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Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels

2001 international agreement

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It was created in order to halt the drastic decline of seabird populations in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly of albatrosses and petrels. Albatrosses and petrels are threatened by introduced species on their breeding islands, pollution, and by being taken as bycatch by longline fisheries, as well as by trawl and gillnet fisheries. The Agreement requires that measures be taken by signatory governments to reduce bycatch; protect breeding colonies; and control and remove introduced species from breeding sites, especially on islands.

Currently, ACAP protects all the world's albatross species, seven Southern Hemisphere petrel species and two shearwater species. The ongoing work of the Agreement reflects an increasing international commitment to protect albatrosses and petrels.

Organization

The Executive Secretary of ACAP is Christine Bogle, who is supported by a Science Officer, Wiesława Misiak, and an honorary Information Officer, John Cooper. The Secretariat is located at 119 Macquarie Street, Hobart in the state of Tasmania, Australia.

The Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2004. National representatives of the Parties meet regularly. Six Meetings of the Parties have been held. The seventh will be held in Australia during 2022.

Eleven meetings of ACAP's Advisory Committee have been held to date, the last in Florianópolis, Brazil from 13 to 17 May 2019. The Advisory Committee is currently supported by three working groups for Taxonomy, Seabird Bycatch, and Population and Conservation Status.

Meeting agendas, final reports and submitted documents and information papers may be downloaded from the Agreement's website at www.acap.aq.

Due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic ACAP Parties have decided to postpone the next meeting of the Advisory Committee (AC12) and of its Working Groups (SBWG10 and PaCSWG6) to 2021, to be held in Ecuador.

The Agreement's activities are funded from a modest budget stemming mainly from assessed contributions by the Parties. As well as supporting the Secretariat and annual meetings, funds are used to support conservation activities, including the Small Grants and Secondment Programmes.

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