|
|
 |
|
       |
|
|
|
Patagonian toothfish (Chilean/Antarctic sea bass)The Patagonian toothfish is a truly remarkable fish that plays an important part in the Southern Ocean ecosystem.As fisheries throughout the rest of the world become depleted, fishing companies are turning to the Southern Ocean. A gold rush mentality has developed and one fish that is heavily targeted is the Patagonian toothfish (known to consumers as Chilean or Antarctic sea bass). The Patagonian toothfish is a truly remarkable fish that plays an important part in the Southern Ocean ecosystem. It grows slowly up to more than two metres long. It can live for 50 years and does not breed until it is at least 10 years old. It lives in deep waters (from 300 to 3,500 metres) and is found on sea mounts and continental shelves around most sub-Antarctic islands. Like many deep-sea species, little is known about the Patagonian toothfish. It is known that it is part of the sperm whale's diet and scientists estimate that for elephant seals of the sub-Antarctic Heard Island, toothfish comprises a major part of their fish diet.
In the market, Patagonian toothfish is known by many names including sea bass, Chilean sea bass, Antarctic or Australian sea bass, Chilean grouper and black hake. In Japan it is known as mero. In Chile it is known as bacalao de profundidad or merluza negra. In French markets it is called Légine Austral. Scientists refer to it as Dissostichus eleginoides. In the mid 1980s, overfishing forced dozens of Spanish, South Korean and Japanese industrial fishing vessels out of their national waters. They moved to Chilean waters where they caught fish such as Austral Hake and Golden Kingclip. By the early 1990s overfishing caused the collapse of these fisheries. These industrial fishing fleets then targeted Patagonian toothfish. By 1994 fishing for Patagonian toothfish spread to the coast of Argentina. Illegal or pirate fishing for toothfish followed on the coat tails of the legal fishery. When the population of Patagonian toothfish in South American waters became depleted the illegal fishers moved eastwards. By 1996 and 1997 they had spread to the southern Indian Ocean. In 1998 the fishery around Prince Edward and Marion islands had been overfished to the point of commercial extinction. Industrialised fishing vessels continue to poach thousands of tonnes of Patagonian Toothfish around sub-Antarctic islands belonging to South Africa, France and Australia. The international body responsible for managing activities in the Southern Ocean is the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). At its annual meeting in 1999, CCAMLR estimated that in most areas 30-100% of the toothfish catch is taken by illegal and unregulated longliners. In 1997 the total illegal catch of Patagonian toothfish was around 100,000 tonnes with a value of over US$500 million. The main importers of Patagonian toothfish are Japan and the USA, where they fetch up to US$1000 each. The Australian Government said in a statement released on July 22, 1998: "If illegal and unregulated fishing continues at the current level the population of Patagonian Toothfish will be so severely decimated that within the next two to three years the species will be commercially extinct. Some areas are already showing signs of this." Despite attempts by some CCAMLR governments to take action to end pirate fishing in the Southern Ocean, the plunder continues. Some countries are compromised in their ability to take the strong and decisive action needed to protect the unique and fragile Southern Ocean ecosystem by the demands of a growing and increasingly powerful domestic commercial fishing industry. These domestic fishing interests want access to the potential resources of the Southern Ocean, despite continued unsustainable total catches for toothfish and seabird bycatch. Greenpeace believes CCAMLR should declare and enforce a moratorium on fishing for toothfish. The moratorium should stay in place until the IUU fishery has been driven out, the remaining Toothfish stocks assessed for their ecological ability to support a commercial fishery, and regulations are in place to adequately manage “resumed” fisheries. This moratorium needs to be supported by an international trade ban in toothfish, ideally under the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). All commercial fishing activities in the CCAMLR area must adopt a zero bycatch goal for Southern Ocean seabirds. |
   |
|
|
 |
International Office Address: © Greenpeace International |