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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 106(1)

Environmental and operational variability affecting the mortality of Black-browed Albatrosses associated with long-liners in Argentina

Agustina Gómez Laich A , Marco Favero A B F , Rocío Mariano-Jelicich B , Gabriel Blanco C , Guillermo Cañete D , Alejandro Arias D E , Patricia Silva Rodriguez A and Hugo Brachetta C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Facultad Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento Biología, Funes 3250, Mar del Plata B7602AYJ, Argentina.

B Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina.

C Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero (INIDEP), Programa de Observadores a Bordo, Paseo V. Ocampo N° 1, Mar del Plata B7602HSA, Argentina.

D Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, Programa Marino, Córdoba 2920 4°B, Mar del Plata B7602CAD, Argentina.

E Dirección de Fauna Silvestre, Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable, Ministerio de Desarrollo Social y Medio Ambiente, San Martín 459, 2° piso, of. 264, Buenos Aires C1004AAI, Argentina.

F Corresponding author. Email: mafavero@mdp.edu.ar

Emu 106(1) 21-28 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU05024
Submitted: 10 May 2005  Accepted: 11 January 2006   Published: 10 March 2006

Abstract

The effects of different environmental and operational factors on the incidental capture of Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) in long-line fishing operations were analysed. This is the most commonly captured seabird by Argentine long-line fishing vessels, and significant decreases in its populations have been mainly attributed to long-line fishing practices. The estimated mean rate ± s.d. of by-catch for the analysed period (1999–2003) was 0.03 ± 0.39 birds per 1000 hooks. Black-browed Albatrosses were mainly caught during day settings. Higher capture rates were observed during autumn and winter. The effect of the length of long-lines on the incidental capture of Black-browed Albatrosses was also analysed, showing that higher capture rates occurred when short long-lines were deployed. Seasonal differences in the distribution of captures were observed, being widely distributed to the north of the shelf-break during autumn–winter (i.e. non-breeding season) and mostly concentrated in southernmost latitudes, closer to the presumed breeding area in the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands during spring–summer. Mortalities during winter were mainly associated with the Patagonian Toothfish (Dissostrichus eleginoides) fishery, while those observed during summer were associated with long-liners targeting Kingklip (Genypterus blacodes) on the Patagonian Shelf.


Acknowledgments

We thank all the people from the National Observers Program working onboard fishing vessels. We express our gratitude to Pablo Ribeiro for providing statistical advice. We thank Barry Baker and John Croxall for their helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. Thanks to Nic Huin for the authorisation to use the updated information about the population status of Black-browed Albatrosses. We also thank Camilo Katchikian who collaborated in the data processing. Revisions by three anonymous referees helped to improve this manuscript. This work was partly supported by the University of Mar del Plata (Grant 15/E118) and Fundación Antorchas (Grant 13900/13).


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