The Albatross faces extinction unless urgent action is taken to save the endangered bird. That is the warning from the RSPB, and Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans is backing a campaign for stricter EU rules to help save the Albatross.

Every year around 100,000 of the birds are killed after becoming caught in longline fishing lines, they are attracted by bait on the lines and then get caught in the hooks, dragged underwater and drowned.

The RSPB is calling for a European Community Plan of Action to tackle the problem and the case has been taken up by Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans.

Speaking from Brussels, Ms Evans said:

"The albatross will face a real struggle to survive unless urgent action is taken to deal with the situation. The RSPB is telling us that more albatrosses are being killed after getting caught in fishing lines than are being reproduced. They estimate that nineteen out of the twenty one species of albatross now face extinction.

"I have received countless letters and e-mails from people all over Wales who are very concerned about this. I want to assure them and others that I fully support the RSPB's proposals. That's why I'm calling on the European Commission to urgently bring forward proposals to deal with this. I know that the European Fisheries Commissioner is aware of the problem.

"It seems that by introducing simple and cheap measures that won't in any way inconvenience the fishing industry we can tackle this problem very effectively. Time is not on our side and I would like to see proposals emerge from the European Commission before the year is out."

Notes

For more information on the issue see www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/albatross/index.asp.