Hundreds of thousands of seabirds are killed every year in European waters when they get hooked on baited lines

or caught in gillnets, The nets may be a mile and a half long and the lines may be up to 75 miles in length. So endangered species of seabirds such as albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, fulmars, gannets, gulls, cormorants, shags, auks, divers, and grebes are being killed far out at sea - left hanging in the water to drown... Make Your Voice Heard - see the article for how to do it.

from quillcards.com

Two Million Seabirds Killed In European Waters

Background In 1991 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Oganization adopted a plan of action for the worldwide reduction of incidental catches of seabirds in driftnets, longlines and gillnets used by fishing vessels.

Terminology A longline is a baited fishing line anything up to 75 miles (120km) in length that is let out into the water behind a fishing vessel.

A gillnet is a net hung vertically in the water behind a fishing vessel and kept vertical by floats at the top and weights at the bottom.

A driftnet is a string of gillnets tied end to end. They may be many miles long and instead of being anchored at the far end as gillnets are, they are allowed to drift with the current.

Estimated Two Million Seabirds Killed The Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds and Birdlife International estimate that in the last ten years two million seabirds have died by being hooked on longlines or trapped in gillnets in European waters.

European Union Action This year the European Union has issued a consultation paper that has been open for contributions since June 11th. The window within which to make contributions closes on August 9th.

You Can Add Your Voice The European Fisheries Commission action plan initiative states:

If you wish to add your contribution, perhaps by suggesting that the recommendations of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) be implemented straight away, you can do so by clicking on the link in the consultation paper under the section headed ‘How to submit your contribution.’ Read more at quillcards.com