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Thursday 22 April 2010

New Zealand's albatrosses under threat


ACAP is holding meetings to discuss new national seabird plans to help protect albatrosses.

New Zealand has become by far the most important area for albatrosses with 18 out of 21 species living and breeding there. However, after leaving the nest some species of this majestic bird spend years at sea. This means that it is not just New Zealand who should be responsible for protecting these birds.

The albatrosses tend to fly around the southern ocean, over South America or South Africa. They spend three to four months of each year off the coast of Chile and Peru but longline fisheries in these areas are what's causing such a dangerous threat to these birds.

Earlier this week, an ACAP (Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels) meeting was held in Argentina and many organisations including the WWF attended. The aim was to co-ordinate agreement and include real commitments to reducing seabird deaths through fishing.

Rebecca Bird, WWF's leading marine campaigner, posted on the New Zealand WWF Facebook page "it was largely a successful meeting". She said that as long as Governments stay commited they will be on track.

She continues "a lot more needs to be done both at sea and on land to ensure the future of these amazing creatures".

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