The large albatrosses breed only once in every two years, or at most twice in three years. Already there is evidence to suggest that several populations are decreasing as a direct result of longlining. The Problem Baited hooks attract seabirds. Seabirds have learned to scavenge food from ships over many generations. When a longline is set, thousands of baited hooks are let out behind a moving boat.
Seabirds attempt to steal the bait and often get hooked.
The sinking longline draws them under water and they drown. The species of seabirds most frequently taken are albatrosses and petrels in the South Pacific and South Atlantic fisheries, Arctic fulmar Fulmarus glacialis in the North Atlantic and albatrosses, gulls and fulmars in the North Pacific fisheries. Of course, not all fisheries have such serious problems, and some have helped develop measures that keep birds away from the hooks. This makes good sense for fishers because un-baited hooks cannot catch fish, wasting money and effort. Also, hooked birds float and prevent the lines from sinking to the correct depth for fishing - a further waste of effort.