Black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 1

Assessment Summary – April 2007

Common name: Black-footed Albatross

Scientific name: Phoebastria Nigripes

Status: Special Concern

Reason for designation: This long-winged, long-lived (up to 40 years) seabird breeds on remote islands in the Hawaiian chain, but significant numbers feed off the coast of British Columbia each year, including adults making long foraging trips to feed their young. Black-footed Albatross numbers declined at one of two major colonies in the 1990s, but the population seems generally stable. Some population models have predicted serious declines, while others predict stable populations. Many are caught as bycatch in longline fisheries; most suffer from ingestion of plastic and accumulate high levels of pollutants. The long-term effects of these threats are unclear.

Occurrence: Pacific Ocean

Status history: Designated Special Concern in April 2007. Assessment based on a new status report.