This research addresses three complementary conservation priorities: (i) to assess the conservation status of the Black-footed Albatross within U.S. waters and National Marine Sanctuaries off the West Coast of North America, (ii) to enhance the understanding of the movements and habitats of this species across the Pacific Ocean, and (iii) to increase the public appreciation and stewardship for albatross conservation. Initially, (2004 -05), we selected the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary as our tagging site because previous at-sea surveys and satellite tracking studies have documented that this is a "hotspot", where Black-footed Albatrosses concentrate during the breeding and post-breeding seasons (NCCOS, 2003; Hyrenbach et al., 2006). In 2006-07, we will also track birds from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

We are using satellite tracking to explore the post-breeding movements and ocean habitats of Black-footed albatross tagged U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries off central California during summer / fall (July - October). Our inter-disciplinary approach attempts to characterize albatross movement corridors and foraging grounds, and quantify overlap with management jurisdictions and longline fisheries. Moreover, by sampling male and female birds during replicate years, we seek to quantify gender-based differences and to account for year-to-year variability. To identify those fisheries and nations with shared responsibility for albatross conservation, we are relating the movements of the tracked birds to existing management jurisdictions: U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries, Exclusive Economic Zones, and regional fishery management organizations.

This project has great potential for effective and innovative outreach and education opportunities for Cordell Bank and Monterey Bay NMS, via the sponsorship of the Signals of Spring and the NMS education programs. Albatross, being endangered and charismatic seabirds, serve as oceanic ambassadors for students who may never visit Cordell Bank or Monterey Bay. In addition, because the threats faced by the Black-footed Albatross - including plastics ingestion, contaminants, and fisheries bycatch - are pressing ecological issues affecting many other seabird and turtle species throughout the globe, this research will provide valuable lessons about the management of highly-mobile marine vertebrates and their oceanic habitats.

During the first two years of this study (2004-05), we tagged 18 birds (9 females and 9 males) with Argos-linked transmitters and tracked their movements for a total of 747.6 albatross – tracking days. The duration of individual deployments ranged from 21.8 to 57.0 days, with one bird reaching as far as Hokkaido (Japan), a linear distance of over 7,300 km from the tagging site. The males and females occupied different oceanic regions during the post-breeding season, with males venturing farther west than females.

Overall, the tracked birds spent approximately 60 % of their time in the high seas, in waters beyond national Excusive Economic Zones, and entered the territorial waters of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Russia and Japan. The tracked birds spent about 42 % of their time in U.S. waters within the central California National Marine Sanctuaries. These data underscore the highly-mobile habits of this species, which represents one of the greatest challenges for albatross conservation. Because fisheries management in the high seas is hampered by the lack of standardized bycatch data collection and enforcement mechanisms across fishing fleets, international collaboration is critical.

References


-BirdLife International. 2006. Species factsheet: Phoebastria nigripes.



-Hyrenbach, KD, Keiper, C, Allen, SG, Anderson, DJ, Ainley, DG. 2006. Use of national marine sanctuaries by far-ranging predators: commuting flights to the California Current System by breeding Hawaiian albatrosses. Fisheries Oceanography 15 (2): 95-103.



-NCCOS (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science). 2003. A biogeographic assessment off north / central California: to support the joint management plan review for Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries. NOAA, Silver Spring.



-Stehn, RA, Rivera, KS, Fitzgerald, S, Wohl, KD. 2001. Incidental catch of seabirds by longline fisheries in Alaska. In Seabird bycatch: trends, roadblocks, and solutions, E Melvin, J Parrish (eds.), University of Alaska Sea Grant, Anchorage. pp. 61-77.



Links to Additional Articles and Activities


-Tennesen, M. 2005. Just a trip to the store…on wide wide wings. Wildlife Conservation (108:6):64.


-Keiper,C., Hester, M. and D. Hyrenbach. 2005. Wonderous Ocean Wanderers. Hydrosphere (17).



For classroom activities that focus on albatross research, their fascinating life history, satellite tracking, and lab-based scientific investigations and plastic pollution prevention, visit the Ocean Stewardship section of the Oikonos website.

• Our project has documented impressive migrations from California to Japan, and fascinating movements corridors across the North Pacific
• The tracked albatross spent most of their time (~ 60 %) in the high seas where foreign longline fleets operate; one of the greatest challenges for conservation of the species
• Males had a wider latitudinal range than females and ventured to a larger extent into the western North Pacific, in areas of high longline fishing effort

Because the tracked males had a wider latitudinal range and ventured to a larger extent into the western North Pacific, they may encounter a wider variety of fisheries (e.g., different gear types and different nations) and spend more time in areas where fisheries bycatch will be difficult to assess without international cooperation. The tracked females remained within the eastern North Pacific, where the Hawaii-based and California-based longline fleets operate.

Albatrosses also face potential fisheries bycatch off California. For instance, demersal longline fisheries, similar to those known to take Black-footed and Laysan Albatrosses in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea (Stehn et al., 2001), operate in California shelf – slope waters year-round. Approximately 42 % of the California sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) catch in California is landed during the summer post-breeding dispersal period (July - October) (Calif. Dept. Fish & Game). Thus, monitoring of the spatial / temporal distribution of fishing effort by this fishery within California NMS waters is necessary to identify potential overlap with post-breeding albatross foraging grounds.

Findings from this study will be used for resource management, conservation, education and outreach purposes by the NOAA Fisheries - Bycatch and Seabird Divisions, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Cordell Bank and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries, and Oikonos - Ecosystem Knowledge.