Core operations supporting AFSC seabird studies continued throughout the last quarter. With the March closure of the Anchorage Observer Training Center, the number of observers trained by the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team has increased.
Seabird necropsy work continues as does the marine bird food habits project. Processing of specimens continues in support of collaborative work among the Alaska and Pacific Islands Regions and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition to this core work we have been coordinating with the Freezer Longline Coalition to address further reductions to seabird bycatch.
Past work completed by the AFSC Seabird Studies group illustrated the vessel-specific nature of seabird bycatch rates.
We participated in the May skippers meeting held by the Freezer Longline Coalition and have been working with them and Washington Sea Grant on a joint effort to visit vessels with higher bycatch rates and provide advice on streamer line configurations and activities. Two vessel visits were completed in June.
