Concern for Southern Ocean fish stocks and bird populations

The paper highlights the challenges faced by parties to the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT). The parent stock of SBT is at historically very low levels and the probability of stock recovery under present catch quota levels is also low. Seabird kill associated with longlining for SBT is now a major concern and several species of endangered Albatross could be heading for extinction unless improved methods of bird exclusion are widely adopted in the SBT longline fishery. Australia in particular has much to lose if these trends are not reversed.