Oceans - Stop Pirate Fishing

Governments recognise the pirate fishing problem... will they act to stop it?

The crew of the Belize-flagged pirate vessel Salvora found fishing illegally by Greenpeace in the Southern Ocean in 1999. © Greenpeace/Newman

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has established international negotiations involving up to 100 countries to produce an International Plan of Action to combat pirate fishing. This process was reinforced in April 1999 by the United Nations Convention on Sustainable Development which called on the International Maritime Organisation to develop legally binding measures to close the loophole in international law which allows vessels to fish under flags of convenience.

Also, the United Nations General Assembly adopted another resolution addressing pirate fishing on November 24, 1999. In debating the threats to the world's oceans, the UN Secretary General and the General Assembly placed particular emphasis on the need to eradicate illegal fishing, primarily by fishing vessels flying flags of convenience.

The United Nations General Assembly Resolution (November 24, 1999):

6. Calls upon all States to ensure that their vessels comply with the conservation and management measures in accordance with the Agreement that have been adopted by subregional and regional fisheries management organisations and arrangements;

7. Calls upon States not to permit vessels flying their flag to engage in fishing on the high seas without having effective control over their activities and to take specific measures to control fishing operations by vessels flying their flag;

Pirate Fishing in the Southern Ocean:
Introduction
CCAMLR - Governments are failing the toothfish and albatross
Consumers - Retailers begin to move away from toothfish and how you can help
Southern Ocean Ecosystem
Toothfish - Rapidly approaching commercial extinction
Albatross - How pirate fishing is devastating Albatross populations
Southern Ocean Expedition web site, 2000