Save the Albatross

Volvo Ocean Race support BirdLife International's campaign

World-renowned broadcaster and naturalist, Sir David Attenborough, and The Volvo Ocean Race announced today their support for BirdLife International's Save the Albatross campaign.

Around 100,000 albatrosses a year - approximately one every five minutes - drown when taking bait from hooks suspended on longlines up to 130km long. As a result, 19 of the world's 21 species of albatross are now threatened with global extinction.

The Volvo Ocean Race has adopted the Save the Albatross Campaign, and during the Southern Ocean legs of the race taking place later this year, the crews will pass through some of the richest albatross waters in the world.

Sir David Attenborough, Vice President of the RSPB, said: "Albatrosses have survived in the harshest marine environments for 50 million years; more than 100 times longer than our own species. However, these magnificent birds are unable to cope with man-made threats, such as longline fishing.

"It is awe-inspiring to think that some of the albatrosses nesting when I started my broadcasting career are still raising young, half a century later. However, with 100,000 of these birds drowning annually on longlines, the chance of an individual albatross surviving to old age now, seems as remote as the ability of many albatross species to exist beyond the end of this century.

"Albatrosses should be free to circle the globe for millions of years to come - we must stop this needless slaughter now to prevent an entire branch being torn from the evolutionary tree. It is unthinkable that the only record we will have of these birds will be the attempts of broadcasters, like myself, to share the beauty of our natural world."

Glenn Bourke, Volvo Ocean Race's Chief Executive, echoed Sir David's comments, adding: "Long before Man took to the oceans, albatrosses were mastering the elements to navigate the Southern Ocean. The birds' grace, beauty and remarkable endurance have inspired generations of sailors in their quest towards new horizons. As a racing sailor myself, I cannot imagine the loneliness of crossing the Southern Ocean without being accompanied by these fellow ocean voyagers. Yet, within the lifetime of many sailors - perhaps even my own - that will be the case if we don't act now."

The RSPB, the UK partner of BirdLife International, has launched a website www.savethealbatross.net as part of the campaign to raise funds in support of Operation Ocean Task Force.

This exciting new initiative will place trained people on longline fishing vessels to show the crews simple and practical techniques to prevent seabird deaths. Hanging streamers near fishing lines to scare birds away, weighting lines to make hooks sink more quickly and dyeing bait to make it less visible to seabirds, are all extremely simple, yet proven, techniques to avoid the needless slaughter of albatrosses.

Graham Wynne, the RSPB's Chief Executive, said: "Most people will never see an albatross, but they will be shocked by the fact that up to 60,000 will drown on the end of longline fishing hooks during the course of the forthcoming Volvo Ocean Race. Round-the-world yachtsmen are among the few people lucky enough to witness the grace, beauty and endurance of these magnificent birds in the element they have made their own. We urge everyone who cares about the loss of these charismatic birds to visit our website and support our campaign to ensure albatrosses have a future.

The Volvo Ocean Race provides a worldwide platform to highlight this appalling slaughter and we have a real chance to save these magnificent birds.