Trouble ahead for pirate fishing talks! Pirates in the Atlantic

At their first round of talks on the FAO Global Plan of Action in October 2000, governments slashed and weakened many of the proposals to stop pirate fishing included in text drafted by a meeting of experts on the issue earlier in the year. These proposals went some way towards tackling the much-needed port, market and state control measures. But unless those governments that were particularly obstructive in October reconsider their positions before the next round of talks in February 2001, the plan of action will fail in its objectives to "prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing".

What governments must do to stop flag of convenience fishing:

· Close their ports to FOC fishing vessels and fisheries-related support and transport vessels

· Close their markets to FOC-caught fish and fish products

· prevent companies from owning or operating FOC vessels or fisheries-related support and transport vessels.

Greenpeace joined forces with the International Transport Workers' Federation in a report for the April 1999 meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development condemning flags of convenience. Read the report: Troubled Waters: Fishing, Pollution and FOCs.

More about Pirate Fishing:

Introduction - Modern-day pirates plunder ocean life
Dodging the rules: flag of convenience fishing
Governments recognise the pirate fishing problem...will they act to stop it?

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

Pirate Fishing in the Atlantic Ocean:
Atlantic - Pirate fishers plunder Atlantic tuna
Pirates Plunder the Atlantic
Eradicating Pirate Fishing: a study of the current status of tuna and tuna-like fish stocks in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean, May 2000 (pdf file, 91KB)
Atlantic Expedition web site, 2000