Etude de la mortalité accidentelle des oiseaux dans la pêcherie à la palangre dans les secteurs de Crozet et Kerguelen en 2001–2003

The legal Patagonian toothfish longline fishery operating in the French ZEE of Crozet (58.6) and Kerguelen (58.5.1) killed 26 668 seabirds, accidentally drowned, during 24 months of fishing between September 2001 and August 2003. Overall, white-chinned petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis were by far the most frequently killed species then grey petrels Procellaria cinerea were incidentally killed in great number. Giant petrels, black-browed and grey-headed albatrosses were also captured over this period. The multivariate analysis contributed to highlight that a combination of variables (environmental and relating to the fishing technicals) have an effect on the observed seabirds incidental capture.