As fisheries around the world crashed, industrial fishing fleets steamed south and we have seen an explosion in interest in Southern Ocean fisheries in recent years. This has put tremendous pressure on the Patagonian toothfish, known in the United States as ‘Chilean Sea Bass’, in Korea as ‘Mero’ and in other countries by various names.

There is a legal fishery for toothfish, following quotas set by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), but also a large illegal fishery for toothfish. This combined fishing is driving toothfish towards commercial extinction while threatening the survival of threatened albatross and petrel species.
There is a substantial legal fishery for Antarctic krill. ASOC and its partners have developed a new campaign focused on ensuring that krill is managed on a fully precautionary basis, which is described below.

ASOC’s Southern Ocean Fisheries Campaign aims to stop illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean, and to ensure that other legal fisheries are truly precautionary and sustainable.

CCAMLR is responsible for managing the fisheries of the Southern Ocean. As an official observer organization, and as advisors on national delegations to CCAMLR, ASOC has been instrumental in holding CCAMLR to its mission, which is to protect the Antarctic marine ecosystem. Fishing activities are allowed in the CCAMLR area as long as a healthy ecosystem is maintained. For more information on CCAMLR, see www.ccamlr.org

Illegal fishing combined with pressure from fishing nations to expand the fishery has undermined CCAMLR’s ability to sustainably manage the toothfish fishery. Despite the fact that toothfish stocks might be facing imminent collapse, and the high levels of illegally caught toothfish present in major markets, the Marine Stewardship Council awarded certification of the South Georgia Patagonian Toothfish Longline fishery in March 2004. The decision to evaluate this fishery met opposition since it first came up for consideration in early 2001. ASOC was part of a group of environmental organizations that opposed certification, submitting formal objections together with National Environmental Trust (NET), National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Greenpeace International and the Humane Society.

TREATY TO HELP STOP ILLEGAL FISHING

An important Treaty between the Governments of Australia and France on cooperation in the maritime areas adjacent to the French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF), Heard Island and the McDonald Islands came into force on February 1, 2005. ASOC hopes that this new Treaty will help stop illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean.
We are urging all CCAMLR members with sophisticated satellites to pool their satellite data in order to be able to track pirate fishing vessels and arrest them. The illegal toothfish fishing could be shut down within three years through aggressive enforcement. For more information on toothfish, read "Black Gold", a blockbuster report on the pirate fishing from the National Environmental Trust, by clicking here. Visit our Take a Pass On Chilean Sea Bass page for more information on this consumer campaign.

RED LIST
ASOC's updated Red List will be available soon.

BOTTOM TRAWLING

ASOC is proud to be part of the world's great conservation organisations in urging a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling.

For more information on the Southern Ocean Fisheries Campaign, email us: info@asoc.org or find your media contact by country, by language or by campaign.