Unalaska, AK – For twelve years, fishing vessels have avoided killing the short-tailed albatross. In the past month, two of the endangered birds have been taken as bycatch. Now, biologists and fishermen alike are trying to figure out why this happened and what this means both for the birds and for the longline fleet.

Because the short-tailed albatross is an endangered species, the federal government closely monitors incidental bycatch of the bird. It expects four individuals to be taken in a two-year period. While restrictions could ultimately be placed on longliners if bycatch got to be too high, Fitzgerald says that there isn't a quota in place. If two more albatrosses were caught in addition to the ones already taken, the first step would be an endangered species act section 7 consultation. This would involve an evaluation of the protective measures that already exist and - he says -- potentially the creation of new ones. KUCB's Alexandra Gutierrez has more.