Summary of autopsy reports for seabirds killed and returned from observed New Zealand fisheries: 1 October 1996 - 30 September 2005 with specific reference to 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05.
Published:
May 2008Download the publication
Summary of autopsy reports for seabirds killed and returned from observed New Zealand fisheries (PDF, 1200K)
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Summary
In the 9 years between 1 October 1996 and 30 September 2005, New Zealand Government fisheries observers returned 4055 seabirds incidentally killed aboard longline and trawl vessels. The birds returned represented 44 taxa, with 6 taxa making up 86.3% of returns. Birds were received from squid, scampi and fish trawlers (47.4%), domestic bottom (demersal) longliners (34.9%) and pelagic tuna longliners (17.7%).
During these 9 years, white-chinned petrels (n = 947), white-capped albatross (n = 876), sooty shearwaters (n = 711), grey petrels (n = 533), Salvin’s albatross (n = 247) and Buller’s albatross (n = 184) were the most commonly returned of the 44 taxa.
For each fishing type and fishery, a few of the fishing vessels were responsible for catching more than 80% of the birds returned for autopsy. Bird body condition (based on fat scores)
declined over the 9 years of returns.
Publication information
Published by Science & Technical Publishing, the Department of Conservation. DOC Research and Development Series 291.
ISSN 1177–9306 (web PDF)
ISBN 978–0–478–14405–5 (web PDF)
Contact
Conservation Services Programme
Department of Conservation
PO Box 10-420
Wellington 6143
Email: csp@doc.govt.nz