Posted on: Sunday, October 3, 2004

Groups seek protection for albatross

Associated Press

Two environmental groups are asking that a seabird that nests almost exclusively in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands be placed on the endangered species list.

The groups filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service saying the listing is necessary to prevent extinction of the black-footed albatross.

The recent reopening of the Hawai'i-based longline fishery for swordfish will probably result in the drowning of several thousand black-footed albatross each year, according to the petition by Center of Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network.

Listing the bird as endangered "will protect the species far better than relying on the good will of the fishing industry," said Paul Achitoff, attorney for the law firm Earthjustice, which is representing the two groups.

"Unfortunately, we have seen too little good will and too many dead albatross," he said.

The albatross population was devastated in the early 20th century by hunters who shot the birds for their plumage.

Today, the birds become entangled and drown when they go after baited hooks set by the longline fishing industry to catch swordfish and tuna.

Scientists estimate that only about 60,000 nesting pairs survive today, and that unless actions are taken to reduce the level of human-caused deaths, the species will probably become extinct in the coming decades, the environmental groups said.

As many as 14,000 black-footed albatross are estimated killed by longline fishing each year, according to the environmental groups.

The albatross, which also has a small nesting population in Japan, has a wingspan of more than 6 feet, and spend much of its time scooping fish eggs, squid and fish from the ocean surface.

The birds also forage along the eastern coast of the United States.