Analysis of albatross and petrel distribution within the CCAMLR Convention Area: results from the global procellariiform tracking database

This paper presents an analysis of the distribution of albatrosses and petrels in the CCAMLR Convention Area (areas, sub-areas, divisions and sub-divisions), based on data from the Global Procellariiform Tracking Database. The results highlight the importance of the CCAMLR area, particularly for breeding distributions of populations of Wandering, Grey-headed, Light-mantled, Black-browed and Sooty Albatrosses, and populations of both Northern and Southern Giant-petrel and White-chinned petrel. The distribution data also emphasise the importance for breeding albatrosses and petrels of regions north of the CCAMLR boundaries. Overall, the CCAMLR sub-areas with the highest proportion of albatross and petrel distribution were Sub-Area 48.3 and 58.6, but the breeding ranges extend across the majority of the CCAMLR area, with the lowest proportion of distribution being in Sub-Areas 88.2 and 88.3. Current and future tracking studies will enable analysis of non-breeding albatross and petrel distribution, for which many data gaps currently remain.