WORST FLAG OF CONVENIENCE DUMPS ANTARCTIC FISH PIRATES

2 November 2001

TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA - The world's most fish pirate-friendly country, Belize, has been forced to start cleaning up its act. Belize has struck five notorious fishing pirates from its shipping register, buckling under pressure from Greenpeace and governments.

The Belize decision was revealed in a letter sent to CCAMLR (Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources), the regional government body responsible for conserving Antarctic marine life. The annual meeting of CCAMLR concludes today.

Southern Ocean pirate fishers have used the Belize flag to loot Antarctica's threatened Patagonian toothfish. While many of the true owners of the pirate fishing vessels are based in Spain, they exploit a loophole in international law to evade prosecution in their home countries. This loophole allows them to buy and fly flags of convenience from countries such as Belize.

In 1999 and 2000, Greenpeace ships chased two Belize-flagged, Spanish-owned pirate vessels from the toothfish fishing grounds managed by CCAMLR.

"Toothfish pirates have used the Belize flag to plunder toothfish populations and kill thousands of endangered and threatened seabirds," said Greenpeace International fisheries campaigner Desley Mather.

"While many of the pirates have now simply moved onto another friendly flag, this move represents a significant U-turn in the Southern Ocean by the Number One pirate flag. Greenpeace hopes that this is only the beginning and that Belize will finally get out of the dirty flag of convenience fishing business." Pirate fishing for toothfish is out of control in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. Up to 90,000 seabirds - including endangered species of albatross - have been caught and killed as a bycatch in the past year.

But Desley Mather says "The noose is tightening on the fish pirates. The question is whether governments will take action fast enough to cut off any new ways the pirates devise to get their hands on this valuable fish. The environmental stakes are very high - CCAMLR can't afford to waste any opportunity to stop pirate fishing."

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Desley Mather in Hobart:
+61 3 438 837138
Greenpeace Australia Pacific:
Tel: +61 2 9261 4666
Fax: +61 2 9261 4588