are being killed in such vast numbers that they can't breed fast enough to keep up. This is putting them in real danger of extinction.

add comment  |  problem?: 

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Oh, this is most scary indeed.  And not a good sign with the birds already endangered.  

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Killer Mice Bring Albatross Population Closer To Extinction Animals (tags: animals, extinction, habitat, humans, protection, wildanimals, wildlife ) Maria - 6 hours ago - sciencedaily.com The critically endangered Tristan albatross (Diomedea dabbenena) has suffered its worst breeding season ever, according to research by the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK). The number of chicks making it through to fledging has decreased rapidly

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This is very good news to read. I can't believe this...The president is actually doing something right!! I pray the lifeline will be in time to replenish the species before it's too late.  

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So President Bush (of all people) has thrown albatrosses a life line
http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=tcm:9-201219

Albatrosses in Brazil waters have received more protection
http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2008/11/brazil_acap.html

All of the  ATF Task Force guys (and one girl) are out on the high seas as usual helping albatrosses - and it's summer time in the southern
hemisphere so chicks soon hopefully.

If people can get in the festive spirit and send in the stamps from
their christmas cards then we will be able to raise vital funds from
these - shame to throw them in the bin and we can accept foreign stamps
- which in fact raise more money.  We hope Sarah Kennedy will be doing
her usual fab job of promoting the scheme on the radio in the mornings
too. For details about raising money from stamps see
http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/albatross/support.asp

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This is a huge improvement compared to last year indeed!! It appears that word of mouth and people working for the birds are starting to finally help them.  I'm truly happy to read this.  Thank you Geoff so much or posting the wonderful news.

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From the Daily Express 26th September:

"Prospects for albatrosses improved this week. About 100,000 of these slow breeding birds which pair for life  are drowned every year swooping for bait on hooks on long-line fisheries. Now streamers at the back of boats and cones over the hooks have helped deter the birds.

Deaths off Chile have been slashed from 1,600 in 2002 to zero in 2006 and off Antartica from 6,500 in 1996 to zero in 2007, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation revealed." 

THERE IS A LONG WAY TO GO BUT THINGS ARE STARTING TO HAPPEN. PLEASE KEEP SPREADING THE WORD!!!!!!!

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Thanks Geoff for the info.

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The latest edition of Sea Change, the newsletter of the Global Seabird Programme, is available to download (PDF, 700 kb)

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Better late than never my father always told me.  Thanks.

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I know I am late, but news article on trawling noted.  

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Thanks Geoff everyonewho posts news on these beautiful giants of the oceans.  I have finaaly caught up once again after reading your posts here.  Again positive news and some not....we need to hear more about greater numbers being seen.  However, it is nice to read about more advice and awareness reaching to more people.  Thank you for posting them.

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Argentinean Albatross and Petrels Get Boost

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Why wildlife photographer Frans Lanting is bewitched by albatrosses

Since the time of Rembrandt, Dutch masters have employed a mastery of light and shade, colour and form to convey emotions that words simply cannot.

Today, wildlife enthusiasts and art lovers have their own Dutch master in the form of wildlife photographer Frans Lanting who has been bringing stunning images of the natural world to an appreciative audience across the world from Maastricht to Monterey.

With technical prowess and a unique style, Frans Lanting's photographs have graced the pages of National Geographic and coffee table books the world over.

Having been one of the many admirers' of Lanting's work for many years, I was privileged to interview Frans at his gallery in Santa Cruz, in California - his adopted home for the past 30 years.

Even on the phone, it was clear that three decades of West coast living have not eroded a European modesty and quiet, considered outlook on the world that are clearly reflected in his photographs.

Frans explained that he first fell in love with idea of professional wildlife photography when he visited California on a research trip at a time he was studying to become an environmental economist.

Still possessing a distinctive soft Dutch accent, Frans explained: 'I have always been fascinated by the power of pictures, and confronted with the wildlife riches of the West coast I was filled with a desire to become a professional photographer.

'Photography is a wonderful medium to express the beauty of wildlife, and in a single image you can convey the universe.'

However, Frans Lanting's individual approach to his art is perhaps best explored in the sequences of photographs he's produced for books and magazines where his considered journalistic, almost essay, style helps the viewer achieve an insight into the life of his subject.

It is perhaps as an albatross photographer that Frans Lanting is most renowned, with some of the latest examples of his work appearing in last December's National Geographic albatross feature.

But it was over 25 years ago that Frans Lanting first encountered albatrosses when he spent four or five months on the island of Midway in Hawaii, sharing the tiny atoll with the birds and the US military.

In the late 1980s Lanting spent time with more albatrosses, this time in the southern hemisphere on South Georgia and the 'Jasons' on the Falkland Islands - the largest albatross colony in the world.

He said: 'Here, in the company of seabird experts like John Croxall, of the British Antarctic Survey, I learned how the lives of albatrosses are connected with the sea.' His time in the South Atlantic also opened Frans' eyes to the threats to albatrosses from fisheries. The conservation issues affecting species are an integral component of Lanting's work.

In 2007, National Geographic commissioned Lanting to revisit albatross colonies on South Georgia and the Falklands, and also New Zealand, to document the dramatic changes taking place in albatross colonies in some of the most remote parts of the world.

He is particularly concerned about the threats to albatrosses, especially from longline fisheries, but he is also upbeat about some of the progress there's been with albatross conservation. Commenting on the current situation for albatrosses, Frans said: 'It's a really mixed scorecard at present. A lot of progress has been made on protecting places, ridding islands of rodents and boosting long-term survival.' He was particularly eager to stress the good work in fisheries. He added: 'New Zealand is leading the way in making fisheries sustainable.'

But he was swift to highlight his concerns about 'rogue areas' where albatrosses are still dying in huge numbers because of vessels are not employing albatross-friendly forms of fishing.

Commenting on the work of the Albatross Task Force he said: 'The RSPB and BirdLife International have been really effective in getting the issue [of albatross bycatch] to people's attention.'

Having photographed many species of wildlife, Frans would not be drawn on which are his favourites. He wryly said: 'I've never met an animal I haven't liked.' But his passion for albatrosses has clearly been reinforced through a strong relationship lasting three decades.

He added: 'I will confess, I have a soft spot for albatrosses. They're fascinating and demanding subjects, with their amazing powers of flight and social interactions.'

He also spoke of the challenges of photographing birds spending the majority of their lives in the harshness of the open ocean.

It was clear that his work with albatrosses is not over. He added confidently: 'I'll find more reasons to get back to albatrosses.'

If albatrosses ever need an obituary, then Frans Lanting would be the person to provide the finest image celebrating their life. But as fine as Lanting's photographs are, I'm sure even he would admit, that stunning photographs are not a suitable replacement for the real thing.

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Thanks Pam.  I noted and commented on the this important article.

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Thanks Geoff.  This last paragraph is nice to read.  I can't imagine how one can not save the birds in these lines.  Just to stand there and not help.  That just confuses me. However, the task force seems promising indeed.  Again, some good news amongst the sadness.

BirdLife's Albatross Task Force (ATF) is addressing these issues. The ATF, which is funded by the RSPB, has developed the world's first international team of mitigation instructors working with fishermen and government agencies in global bycatch 'hotspots', including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Namibia, South Africa and Uruguay. ATF instructors routinely show that the adoption of mitigation measures are both operationally and economically effective.

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Thought it was time we has a new albatross news articles thread so here it is. Please feel free to post here any albatross related  stories.

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The latest news on the campaign. Also news on Albatross Task Force and developments in albatross conservation.

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