Our work in the ATF generally brings us into close contact with the community, without which we would not be able to explain the phenomenon of seabird bycatch and our mission to reduce the impact on vulnerable species (see here for an example).
During these activities we always share our experiences with the audience, highlighting that we are a small team locally but that we form part of an international effort to save the albatross.
It is important sometimes to stop and think about how our efforts reflect what is happening in the other ATF teams around the world, and how that can be shared amongst the teams to support the global campaign.
An important aspect in achieving this has been the development of a platform that integrates the three Pacific teams, the South Pacific Bulletin (Boletín Pacifico Sur in Spanish).
Below: The South Pacific Bulletin is a conservation tool for the entire coast of the South Pacific. This newsletter is distributed within the fishing industry and other groups related with the conservation of seabirds.
The newsletter was originally inspired by the South Atlantic Bulletin, which was the creation of our colleagues in the ATF Uruguay team. The idea is to provide information of the conservation effort conducted by the ATF along the whole South Pacific coast.
In this way, we are able to explain the complexities of seabird mortality and the cause of the interactions along with complementary reports of other fauna related to fisheries bycatch, such as sharks and turtles. Moreover, the participation between the three Pacific teams is a really gratifying part of elaborating the bulletin.
The bulletin has benefited from the important participation of the ATF Ecuador team describing the emblematic Waved albatross and in the next edition we are pleased to include articles from our colleagues in Peru about the marine conservation efforts they are performing through the ATF.
Below: Representatives of the community in Talcahuano, Chile having received copies of the South Pacific Bulletin.
Thanks to the production of the bulletin, we have been able to show a connection between the three Pacific ATF teams, which represents an important platform to disseminate the work of the ATF. The most important factor is getting the message that simple and economic solutions exist to rapidly reduce the interaction between fisheries and seabirds into our local communities.
Just as we have, they will discover the similarities of their situation with other countries along the Pacific coast, which clearly require the continued collaborative effort to help live and interact in a more sustainable way with our natural environment.