Albatross

Issue Date: 18 October 2006











Albatrosses are heading towards extinction because unsustainable numbers are being unintentionally drowned by longline fishing boats, many of them operating illegally; so-called "pirate" vessels.

To combat this, BirdLife International launched a Save the Albatross Campaign in 2000 to stop the needless slaughter of these magnificent birds. BirdLife says technology exists that would dramatically reduce seabird casualties. Often simple measures such as weighting lines to make them sink faster can make a significant difference.

"We need fishermen to adopt these measures as a routine part of their fishing operations," says Dr Ben Sullivan, Co-ordinator of BirdLife's Global Seabird Programme. "Most are happy to do so-after all, it's in their interests too-but we also need the backing of appropriate regulations."

BirdLife was instrumental in the drafting of the Agreement for the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), an intergovernmental treaty which ensures parties signing it are legally bound to protect seabirds.

"We welcome the commitment shown by the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in implementing ACAP, but we need many more to do so-in particular key distant water fishing nations."

In December 2005, Dame Ellen MacArthur travelled to South Georgia aboard the Tara to support BirdLife International's Save the Albatross Campaign. She helped Sally Poncet, Ben Sullivan and scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, based on Bird Island, survey two species threatened by longlining-Southern Giant Petrel and White-chinned Petrel.

To find out more about BirdLife International's Save the Albatross Campaign, please visit www.savethealbatross.net

Technical details:

Design: Richard Allen
Printer: BDT International Security
Process: Lithography
Stamp Size: 30.56mm x 38.00mm
Label size: 85.00mm x 138.00mm
Format: 20
Perforation: 14 per 2cms

Values:

           24p - Black-browed Albatross
           45p - Southern Giant Petrel
           50p - White chinned Petrel
           75p - Wandering Albatross
           £2.00 Miniature Sheet


Release Date: 18th October 2006



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