United States

**Abstract:**

Penguins are in trouble. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists 10 of the 18 species as threatened, making penguins the second most threatened family of seabirds. The IUCN Penguin Specialist Group (PSG) is developing a Penguin Global Conservation Agenda. In 2016, the PSG coordinated threatened status reviews for the IUCN Red List based on penguin status data and conservation needs from its membership. The PSG also held two conservation strategy workshops to: 1) identify gaps in penguin research and conservation towards increasing population resilience in wild penguins and minimising threats and impacts, and 2) develop consensus on the species considered to be conservation priorities. Here, we summarise the PSG work to-date to guide and support future penguin research and to inform much-needed policy and legislative interventions. Among the top 12 research priorities, four are relevant to all penguins: (i) assessing population trends, (ii) determining vital biological rates, (iii) documenting environmental changes, and (iv) improving understanding of foraging ecology. We also identified four other conservation priorities relevant to several species: (v) improving understanding of effects of fisheries, (vi) enhancing support for marine spatial planning, (vii) developing species-specific action plans, and (viii) improving stakeholder engagement. Conservation action is needed for all penguin taxa, but we recognised that African, Galapagos and Yellow-Eyed Penguins need immediate scientific collaboration and policy interventions. We discuss crucial avenues for improving science-informed conservation of these species. The conservation actions for penguins would have broad biodiversity benefits in the Southern Hemisphere&#39;s marine biodiversity hotspots. By fostering communication and policy action toward these priorities, our goal is to ensure wild penguins exist in perpetuity.

**Authors:**

Pablo García Borboroglu¹, P. Dee Boersma¹, Susie Ellies², Charly-Andre Bost³, Tom Schneider⁴, Philip Seddon⁵, Alejandro Simeone⁶, Phil Trathan⁷, Lauren Waller⁸, Barbara Wienecke⁹, Natasha Gownaris¹, Andre Chiaradia¹⁰

¹University of Washington, ²International Rhino Foundation, ³Centre d&#39;Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, ⁴Detroit Zoological Society, ⁵University of Otago, ⁶Universidad Andres Bello, ⁷British Antarctic Survey, ⁸University of the Western Cape, ⁹Australian Antarctic Division, ¹⁰Phillip Island Nature Parks

3rd World Seabird Conference

Towards a Penguin Global Conservation Agenda promoted by the IUCN SSC Penguin Specialist Group

Welcome Seabirders!  

Welcome to Virtual World Seabird Conference 3 - vWSC3! Whether you are in your office or lab, at home, in a coffee shop or bar poaching some wifi, or at a remote field site or research vessel – we are very excited to welcome you to the third ever World Seabird Conference. 

We would like to thank ALL of you for being so patient as WSC3 was scheduled, postponed, rescheduled, revised to virtual, and scheduled again. Throughout all those iterations there was one message that remained perfectly clear – seabirders were eager to meet and share their science. If we could not meet in person then virtual it would have to be, but a 3rd WSC was something everyone wanted. That support and commitment helped the WSU Board of Directors and Member Societies sort through all of the challenges they faced to plan and hold this conference. 

The list of those that need to be thanked is long and, while we plan on recognizing many during the live closing plenary, it is important to do so here in writing as well. 

The Australasian Seabird Group was our Local Host for our plan to meet in Hobart, Tasmania. They invested substantial time and effort to find venues and plan events that we unfortunately were not able to visit. Nonetheless we appreciate their work on behalf of WSC3 and encourage all of you to thank them when you see their members in Gathertown or elsewhere during our virtual meeting. Their willingness to host created the initial excitement for WSC3 and without that our vWSC would not have been possible.

We also wish to thank the Science Program Committee, the Virtual Committee, and the Early Career Scientist Committee for their hard work planning the logistics, events, and schedule for vWSC3. These committees also had to deal with changing parameters and short timelines that made what is always a challenging task even more challenging. The Travel Awards Committee also invested time and effort in developing procedures for awarding travel funds that ultimately would not be implemented. 

Our ability to shift from an in-person to a virtual meeting, and to do so in a way that would be financially feasible, was due to the effective efforts of The International Fundraising Committee and to our financial sponsors. The IFC raised funds to support WSC3 and then, through the good relationships they built with sponsors, ensured we could re-envision how those funds could be used to support a virtual conference that would be affordable and high-quality.

We all owe the WSU Board of Directors and the Representatives of the Member Societies a great deal of thanks. They are the ones who manage the WSU and, for the past 18 months, have had to have a series of challenging meetings and conversations, have had to make a series of difficult choices, have had to do all of that while considering the short- and long-term health of WSU and the World Seabird Conferences, and did this while also managing their own challenges at their day jobs. We are grateful for their diligence, patience, foresight, and throughout all of the meetings, their collegiality. Also – a 6-year term is quite a commitment!

There would not be a WSC3 without a successful WSC1 and WSC2. Thanks go to the Pacific Seabird Group for their support of WSC1 in Victoria, Canada, and to the African Seabird Group for their support of WSC2 in Cape Town, South Africa. In each of these endeavors and for our current conference we were fortunate to work with a dependable and trustworthy partner in Podium Conferences. Michelle Smith and Marischal de Armond have become valued members of our team and have not only helped us plan conferences but have assisted and advised the WSU Chairs and Board on issues above and beyond conference planning. 

As we embark on our vWSC3 week we extend to all of you our thanks for showing up, for being patient, and most importantly for the work you do with seabirds. We are all part of a unique, global community that shares an interest, a fascination, and a passion for birds that make a living in our world’s oceans. We have advanced the science, conservation, and management of seabirds as well the ecosystems they inhabit. We are consistently impressed and motivated by the work you do. 

The WSU formed in 2010 because we saw the need for a global organization to address challenges at a global level. Over the past 11 years WSU has grown, adapted, and evolved to become the community that this week is making vWSC3 a reality. Enjoy the week, appreciate and support the friends and colleagues you have made in the community, and if you see us in a virtual hallway please stop and say hello! 

Thank you for the opportunity to serve all of you and the WSU over the past few years,

Nicholas Carlile, Interim Chair, WSU<br>
Patrick Jodice, 2nd Chair of the WSU<br><br>

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Join us for four days of science, networking and virtual engagement with delegates from around the world!

**Abstract:**

Penguins are in trouble. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists 10 of the 18 species as threatened, making penguins the second most threatened family of seabirds. The IUCN Penguin Specialist Group (PSG) is developing a Penguin Global Conservation Agenda. In 2016, the PSG coordinated threatened status reviews for the IUCN Red List based on penguin status data and conservation needs from its membership. The PSG also held two conservation strategy workshops to: 1) identify gaps in penguin research and conservation towards increasing population resilience in wild penguins and minimising threats and impacts, and 2) develop consensus on the species considered to be conservation priorities. Here, we summarise the PSG work to-date to guide and support future penguin research and to inform much-needed policy and legislative interventions. Among the top 12 research priorities, four are relevant to all penguins: (i) assessing population trends, (ii) determining vital biological rates, (iii) documenting environmental changes, and (iv) improving understanding of foraging ecology. We also identified four other conservation priorities relevant to several species: (v) improving understanding of effects of fisheries, (vi) enhancing support for marine spatial planning, (vii) developing species-specific action plans, and (viii) improving stakeholder engagement. Conservation action is needed for all penguin taxa, but we recognised that African, Galapagos and Yellow-Eyed Penguins need immediate scientific collaboration and policy interventions. We discuss crucial avenues for improving science-informed conservation of these species. The conservation actions for penguins would have broad biodiversity benefits in the Southern Hemisphere's marine biodiversity hotspots. By fostering communication and policy action toward these priorities, our goal is to ensure wild penguins exist in perpetuity.

**Authors:**

Pablo García Borboroglu¹, P. Dee Boersma¹, Susie Ellies², Charly-Andre Bost³, Tom Schneider⁴, Philip Seddon⁵, Alejandro Simeone⁶, Phil Trathan⁷, Lauren Waller⁸, Barbara Wienecke⁹, Natasha Gownaris¹, Andre Chiaradia¹⁰

¹University of Washington, ²International Rhino Foundation, ³Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, ⁴Detroit Zoological Society, ⁵University of Otago, ⁶Universidad Andres Bello, ⁷British Antarctic Survey, ⁸University of the Western Cape, ⁹Australian Antarctic Division, ¹⁰Phillip Island Nature Parks

technical paper

**Abstract:**

Artificial lights reduce fledgling survival through distraction and disorientation during fledging, leading to the grounding of seabirds, termed "fallout," and an increased risk of mortality from land-based threats. This study evaluated spatial and temporal factors, such as fallout clustering near light sources and fallout proximity to colonies to inform targeted management actions that can reduce fallout and increase survival. Standardized surveys were conducted from 2002 to 2010 for Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna pacifica) fallout on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA. The location of fallout and presence of an artificial light source or power line were compared between fallout points and randomly-selected points along the transect. Wildlife rehabilitation data from recovered individuals collected following non-fatal fallout events were analyzed to determine physical factors, such as condition upon arrival, and temporal factors that may influence the likelihood of fallout and survival. From 2002-2010, artificial light was present in 94% of fallout events, and power lines in 83%. The number of fallout events increased over time, and decreased over distance from artificial light sources, with the number of fallout individuals negligible further than 5 km from a source colony. Fallout showed high clustering in "hotspot" regions with up to 60% of all detected fallout events over eight years occurring in a region of less than 1.4 km. The majority of recovered fallout individuals submitted to wildlife centers were successfully released, suggesting that recovery efforts focused near high-risk colonies and in hot spot regions are likely to decrease fatalities due to fallout. Based on these highly actionable results, similar studies of other species in the order Procellariformes are recommended to direct management toward places and times of highest risk to reduce fallout-induced mortality.

**Authors:**

Brooke Friswold¹, Keith Swindle², David Hyrenbach³, Melissa Price⁴

¹University of Hawaii at Manoa, ²U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ³Hawaii Pacific University, ⁴University of Hawaii Manoa

Spatial and temporal factors influence fallout in Wedge-tailed Shearwaters: Mitigating threats through directed management

**Abstract:**

The annual customary harvest of titi (Sooty Shearwaters, Ardenna grisea) is a culturally defining wildlife harvest that is of fundamental importance to identity, mahinga kai (food provisioning), transmission of mātauranga (knowledge and wisdom) and the economy of Rakiura Maori. The harvest and Rakiura Titi Islands are managed by Rakiura Maori using tikanga (customary protocols) and matauranga Maori. These cultural guidelines and knowledge are embedded within bylaws and management documents, highlighting the importance of indigenous frameworks for managing seabird populations and habitat. A 14-year research partnership between Rakiura Maori and the University of Otago, founded in matauranga Maori, Rakiura tikanga and science began in 1994. At the time collaborative research partnerships between Maori and university were unique, but none-the-less Rakiura Maori recognised the need to ensure the sustainability of titi harvesting. The research tracked titi breeding density, harvest intensity, bycatch, population changes, measures of survival, reproduction and migration. These parameters were used to build computer simulations of past and future populations under different harvest intensities and climate scenarios. The research highlighted three main threats to sustaining customary harvesting are: climate change, the predation on titi by introduced weka (a native rail, Gallirallus australis), and potential increases in harvest intensity. The model highlighted that the biggest and quickest gain for sustainability would be the removal of introduced weka from birded areas. Weka were introduced to these islands, however management of this species is complicated because of their taonga (treasured species) status and legislative protection mechanisms. Management of weka and harvest intensity requires adaptation of Rakiura Maori management frameworks. The ability to adapt management responses is already demonstrated within this community. Adaptive initiatives include conservation projects, succession planning and development of an application to empower harvesting families to model their harvest management decisions on their manu (birding area).

**Authors:**

Jane Kitson¹, Corey Bragg¹, Phil Lyver²

¹Rakiura Titi Islands Administering Body, ²Landcare Research

Sustaining seabirds and culture: Rakiura Maori management of titi (Sooty Shearwaters) in New Zealand.

**Abstract:**

The largest remaining Hawaiian petrel colony (ʻuaʻu, Pterodroma sandwichensis) exists in alpine and sub-alpine habitats on Haleakalā, Maui. The Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project has monitored the portion of the colony and the vegetation community within the Kahikinui Forest and Nakula Natural Area Reserves following ungulate exclusion in 2014. Here we report on the expansion of the ʻuaʻu colony in these recently protected areas, and how management has positively impacted the habitat. We use Automated Acoustic Monitoring (AAM), annual standardized burrow searching, and burrow monitoring during the breeding season to assess activity, recruitment, and reproductive success of ʻuaʻu. Vegetation surveys are conducted at burrow sites and annually at randomly generated permanent plots to determine abundance and coverage of native and non-native plant species. The number of ʻuaʻu burrows is increasing at an average of 22 annually, and reproductive success has steadily increased to 58% in 2020. Results of AAM surveys show greater ʻuaʻu activity over time, particularly in locations popular with prospecting birds. Vegetation surveys reveal that although native species diversity remains unchanged, the abundance of uncommon native shrubs is increasing. Overall, vegetation characteristics at burrow sites do not differ from the surrounding landscape, suggesting that the resilience of the high-elevation community makes it attractive as a recruitment site. Our results show how an ecosystem-level approach can facilitate the assessment and recovery of a population of endangered seabirds.

**Authors:**

Jennifer Learned¹, Martin Frye¹, Cecelia Frisinger¹, Jay Penniman¹

¹Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project

Recovery of sub-tropical alpine habitat and the endangered Hawaiian petrel on leeward Haleakalā, Maui

**Abstract:**

The conservation of highly migratory species presents unique challenges due to their complex life histories and the vast spatial scales involved in their annual life cycle. To address such challenges meaningfully, transdisciplinary approaches may be particularly effective. The Pink-footed Shearwater (Ardenna creatopus) is an endemic Chilean breeder but is a trans-hemispheric migrant during the non-breeding season. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and Endangered by Chile and Canada. Both colony-based and at-sea threats exist for this species, including impacts of invasive mammals, breeding habitat degradation, a chick harvest on one of the breeding islands, and competition with and bycatch in multiple fisheries. In this presentation, we provide an overview of the collaborative approaches we have taken over 18 years and the need for further transdisciplinary involvement to address conservation threats to this species. We have worked intentionally at the local community level with schools, artist cooperatives, cattlemen's associations, artisanal fishing cooperatives, and other community groups as well as with non-governmental organizations and Chilean federal agencies. Important outcomes include the first mammal-excluding conservation fence of its kind in Chile, national conservation plans in Chile and Canada, collaborations with Chilean fisheries agencies, NGOs and fishing communities, new education programs in local schools, and community-based collaborations with artists. Significant challenges remain that require diverse expertise and perspectives, including improving estimates of bycatch in fisheries of multiple nations, increasing local stewardship by improving the lives of people living on the breeding islands, incorporating social scientific approaches to build community support for invasive-species eradication programs, solving methodological difficulties in quantifying population trends in their forested breeding habitat, and understanding the species' vulnerability to prey dynamics driven by climate change and fisheries extraction.

**Authors:**

Peter Hodum¹, Veronica Lopez², Ryan Carle², Pablo Manriquez², Tiare Varela², Paola Gonzalez², Hector Gutierrez², Valentina Colodro², Michelle Hester²

¹University of Puget Sound / Oikonos, ²Oikonos

Overcoming challenges to the conservation of Pink-footed Shearwaters: A transdisciplinary approach

**Abstract:**

Neotropical cormorants (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) are common seabirds along the Peruvian coast. They frequently perch in urban areas (trees, harbors, poles, etc.), causing potential aesthetic and public health problems due to the dropping of feces on infraestructure and people. Large number of these birds use lighting poles to rest on a narrow median in a 12.5 km coastal highway in Lima, Peru. We hipothesized that the distribution of the cormorants in this highway is not random, but it may be associated with abiotic features of the coastline that may favor prey accesibility. Biweekly counts of cormorants per lighting pole between July 2018 and July 2019 revealed that during the study period the total number varied between 15 to 430 birds, and that only 16% of the total number of posts (N = 651) were occupied. A large amount of cormorants were present in the posts at 1000 h and 1400 h, matching the prefered timing of foraging between mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Cormorants were clustered in four recurrent main groups along the highway, i.e., the spatial distribution was no-random. An AIC model selection approach determined that the presence of the cormorants in these sites were strongly related to a closer distance to the coastline and the isobath 7 m, and to the presence of breakwaters. No relation was found with the turbidity of the sea (measured < 1,300 m from the shorline). These findings suggest that neotropical cormorants may select these sites for a better sighting or detection of prey. Any management for relocation of cormorants from the lighting poles in this highway must take into consideration mainly the distance of perching sites to the shoreline and the occurrence of breakwaters.

**Authors:**

Sebastián Lozano¹, Carlos Zavalaga¹

¹Universidad Científica del Sur

Non-random spatial distribution of the neotropical cormorant (phalacrocorax brasilianus) in an urban area in Peru

**Abstract:**

Bycatch in industrial fisheries is the most pervasive at-sea threat to seabirds globally, for which an array of mitigation measures have been developed. However, seabird interactions with accessory gear, deployed by crew to improve catches or for self-consumption, remains poorly understood. We quantified seabird bycatch in a novel accessory gear deployed by pelagic longline (PLL) fishers off southern Brazil, termed 'buoy hooks' (BH), which consists of short (2-4 m) branchlines clipped straight to bullet buoys, targeting sharks and dolphinfish. This practice was first recorded in 2013, in only two vessels and six trips, by on-board observers voluntarily taken by fishermen. BHs were deployed in 23 (49%) of 47 observed sets, comprising 36,737 and 1,598 hooks for PLL and BH, respectively. Catch rates (number/1000 hooks) of seabirds (BPUE) and target species (CPUE) were compared between gear types. In total, 24 albatrosses or petrels were caught in the PLL (BPUE=0.65) and 28 in BH (BPUE=17.52). Considering only dead birds, BPUE was 0.33 and 6.26 for PLL and BH, respectively. CPUE of target species was 8.66 for PLL (mostly blue shark, tuna and swordfish) and 14.89 for BH (blue shark and dolphinfish). Given the high BPUE in BH, explained by its very shallow fishing depth, even sporadic use across the fleet represents a menace to threatened albatrosses and petrels in this region. Even though the high BPUE recorded was observed in a low number of hooks, we recommend monitoring the use of this accessory gear across the fleet and its potential impacts on seabirds.

**Authors:**

Augusto Silva-Costa¹, Gabriel Canani¹, Tatiana Neves², Dimas Gianuca³

¹Projeto Albatroz/Albatross Task Force Brazil, ²Projeto Albatroz, ³Birdlife International Marine Program

Seabird bycatch in a novel, and unregulated, accessory fishing gear deployed by pelagic longline fishers off southern Brazil.

**Abstract:**

Seabird bycatch is an important global conservation issue and very often cited as one of the causes leading to the population declines of different seabird species. Significant gaps still exist in our knowledge of seabird bycatch patterns, namely in artisanal fisheries. Studies to better understand bycatch impact by this type of fleet should focus on smaller areas and include higher observation effort. Although bycatch has been recently recorded in artisanal coastal fisheries operating in the Portuguese mainland coastal waters, little is known about its magnitude and main effects for seabird populations. Here, we present a comprehensive study in Ilhas Berlengas Special Protection Area (SPA) and surrounding waters to properly quantify seabird bycatch. Three mitigation measures were tested: high contrast panels in gillnets, black hooks in longlines and a scary-bird device in purse seines. The efficacy, acceptance and economic viability were tested for each mitigation measure. Sixty five individuals of 7 different seabird species were caught during the 295 observed fishing trips between 2015 and 2018. Gillnet and purse seine bycatch events occurred outside the SPA limits, while demersal longline bycatch events occurred mainly within the SPA. Bycatch occurred mainly in the demersal longlines set at a longer distance from coast (>500m), near the surface (≤2m), with longer soaking times (>24h) and during the summer. It was not possible to evaluate the efficacy of two of the mitigation measures implemented, as no bycatch events were recorded during control and experimental trials. Nevertheless, the scary bird measure presented promising results, causing birds to interact less with the vessel The scary bird has proved to be a low-cost and easy to implement mitigation measure, being also well accepted by purse seine fishermen. The measure presented promising results, causing birds to interact less with the vessel, thus reducing the likelihood of being caught.

**Authors:**

Nuno Oliveira¹, Ana Almeida¹, Emanuel Constantino¹, André Ferreira¹, Iván Gutiérrez¹, Ana Santos¹, Elisabete Silva¹, Joana Andrade¹, Hany Alonso¹

¹SPEA - Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves

Contribution to reduce bycatch in a top priority area for seabird conservation in Portugal

**Abstract:**

The island of Helgoland (Germany) in the southern North Sea holds several cliff-breeding seabird species, some of them close to the southern edge of their breeding range. In spring and summer 2018, unusual high air temperatures in combination with low wind had considerable impact on these seabirds. Various observations indicated that especially adult northern gannets and black-legged kittiwakes were under heat stress, leading to extensive nest abandonment before hatching, especially in parts of the colony with long sun-exposure and shelter from wind. Although heat continued throughout that summer and very high temperatures were measured at the nests, chick rearing appeared to be less affected, but overall breeding success was untypical low in gannets and close to colony failure in kittiwakes. Common murre chicks left the colony at younger age and with critical body mass, many of them died just after jumping from the breeding ledges. As food provisioning in parts of the colony protected from solar radiation appeared to be good and because species with different prey and ways of foraging were involved, it is unlikely that feeding conditions and food supply were responsible for the poor breeding success. To a lesser extent, the observed phenomena recurred in 2019, when spring was very warm again. In the light of predicted warming due to climate change it is discussed whether the breeding range of North Atlantic seabirds might retreat northwards in future.

**Authors:**

Volker Dierschke¹, Jochen Dierschke², Nils Guse³, Stefanie Rolfsmeier⁴

¹Gavia EcoResearch, ²Institute of Avian Research, ³Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, ⁴Helgoland

The temperate zone in a changing climate: too warm for North Atlantic seabirds?

**Abstract:**

Pygoscelid penguins in Antarctica require ice-free terrain for nesting, open-water access to their colonies on the coast, and adequate marine food supplies nearby, thus the presence or absence of penguin colonies act as proxy for these conditions. Ornithogenic soils are formed over hundreds to thousands of years and contain a natural archive of well-preserved tissues that can be used to track the initiation and abandonment of penguin colonies over geologic time. This 'penguin record' complements traditional paleoclimate and sea-ice records such as ice cores and lake and marine sediment cores. Previous radiocarbon dating of Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) tissues from ornithogenic soils in the northern Antarctic Peninsula have suggested a very young occupation, dating to less than 800 calendar years before present (BP). This is at odds with other proxies that indicate earlier deglaciation of this region. To address this enigma we excavated active and abandoned Adélie penguin colonies at the Danger Islands, Paulet Island, and Brown Bluff, Tabarin Peninsula, along the northern Antarctic Peninsula to determine their occupation history. We discovered that Adélie penguins first occupied the Danger Islands and Paulet Island approximately 2820 to 2935 BP. In contrast, ornithogenic soils at Brown Bluff dated to less than 400 BP, similar to previous dates on soils in this region. When compared to past studies these new dates indicate a north-to-south occupation across breeding colonies in the northeastern Antarctic Peninsula that began around 2900 BP. This agrees with paleoclimate and sea-ice proxies that suggest that the northern Antarctic Peninsula underwent complete deglaciation following the Last Glacial Maximum by approximately 6000 to 3000 BP. However, a mismatch remains between the late Holocene age of ornithogenic soils and the middle Holocene age of marine sedimentary deposits and penguin guano bio-elements in lake sediments from the region that warrants future investigations.

**Authors:**

Michael Polito¹, Gemma Clucas², Tom Hart³, Rachael Herman⁴, Chantel Michelson¹, Heather Lynch⁴, Hanumant Singh⁵, Stephanie Jenouvrier⁶, Steven Emslie⁷

¹Louisiana State University, ²Cornell University, ³University of Oxford, ⁴Stony Brook University, ⁵Northeastern University, ⁶Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, ⁷University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Penguins as paleoclimate and sea-ice proxies: Radiocarbon dating indicates a late Holocene, north-to-south, penguin colonization in the northern Antarctic Peninsula

**Abstract:**

Brazilian albatrosses and petrels biological sample bank (BAAP) was proposed under the National Plan of Action for the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels (PLANACAP) and presented to the Population and Conservation Status Working Group (PaCSWG) of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) once it facilitates sample access to achieve its goals. The two leading institutions in BAAP's creation are The National Centre for Bird Conservation and Research (CEMAVE) of Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) and Projeto Albatroz, a Brazilian non-governmental organization. BAAP aims to manage a network of institutions holding biological samples from albatrosses and petrels to promote information and sample interchange. BAAP participants are able to transfer their surplus samples to other institutions, ask for samples lacking in their collection and also make public the list of samples they maintain. One of the benefits from an integrated biological sample bank working as a regional node for Procellariiformes is to precisely know what the collections have to offer from each species. Thus, you can maximize the types of samples that can be collected from a carcass forwarding each one to the most needed institutions. Besides, an organized sample bank helps researchers to precisely know what is the amount of samples necessary to collect, saving money and efforts in field expeditions. BAAP currently houses 3,956 samples, and gathers nine institutions, including museums, universities, private and non-governmental organizations in Brazil. Searches for samples accessioned in BAAP's collection are straightforward, as well as accessing information on samples housed in other participant institutions, which share their information on the same node. BAAP works within Brazil at this moment, but hopes to inspire other initiatives regionally, to facilitate research that will subsidize albatrosses and petrels conservation actions.

**Authors:**

Alice Pereira¹, Tatiana Neves¹, Cristiane Kolesnikovas², Dimas Gianuca¹, Patricia Serafini³

¹Projeto Albatroz, ²Associação R3 Animal, ³MMA

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