IUU Fishing of the Patagonian Toothfish in the Southern Ocean
The Patagonian Toothfish
The Patagonian toothfish has been considered the “ideal fish for overfishing” by Kevin W. Riddle (1). The Patagonian toothfish is located in one of the most remote oceans of the world, the Southern Ocean, and has a high market valuable. The Patagonian toothfish, Dissostichus eleginoides, is difficult to place under IUU fishing regulations as it is often sold under the name of other species, (i.e., the Antarctic toothfish Dissostichus mawsoni) and also has a variety of common names in the trade market, including:
- Bacalo de profundidad in Chile
- Butterfish in Mauritius
- Chilean Sea Bass in the United States and Canada
- Merluza negra in Argentina
- Mero in Japan
- Robalo in Spain (2)
Basic Biology of the Patagonian Toothfish
[1] The Patagonian Toothfish
- Typically live a long life
- Reaches sexual maturity late, usually after 10 years
- Low fertility
- Lives and is restricted to deep (200-2000m) Antarctic waters.
Economic Importance of the Patagonian Toothfish
The Patagonian toothfish has extremely high market values, and as the population of these fish continues to be depleted, this value only increases. The pricing of these fish are sensitive to the costs of landing and importation, and as these fish are primarly imported to the North American and Japanese markets, the price change can be seen clearly through these two markets (2). The Patagonian toothfish is now considered one of the most valuable fish species on the market, and can at times cost about USD 4.55 per pound at landing (1). This is the most valuable fish within the CCAMLR, and thus strict regulations are needed to prevent severe IUU overfishing of the Patagonian toothfish (2).
Establishment of the Patagonian Toothfish Fishery
The first established Patagonian toothfish fishery was created by the Soviet Union at South Georgia in the 1985/1986, and remained relatively closed to only the Soviet Union for several seasons due to isolation. At the beginning of the 1990’s, the South Georgia fishery was taken over by Chilean and Argentian longline vessels, where it became a largescale fishery. (3)The interest in a largescale Patagonian toothfish fishery initially began after fish stocks rapidly declined in the northern hemisphere fisheries and quickly followed the collapse of the Austral Hake and Golden Kingclip fisheries in Chilean waters. (3) Another Patagonian toothfish longline fishery was also established in the beginning of the 1990’s by French vessels in Iles Kerguelen. Fishing grounds spread throughout the Southern Ocean by the mid-1990’s to Prince Edward and Marion Islands, as well as the Crozet Islands. In 1997, New Zealand established a fishery in the Ross Sea for Antarctic toothfish. (3)
The CCAMLR: Management of the Southern Oceans
[4] Members of the CCAMLR.
(modified from Lack and Sant, 2001)
The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) was established in 1980 and controls and regulates the all species other than whales and seal (other conventions for these are established separately) in the Southern Ocean south of the Antarctic Polar Front. (2) The primary concern for establishment of the CCAMLR was to monitor krill fisheries, but now concerns itself with many other types of marine life, such as mackerel icefish, Patagonian toothfish and Antarctic toothfish. (3) The first observed and reported sightings of unreported or illegal catch of toothfish within the Convention was brought to the attention at the Commission’s meeting in 1993. (4) The CCAMLR officially recognized that illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing was a main concern for the Convention in 1997. (4) The CCAMLR consists of 24 Members, each with the same general focus to manage fisheries, monitor ecosystems, monitor marine debris and the impact on marine animals and reduce seabird by-catch in fisheries. Six states have joined the Commission and nine non-contracting parties are invited to its meeting as observers. (2, shown in [3])
The Impact of Patagonian Toothfish IUU Fishing
The first IUU Fishing spotted in the Southern Ocean of the Patagonian toothfish occured in
1994 in South Georgia and spread rapidly and increased to all other locations
by 1997. In 1997, the CCAMLR officially recognized the impact of IUU fishing as a serious threat to the sustainability of the Patagonian toothfish fishery in the Southern Ocean (2). As seen in the figure above, the impacts of IUU fishing in the Convention area had already started to take effect and in the 1996/1997 season, it was estimated that 68,234 t out of the total estimated catch of 100,970t was landed by IUU fishing activities (2). IUU fishing is known to be conducted by FOC vessels registered through Belize and Panama, many of these IUU owners or operators are known to be Spanish nationals (2). IUU fishing during the years shown in above were known to be landed in the Ports of Durban, Monevideo, Louis, Vigo, and Walvis Bay. However, all of these have currently become Members of the CCAMLR or are Asceding States to the CCAMLR as shown in [3] above (2).
What Has the CCAMLR Done to Prevent IUU Fishing in the Southern Ocean for Patagonian Toothfish?
The CCAMLR has continued to combat the illegal, unreported and unregulated catch of IUU fishing. Upon the acknowledgment of the severity of the issue, the CCAMLR has set in many precautionary regulations upon the Patagonian toothfish, and is still currently attempting to enforce these regulations despite the difficulty of enforcement in this region. These precautionary regulations and enforcements, called Conservation Measures include:
- Inspection by Contracting Parties on all vessels within the area of the CCAMLR
- Identification of vessels and fishing gear mandatory
- Mandated use of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS)
- Cooperation between all Parties of the CCAMLR
- Introduction and implementation of a Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) that follows all movement of Patagonian toothfish through catch, transshipment, landing, trade and market
- Urging the prevention of flagging or licensing to vessels known to involve in IUU fishing
References
(1) K. W. Riddle, Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing: Is international cooperation contagious? Ocean Development and International Law 37, 265 (Jul-Dec, 2006).
(2) Lack, M. and Sant, G. "Patagonian Toothfish: Are Conservation and Trade Measures Working?" TRAFFIC Bulletin, 19, no.1 (2001): 15-38, available at www.traffic.org, accessed 30 November 2011
(3) Kock, K. H., Reid, K., Croxall, J., Nicol, S. "Fisheries in the Southern Ocean: an ecosystem approach. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences" 362, 2333 (Dec, 2007).
(4) Agnew, D.J., "The illegal and unregulated fishery for toothfish in the Southern Ocean, and the CCAMLR catch documentation scheme." Marine Policy 24, 361 (Sep, 2000).
(2) Lack, M. and Sant, G. "Patagonian Toothfish: Are Conservation and Trade Measures Working?" TRAFFIC Bulletin, 19, no.1 (2001): 15-38, available at www.traffic.org, accessed 30 November 2011
(3) Kock, K. H., Reid, K., Croxall, J., Nicol, S. "Fisheries in the Southern Ocean: an ecosystem approach. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences" 362, 2333 (Dec, 2007).
(4) Agnew, D.J., "The illegal and unregulated fishery for toothfish in the Southern Ocean, and the CCAMLR catch documentation scheme." Marine Policy 24, 361 (Sep, 2000).
Image Sources
[1] Patagonian toothfish. Wikipedia Commons. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Toothfish.jpg
[2] The Cost of Patagonian Toothfish, [4] Figure of IUU Fishing in the CCAMLR Lack, M. and Sant, G. "Patagonian Toothfish: Are Conservation and Trade Measures Working?" TRAFFIC Bulletin, 19, no.1 (2001): 15-38, available at www.traffic.org, accessed 30 November 2011
[3] Area of the CCAMLR Kock, K. H., Reid, K., Croxall, J., Nicol, S. "Fisheries in the Southern Ocean: an ecosystem approach. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences" 362, 2333 (Dec, 2007).
[5] Members of the CCAMLR. Croxall, J.P. and Nicol, S., "Management of Southern Ocean fisheries: global forces and future sustainability." Antarctic Science 16 (4): 569-584 (2004).
[6] Vessel inspection by Australian Navy, [7] Identified toothfish vessel. Picture courtesy Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
[2] The Cost of Patagonian Toothfish, [4] Figure of IUU Fishing in the CCAMLR Lack, M. and Sant, G. "Patagonian Toothfish: Are Conservation and Trade Measures Working?" TRAFFIC Bulletin, 19, no.1 (2001): 15-38, available at www.traffic.org, accessed 30 November 2011
[3] Area of the CCAMLR Kock, K. H., Reid, K., Croxall, J., Nicol, S. "Fisheries in the Southern Ocean: an ecosystem approach. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences" 362, 2333 (Dec, 2007).
[5] Members of the CCAMLR. Croxall, J.P. and Nicol, S., "Management of Southern Ocean fisheries: global forces and future sustainability." Antarctic Science 16 (4): 569-584 (2004).
[6] Vessel inspection by Australian Navy, [7] Identified toothfish vessel. Picture courtesy Australian Customs and Border Protection Service