Sample Letter

Soon Yung Hong
Minister
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
77 Sejong-no Chongno-gu
Seoul 110-760
South Korea
tel: 00822 720 2687
fax: 00822 736 7790

I am extremely concerned about the uncontrolled pirate fishing for toothfish in the waters of the Southern Ocean. Korean interests have been implicated in this illegal, or "pirate" fishery and the international trade of toothfish.

Scientists estimate that at the current rate of fishing, the fishery would collapse within two years. In addition, many thousands of vulnerable species of seabirds, such as albatrosses and petrels, are dying on hooks intended to catch toothfish. The entire Southern Ocean ecosystem is at risk.

I demand that the involvement of the Republic of Korea in the outrageous fish piracy ends, and that your government enact laws to discourage Korean companies from profiting at the expense of this remote and fragile place. I urge this government to press for and adhere to a ban on the trade in toothfish until the problem of pirate fishing and the declining Southern Ocean ecosystem is adequately addressed.

As a member of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), our government has both the opportunity and responsibility to act on behalf of this fragile ecosystem. I urge you to demand a moratorium on fishing for toothfish in the Southern Ocean, backed by a trade ban, until the pirate fishing is eliminated. We should oppose the resumption of fishing for toothfish in the Southern Ocean until it can be demonstrated that the fishery can withstand the impact of commercial fishing and that effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms are in place to prevent the return of pirate vessels.

Sincerely,