An international scientific team will be in the western Aleutians, Seguam Pass area, August 5 to 18, to conduct studies on the endangered short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus), according to James W. Balsiger, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS. Scientists onboard the F/V Predator are requesting that any sightings of this species be reported to them at the contact information provided below.
A collaborative team of scientists from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Washington Sea Grant Program, Oregon State University, and the Australian Antarctic Division will be attempting to capture short-tailed albatrosses at sea. The purpose of the study is to attach satellite transmitters to the birds and track their locations and movements as they begin to travel back toward their primary breeding colony at Torishima Island, Japan. Little is known about where these rare birds go when away from the breeding colony. This effort will attempt to learn more about their spatial and temporal distribution while in Alaska. Short-tailed albatrosses have been taken in the Alaska longline groundfish fishery. The last reported take was in 1998. This cooperative study with the longline industry is being funded by a grant from the North Pacific Research Board.
NMFS asks for your cooperation and requests that, during this time period, you report any short-tailed albatross sightings directly to:
F/V Predator
Call sign WBT5412 (monitors SSB 4125 kHz and Ch. 16)
Iridium Phone Number 8816 3143 5689
Email text (up to 160 characters) to 881631435689@msg.iridium.com
IB 03-61: Information Requested For Sightings Of The Endangered Short-Tailed Albatross
July 31, 2003 - 9:15 a.m.
Notice of a fishery management action.
