David Carter, CEO of Austral Fisheries, today supported calls from Sea Shepherd for the Nigerian government to remove the known toothfish poaching boat, the Thunder, from its vessel registry. The Thunder has had a purple notice issued against it by Interpol, for continued actions that undermine the sustainable management of toothfish fisheries in Antarctic waters. This Purple Notice calls for …
22nd December 2014: COLTO Member, Mustad, win 2014 WWF Smart Gear Competition
One of COLTO’s Associate Members, Mustad Autoline, have taken out the 2014 Smart Gear Competition. Developed in close cooperation with SaveWave and Mustad Autoline under Eurostars regulations, the SeaBird Saver is the answer to seabird bycatch longline fisheries. The device emits a highly effective laser beam from the stern of the fishing vessel to keep birds away from the danger …
18th December 2014: Sea Shepherd locates toothfish poacher
COLTO was pleased to hear that Sea Shepherd has located one of the last known IUU poachers operating in CCAMLR waters. The announcement by Sea Shepherd today that the Bob Barker has located and is tracking the ‘Thunder’ is positive news in terms of eliminating the last vestiges of IUU fishing for toothfish. The Thunder is a well-known IUU toothfish …
19th November 2014: Australia’s science-based fisheries management reaping rewards
Excellent management of Australia’s fisheries has led to an increase in the sustainable catch for the prized Patagonian Toothfish. The total allowable catch limit was increased by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) following a recommendation from the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) meeting in Tasmania last month. It will enable Australian operators to sustainably catch …
11th November 2014: CCAMLR statement on toothfish tag-return lottery
The CCAMLR tag-return lottery, sponsored by the Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators (COLTO), has been drawn and this year’s winner is Mr N. MacLeod of Sanford, representing the New Zealand vessel, San Aspiring. The lottery is designed to promote awareness of the tagging scheme on vessels and to ensure that all recaptured fish get reported to CCAMLR. Details of where …
6th November 2014: International meeting in Hobart strengthens Antarctic marine conservation
Member countries of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) have agreed on a range of measures to conserve Antarctica’s marine living resources. After considering a body of submissions based on the best available scientific data, the world’s leaders in Antarctic marine science and policy achieved alignment on a number of significant issues. Outcomes of the …
23rd October 2014: CCAMLR tag lottery winners announced
COLTO would like to congratulate Mr N.MacLeod of Sanford, representing the New Zealand vessel, San Aspiring, for winning first prize in the COLTO-sponsored CCAMLR tag-return lottery. The tag number was drawn at random from all reports of recaptured toothfish in CCAMLR exploratory fisheries in 2013/14. The lottery had cash prizes for crew that had returned the three randomly drawn tags ($400 …
20th October 2014: Heightened demand for sustainable toothfish sends prices to record levels
Toothfish prices in the US are climbing this year as demand for sustainably certified product continues to put pressure on supplies. This higher toothfish interest has forced buyers to compete directly with Asian importers for product, which has pushed up the market in 2014. So far in October, average Urner Barry prices for 6-8 kilo whole, frozen H&G toothfish are …
2nd October 2014: Extreme Toothfish
Everything about Australia’s newly branded Glacier 51 Toothfish is extreme: its looks, its size (the fish can reach 2m in length), its environment. Even the story of its journey from pirate plunder to species under threat to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification is outlandish. But while it’s highly prized in America and Japan – its fillet renders large, luscious, arctic-white …
23rd September 2014: South Georgia Patagonian toothfish renews MSC
The South Georgia Patagonian toothfish fishery renewed its five-yearly Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for the third consecutive time. The fishery, which was first MSC certified in 2004, received an average score of 96 out of 100 in the latest assessment, said the government of South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI). The government, which manages the fishery, said it “has pledged …
16th September 2014: COLTO Member donates Colossal squid to science
The new colossal squid sliced open at Te Papa today is even bigger than the last one. The squid was caught on Sanford fishing boat San Aspiring’s line in Antarctic waters last summer. San Aspiring brought the squid back to New Zealand, where it was kept in a freezer. Researchers from AUT University and the University of Otago sliced open …
14th September 2014: MSC questions scientific rigour after claims of Chilean Seabass Mislabelling
In August, a report by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa criticized the labeling practices of the Marine Stewardship Council in regards to its MSC-certified Chilean sea bass. Now, the council is disputing the validity of the study and saying it is “highly confident about the integrity” of its certified foods. The study by University of Hawaii at Mānoa published in …
New Zealand media embarassed after falsely accusing trade minister of eating illegal toothfish
SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton – Aug 11, 2014 Such was the case with a political reporter for the New Zealand herald, who got hold of the country’s trade minister’s credit card bills, and found that in Singapore, he had ordered toothfish, or Chilean Sea Bass. The reporter, doubtless remembering the controversy over IUU fishing and depletion of toothfish, promptly pounced, claiming the minister …
1st July 2014: South Georgia Toothfish Fishery rated as one of ‘best in the world’
Recommendations have been made regarding the South Georgia Toothfish fishery by two senior scientists who have conducted an independent review, however they stressed today to Penguin News that the fishery was the best managed in the world. Dr Stuart Hanchet and Dr Dirk Welsford* (pictured right and left respectively of Dr Collins) were invited to the Islands by Chief Executive …
15th May 2014: Falklands’ fisheries success story: 20 years of Consolidated and 10 of CFL Gambler
Falkland Islands’ Consolidated Fisheries Ltd (CFL) celebrated its 20th anniversary as a company at a reception and banquet at Malvina House Hotel. It also celebrated the 10th anniversary of its vessel CFL Gambler’s blessing and highlighted the MSC certification of the toothfish fishery. CFL Chair Hamish Wylie told Penguin Newshow the company came to be in the early 1990s when, “little was …
1st May 2014: Ships seized for illegal fishing
KOTA TINGGI: Two ships seized while anchoring illegally in the Tanjung Sedili waters here in Pengerang were found with 100 to 150 tonnes of fish. The ships were seized and its 63 crew members were detained in separate incidents on Friday and Saturday. Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Tanjung Sedili enforcement division chief Captain Amran Daud said the ships’ captains …
17th April: Rare whale fossil sets jawbones wagging at Museum Victoria
Mystery of the deep: Palaeontologist Erich Fitzgerald with the fossilised whale skull A rare fossilised whale skull found by chance deep in the remote waters of the Southern Ocean has been donated to Museum Victoria by COLTO Member, Austral Fisheries. Picked up by a commercial fishing vessel from more than a kilometre beneath the surface, the 65-centimetre section of …
8th April 2014: COLTO Member, Estremar undertake refit on toothfish vessel
Argentina’s largest toothfish catcher Estremar, part of Norway-based Ocean Harvest, started restructuring its operations in 2013 to address Argentina’s challenging economic climate. As part of this it consolidated all its quotas — for toothfish, but also hoki and southern blue whiting — onto its surimi and fishmeal trawler Centurion del Atlantico, which had stopped surimi operations due to high costs, and put its longliner Antarctic III …
18th March 2014: Toothfish cast winner at SENA14
Today at the Seafood Expo North America 2014 in Boston, COLTO gave away this replica toothfish (Chilean Sea Bass) cast to lucky winner Travis Matthews from Woburn, Massachusetts. This fiberglass cast of a Patagonian Toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) was modeled on a 13kg specimen, caught within the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone in the Heard Island & McDonald Islands (HIMI) Patagonian Toothfish Fishery. …
18th March 2014: IUU toothfish story – a cartoonists perspective!
The clever and informative animation produced by Stockholm Resilience Centre, based on research by Henrik Österblom. The research was funded by FORMAS, the Swedish Research Council.
18th March 2014: SENA14: Chilean Sea Bass–Back From The Brink
The following article was written by Richard Auffrey, a Seafood Blogger who caught up with COLTO Chair, Martin Exel, yesterday at the Seafood Expo North America in Boston, where we are participating with our first ever expo booth. -taken from The Passionate Foodie: “I know all the symptoms I can expect to experience. I’m especially looking forward to something called …
12th March 2014: Conservation group cheered by move on toothfish
A government initiative to regulate the import and re-export of toothfish, commonly known as Chilean sea bass, has been welcomed by a green group. The government will extend the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources to the species inhabiting Antarctic waters. World Wildlife Fund senior conservation officer Allen To Wai-lun said the convention has not been extended …
7th March 2014: MSC Certification for Falkland Islands Toothfish.
PRESS RELEASE: Consolidated Fisheries Ltd. (CFL) is pleased to announce that Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification has been granted to the Falklands Islands Toothfish longline fishery. The fishery entered assessment in August 2012 and was evaluated by independent MSC certifier Intertek Fisheries Certification (formerly Intertek Moody Marine) against the MSC Standard for well-managed and sustainable fisheries in three principle …
27th Feb 2014: IUU vessel ‘Thunder’ owned by Combarro
The “Thunder” with flag of Nigeria, is owned by shipowners Combarro Despite the silence of the Ministry of Agriculture about the type of economic sanctions to be applied to the Spanish crew of foreign vessel that carried illegal, announced last week by the General Secretariat of Fisheries, information provided by various entities and individuals , suggest that the vessel in …
26th Feb 2014: Ministry sanctions longliner crew illegally operating in Antarctica
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment has imposed for the first time, and by means of a pioneer measure in the European Union, financial penalties and fishing activity disqualification to Spanish crewmembers enrolled in a vessel included in the blacklist of the Convention on the Conservation of Marine Living Resources of Antarctica (CCAMLR), for their illegal fishing activities in Antarctica. The vessel, …
24th Sep 2014: PRESS RELEASE – “Guilt Free” Chilean Seabass
A Chilean Seabass (Patagonian toothfish) cast is travelling to Boston, USA, to become a centre piece of the COLTO booth at the Seafood Expo North America show, from 16 to 18 March. The cast will be given away as a prize during the show. The Coalition for Legal Toothfish Operators (COLTO) will showcase the astounding turnaround for toothfish (aka Chilean …
19th Feb 2014: Falklands’ Fortuna targets northern Europe for toothfish sales
Having recently acquired a new longliner, Falklands squid and whitefish catcher Fortuna Seafoods is looking to high-end markets in northern Europe to expand its toothfish sales, said company director James Wallace. Speaking from the Fish International 2014 fair in Bremen, Wallace said the company was looking to complement its traditional toothfish markets, the US and Asia. The company sells around …
10th Feb 2014: Falkland Islands’ toothfish catchers, Fortuna, incorporates MSC ice-class longliner ‘Tronio’
Fortuna Ltd, one of the Falkland Islands leading fishing companies announced the incorporation to their Falklands registered fleet of the 55-meter ice class longliner ‘Tronio’, specifically designed for ice fishing in Antarctica. ‘Tronio’ annual cycle begins in exploratory fisheries targeting Antarctic toothfish and conducting research on behalf of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, CCAMLR within the Antarctic belt. In April the …
3rd Feb 2014: Toothfish Industry support important fisheries research in South Georgia
COLTO Member, Georgia Seafoods Ltd, is sponsoring a PhD studentship on the Patagonian toothfish, also known as Chilean seabass. The Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) is a large predatory demersal fish endemic to the Southern Hemisphere. It supports a valuable commercial MSC certified fishery in South Georgia. Relatively little is known about what makes ideal breeding conditions although there are indications …
27th January 2014: Albatross numbers increase in Chile thanks to responsible Toothfish operators
New research between the Australian Antarctic Division and Chilean researchers has found an increase in albatross numbers in southern Chile thanks to a change in longline gear setup in the Chilean toothfish industry. Abstract below: Black-browed albatrosses are a common victim of incidental mortality in commercial fishing operations. Chile holds globally important populations of black-browed albatrosses and grey-headed albatrosses with about 85% …
20th Jan 2014: Time to forget ‘take a pass on seabass’ as 70% of global toothfish harvest now MSC certified
Chilean seabass and Antarctic toothfish are now among the most sustainable global fish species harvested. This is part of what led to the recognition by Monterey Bay last year that toothfish were a good alternative fish choice. The hard work of the Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators was recognized at the recent NFI Global Seafood Marketing Conference, as panelists discussed how …
13th January 2014: South Georgia toothfish fishery offers 2-year licenses
GSGSSI has announced it will issue two-year fishing licences to companies who successfully apply to fish for toothfish and icefish in the SGSSI Maritime Zone. GSGSSI has announced it will issue two-year fishing licences to companies who successfully apply to fish for toothfish and icefish in the SGSSI Maritime Zone. The decision was made following consultation with the fishing industry …