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The Science Longline Fishing Campaign Report Ship Log & Webcast Last Year |
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Chronology of Greenpeace's Southern Ocean Pirate Fishing expedition 1998/99In late 1998 Greenpeace embarked on an expedition to expose pirate fishing in the Southern Ocean. During that expedition the crew of the M/V Arctic Sunrise found the notorious pirate fishing vessel, Salvora, fishing illegally for Patagonian toothfish just off the coast of the French sub-Antarctic Island of Kerguelen. The vessel immediately fled, and a 16-day and 2700 nautical mile chase to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius ensued. Here's a chronological overview of that expedition. Key Events 28 December: Arctic Sunrise departs Auckland, New Zealand to search for pirates in the Ross Sea area (considered to be the "new frontier" for the pirate vessels) and document affected wildlife. 31 December: New Zealand Government announces it will despatch Orion flights to the Ross Sea to search for fish pirates. 22 January: Antarctic "Ministers on Ice" meeting of Ministers and representatives from 24 nations, begins on the Antarctic continent. Greenpeace announces the vessel's presence in the area and calls on the ministers attending the meeting to finally take real action on fish pirates. 27 January: Arctic Sunrise arrives at Macquarie Island, a sub-Antarctic island south of Australia. The "Ministers on Ice" meeting is ongoing. Greenpeace releases new wildlife images from Macquarie Island including albatross species threatened by pirate fishing. At their meeting's conclusion, the ministers release a communiqué expressing their "grave concern" at the threat posed by illegal fishing of toothfish and pledged to meet this challenge and uphold the integrity of the Antarctic Treaty System. Greenpeace said we will hold them to their word. 29 January: Arctic Sunrise arrives Hobart to refuel and take on provisions. 5 February: Arctic Sunrise departs Hobart to continue search for pirates. 16 February: Greenpeace calls for the shutdown of the CCAMLR-licenced Macquarie Island toothfish fishery after revealing that the latest survey showed a 90% drop in the population estimates. 24 February: Arctic Sunrise arrives at the sub-Antarctic Heard Island. A pirate fishing vessel, the "Puerto Madryn", is found by Australian government surveillance vessel just outside Heard Island EEZ. Arctic Sunrise searches for it. Puerto Madryn disappears. 1 March: Arctic Sunrise arrives for a one-day visit to the French territory, Kerguelen Island. 3 March: Arctic Sunrise crew find unmarked pirate only 45nm from Kerguelen Is coastline. This position is well within French waters! The Salvora cuts its longline and runs immediately. The chase begins. Its crew throws weights (large rocks) at a Greenpeace inflatable boat crew. A letter is faxed from the Arctic Sunrise to CCAMLR, cc'd to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, the Office of Legal Affairs for the UN Division for Oceans Affairs and the Law of the Sea, France and regional countries' fisheries ministries, calling on CCAMLR to take enforcement action against the pirate. 5 March: We identify the pirate as Belize-flagged "Salvora", already convicted and fined by Australia for pirate toothfish fishing in 1997. Letter sent to flag state Belize calling on it to control its vessel. 7 March: Galician (Spain) press reveals Spanish interests in ownership. Spain is a member of CCAMLR. 9 March: After changing course dramatically and repeatedly, Salvora turns towards Mauritius. Greenpeace sends a small campaign team to the pirate port ahead of the Salvora's estimated arrival. 10 March: Letter sent to Spanish Government asking it to investigate links between Spanish companies and the Salvora. Galician newspapers had revealed that the Salvora was a "Galician" boat. 12 March: Greenpeace calls on Mauritius to seize and inspect Salvora. Campaign continues to build in Mauritius ahead of expected Salvora and Sunrise arrival. Local media coverage is strong, legal case to stop Salvora landing fish and to inspect its cargo begins. French and Australian ambassadors both approach Mauritius Minister for Fisheries about the Salvora. 15 March: Greenpeace campaigner meets with Mauritius Fisheries Minister and learns of plans to inspect. 16 March: Arctic Sunrise and Salvora arrive at the Mauritius 12 mile limit. Salvora has unveiled her markings clearly showing her name and call sign. Greenpeace presents video, photo identification, log book evidence, together with statements from the Arctic Sunrise captain and independent scientist to Mauritius authorities and French and Australian embassies. 17 March: The Salvora is inspected. 170 tonnes of toothfish is found onboard, some fishing gear is missing and its logbooks are falsified. 18 March: Mauritius says it will not allow the Salvora to unload its catch. 23 March: Mauritius Parliament debates Salvora case and Mauritius' role in trade of illegal toothfish. Mauritius government claims that it is taking steps to end landings of pirate-caught fish in its harbours. 28 March: Arctic Sunrise departs Mauritius as it's needed for climate change campaigning in the Arctic. 12 April: The Salvora's Spanish owners bring a legal case against the State of Mauritius, the Port Authority and the Director of Shipping for their decision to not allow the landing of toothfish. 20 April: Court decision goes against Salvora owners. The Judge said there was direct evidence that the Salvora had caught toothfish within the French EEZ. He said the skipper of the Salvora could not furnish convincing evidence as to where he carried out fishing activities since he kept neither navigation nor precise fishing records. The court cited the Greenpeace evidence showing that the identification marks of the vessel were hidden and it was impossible to check the veracity of the positions at sea of the Salvora. The Salvora cannot unload her catch and leaves Mauritius. 22 April: UK Deputy Prime Minister Prescott launched an attack on the "flag of convenience" shipping register of Belize, which is controlled by Michael Ashcroft, the UK Conservative Party treasurer and multi-millionaire. Ashcroft holds joint British and Belizean nationality. His company, Belize International Services is controller of the Belize shipping register. At the UN Commission for Sustainable Development, Prescott referred to the joint report by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and Greenpeace, which says that Belize-registered vessels are now some of the worst offenders in illegal fishing in the Antarctic. "These modern-day buccaneers must not be allowed to plunder our seas for profit at the direct expense of seafarers' lives, and of the environment," he said… "I particularly deplore the reckless illegal fishing under flags of convenience that we have seen threatening the stocks of toothfish in the Antarctic, with consequences for birdlife, including the wandering albatross," he said. Belize-registered trawlers have been blamed for illegal overfishing of the Patagonian toothfish, an important species which some experts fear may be being driven to extinction, said the Independent newspaper. 30 April: CCAMLR countries (21) met to discuss urgent trade certification measures to stop the illegal fishery. They failed to agree on any effective measures. In response, Greenpeace called for the suspension of the entire fishery and all trade in toothfish until the pirates are brought under control and until conservation measures required to ensure long-term sustainability for the fishery and the Southern Ocean ecosystem are put in place. |
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International Office Address: © Greenpeace International |