Mortality to Marine Birds Through Commercial Fishing 



by 



Warren B. King 



International Council for Bird Preservation 

 Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. 



R. G. B. Brown 



Canadian Wildlife Service 

 Dartmouth/Nova Scotia, Canada 



and 

 Gerald A. Sanger 1 



U. S. National Marine Fisheries Service 

 Seattle, Washington 



Abstract 



Commercial fishing has been responsible for incidental mortality of seabirds 

 for centuries, but with the advent of offshore salmon gill-net fishing in the North 

 Pacific in 1952 and in the North Atlantic in 1965, the magnitude of this kill has 

 increased, and there is strong indication that populations of some seabirds are 

 being adversely affected. Murres (Una spp.) are most frequently killed, although 

 several other species are caught in lesser numbers. The seabird resources of 

 several nations are involved in this mortality. Longline fishing and inshore gill- 

 net fishing for salmon and cod also are responsible for mortality of seabirds, 

 although usually not in significant numbers. 



That the activities of commercial fishermen kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla], were used for 



have caused mortality of marine birds sur- food until rather recently (Templeman 1945). 



prises no one nowadays. Traditions of exploi- This practice has now lapsed, however, 

 tation of marine birds by fishermen date from 

 previous centuries, and fishing has con- 

 tributed to the extinction of some species. For 



example, great auks (Pinguinus impennis) and Inshore Fisheries 

 other birds were used as food by fishermen 



fishing for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) on u nt n the advent of the offshore salmon gill- 



the Grand Banks of Newfoundland since the ne t fisheries in the North Pacific in 1952 and 



beginning of that fishery in the early 16th cen- the North Atlantic in 1965, most seabird mor- 



tury (Collins 1884; Lucas 1890). The last great ta ij ty f n tne se areas was the result of local 



auk died in 1844, but smaller species, such as fishing close to shore. Several records of such 



storm-petrels (Hydrobatidae), greater shear- bird mortality have been published. For 



waters (Puffinus gravis), and black-legged example, 8,000-10,000 seabirds presumably 



mostly alcids were reported caught annually 



off Hammerfest in northern Norway (Holger- 



'Present address: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, sen 1961 >- E - Brun (personal communication) 



Office of Biological Services-Coastal Ecosys- reported that the longline fishery off the coast 



terns, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska of Norway is having serious consequences on 



99503. Norwegian populations of murres. 



195 



