Fisheries Infosite

Grey petrel (XGP)
Scientific name
Procellaria cinerea

Grey petrels have a grey head with a darker grey crown. The body is dark on top and white underneath with a grey wedge-shaped tail. The upper wings are grey and under wings are darker grey. Grey petrel can have a wingspan up to 1.3 metres.

Grey petrels are found circumpolar in the cold waters of southern oceans. Breeding takes place annually on Campbell Island and the Antipodes Islands in New Zealand, as well as several islands in the south Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

Grey petrels are considered ‘Gradual decline’ by the Department of Conservation and ‘Near threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It has been estimated that there are around 53,000 breeding pairs.

Grey petrel feeds on squid, fish and crustaceans, and can dive to depths of 10 metres.

Grey petrels often follow behind fishing vessels, and are the most caught species of bird in the tuna longline fishery in New Zealand waters. They have also been reported as captured in trawl fisheries.

International Union for Conservation of nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red list

New Zealand Threat Classification System list

DOC threat status: 5 Gradual decline
IUCN listing: Near Threatened
Average maturity age: 7
Maximum age:
Adult survival average: 92.6
Litter: 1
Reproduction frequency
(per year):
1
Demographic data source: Age Mat from Hamer et al 2000, surv is average for petrels from Hamer et al 2000
Population: 53080
Population source: ACAP tables
Distribution

5 items
Category Environmental impacts
Effects on other species
Seabird interactions (and their accidental capture) with bottom longline fishing vessels details
Effects on other species
Seabird interactions (and their accidental capture) with surface longline fishing vessels details
Effects on other species
Seabird interactions with inshore trawlers. details
Effects on other species
Seabird interactions with deepwater (offshore) trawlers details
Effects on other species
Seabird interactions with scampi trawlers. details