The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service yesterday said it will study whether the blackfooted albatross should be added to the endangered species list.

There are about 61,000 breeding pairs of the seabird in the world, with almost all nesting in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

The remainder nest on several remote islands in Japan.

Hunters exploited blackfooted albatross for eggs and feathers in the 19th and 20th centuries, eliminating their breeding colonies across the Pacific.

Currently, they're being killed in large numbers by commercial longline fishers. The birds frequently become hooked on the fishers baited fishing tackle when they try to take the bait for food. The weighted lines drag the seabirds underwater and drown them.

The birds are also hurt by high levels of mercury and other contaminants, such as PCBs — polychlorinated biphenyls — in their bodies.

The Fish and Wildlife Service will spend a year studying whether the bird should be added to the endangered species list, the agency said in a news release.

"The health of this majestic seabird is a concern for all of us who care about marine ecosystems," said Patrick Leonard, field supervisor for the agency's Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office.

The agency said Earthjustice, acting on behalf of the Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Center for Biological Diversity, asked that the bird be listed as a threatened or endangered species.

Earthjustice also asked the agency to designate a critical habitat for the bird, or name geographical areas that might require special management to help the species.