Illegal Fishing for Toothfish Outpaces Legal Fishing for the 6th Straight Year; Environmentalists Predict Fishery Collapse

11/1/2002

From: Gerry Leape, 202-887-1346 or 202-246-4818 Alan Hemmings, 64-21-508-015 (New Zealand) both of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition

TASMANIA, Nov. 1 -- Unsustainable levels of illegal fishing during the 2001/2002 season were revealed at the twenty-first meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), the international governmental body responsible for the conservation of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish. And, for the first time, the Commission acknowledged that full member states of CCAMLR were involved in illegal fishing activities. No penalties were imposed for those states implicated, which include Russia, Uruguay and Korea.

"When CCAMLR's own members fish illegally and receive no sanctions it sends a message to pirates everywhere that CCAMLR's waters are free game," said Mark Stevens of the Antarctica Project. "How can they possibly think that other countries would bother to follow the rules that their own members don't follow?"

Despite estimates that conservatively put illegal catches of toothfish of at least 50 percent of the total annual catch, CCAMLR authorized a significant increase in the total allowable catch in the Antarctic for the fourth consecutive year.

"The non-stop pace of illegal fishing virtually guarantees that some populations will collapse in less than five years", said Dr Alan Hemmings, ASOC Senior Advisor from New Zealand. "Last year alone -- with regulations in place -- at least 25,000 tonnes of toothfish were illegally fished in the waters around Antarctica. With such a huge problem of illegal fishing, we are appalled that CCAMLR once again raised the allowable catch in many areas."

This pirate catch also results in the hooking and drowning of tens of thousands of seabirds. Over the past six years, at least 700,000 seabirds, including 144,000 albatrosses and 378,000 white-chinned petrels have been killed. These loss rates are entirely unsustainable.

"Every single proposal that could have significantly reduced the illegal catch of toothfish was shot down this year, often by the same member nations making millions of dollars off their illegal catches," said Andrea Kavanagh of the National Environmental Trust.

The government of Australia recommended that CCAMLR support its proposal to list toothfish as an Appendix II species at the upcoming Conference of Parties to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This listing would grant additional protection to help ensure that it will not be over fished and can return to healthy levels. This recommendation was vehemently opposed by nations who felt that such an action would undermine the authority and credibility of CCAMLR.

There were also excellent proposals from the United States and Australia to strengthen the Catch Documentation Scheme and Vessel Monitoring Scheme, respectively, to prevent fraudulent use. Though agreement was reached to initiate a small pilot on the feasibility of an electronic Catch Documentation Scheme, the proposal to centralize the Vessel Monitoring Scheme was rejected

"If CCAMLR were genuinely concerned about its credibility it would take action against its own members for participating in fishing activities that are questionable at best," said Stevens. "With these foxes watching the hen-house it's hardly surprising that their credibility and authority is undermined."

------ The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) contains over 200 organizations in 49 countries and leads the national and international campaigns to protect the biological diversity and pristine wilderness of Antarctica, including its oceans and marine life. We work for passage of strong measures which protect the marine ecosystem from the harmful effects of over fishing, and work to ensure that the integrity of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is maintained and internationally respected. We work closely with the key users of Antarctica, including scientists, tourists, and governments to ensure that activities have minimal environmental impact. We conduct legal and policy research and analysis, and produce educational materials.