SUMMARY

The Benguela current provides rich foraging for sub-Antarctic pelagic birds as well as a number of endemic seabird species. Interaction with longline fishing practises have been identified as the primary cause of seabird population declines. This study represents the first attempt at quantifying seabird by-catch in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem. By-catch rates for South African fisheries were 0.2 and 0.04 birds per 1000 hooks in the pelagic and demersal longline fishery respectively, totalling an average of 500 birds killed per year. Namibian longline fisheries were estimated to kill approximately 0.07 bird per 1000 hooks in the pelagic longline fishery and 0.3 birds per 1000 hooks in the demersal longline fishery. Together Namibian longline fisheries are likely to kill approximately 14 900 birds per year. Limited data exist for Angolan pelagic longline and artisanal line fisheries both of which overlap with vulnerable seabird populations. White-chinned petrels and gannets are recorded caught as directed catch of the artisanal line fishery for consumption. Estimates for the entire region were based on pelagic longline effort which averaged 34.5 million hooks per year. This fishery is likely to be killing approximately 2 900 bird per year. Thus a total of 17 800 birds are estimated to be killed per year by longline fisheries operating throughout the region. RÉSUM