Document Iattc-80-08 Status and Distribution of Seabirds in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, and Interactions with Fisheries

The interaction of seabirds with fisheries (particularly those using longline gear) has become an international issue, as demonstrated by the adoption of the FAO International Plan of Action for Reducing Incidental Catches of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries (IPOA-Seabirds), and resolutions and mandatory mitigation requirements by regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs). In 2004, the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP 2004) entered into force; it identified fishery interactions as a key threat facing these seabirds, and recommended that collaborations with RFMOs be pursued to reduce fisheries interactions.