NEWS RELEASE (96-06)                  January 24, 1996     
Steven Pennoyer                       3:30 p.m.            
907-586-7221                          For Immediate Release


AVOIDANCE OF SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS TAKES IN THE GROUNDFISH       
             FISHERIES OFF ALASKA 

The short-tailed albatross is listed as endangered under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA).  Fishermen are required to take
precautions to reduce the incidental takes of short-tailed
albatrosses and other marine birds, according to
Steven Pennoyer, Director, National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) Alaska Region.  Recommendations to reduce fishery-related
incidental takes include: 

    Avoid disposal of fish offal immediately before or during
     deployment or retrieval of gear.

    Accelerate the sink time of hook-and-line gear by adding
     weight to groundline.  Vessels should carry sufficient
     weight for all conditions.

    Deploy and retreive gear quickly and efficiently, minimizing
     the duration of time when gear is near the surface.  Deploy
     gear during darkness, when practicable.

    When birds are present and gear deployment cannot be delayed
     distract albatrosses away from gear ("scare" streamers
     flying above the gear and/or a large ball towed beyond the
     stern and gear).

SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS DESCRIPTION - This species has a wingspan
of 6-7 feet.  Adults are white bodied with dark mantles, and the
back inner halves of the wings are mostly white.  Juvenile short-
tailed albatrosses are more uniformly dark, but all have a
distinctive heavy pink bill.  

NMFS requests that short-tailed albatross sightings be reported
to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1-800-272-4174. For more
information contact Andrew Grossman, NMFS, 907-586-7358.