The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment have announced the final sanctions from Operation Sparrow 1. 48 administrative infractions to Spanish operators, 44 of them serious, with penalties amounting to a total of 17.84 million euros are to be collected. Both Sparrow operations (I and II) represent a decisive step in addressing the business and financial network that links certain illegal …
British Navy tasked with keeping Toothfish poachers out of Ross Sea
For the first time in 80 years a British Navy ship will patrol the Ross Sea, with HMS Protector setting out to target Antarctic toothfish poachers. The icebreaker, which usually works on the British-owned Antarctic Peninsula, has docked in Hobart ahead of a month-long patrol of the Ross Sea. The ship’s captain, Rory Bryan, hopes the venture will deter illegal fishing …
COLTO announced as Seafood Champion finalist
The finalists for the 2016 international Seafood Champion Awards have been announced. Four finalists have been selected in each of the four categories: Leadership, Innovation, Vision and Advocacy. The winners will be announced at the 12th SeaWeb Seafood Summit, 1-3 February 2016 in St. Julian’s, Malta. SeaWeb’s Seafood Champion Awards recognise individuals and organisations for outstanding leadership in promoting environmentally …
HMNZS Otago departs for surveillance operation
The patrol vessel HMNZS Otago left Dunedin this morning for the annual monitoring trip. New Zealand’s anti-poaching operations hit the headlines last summer when the navy vessel Wellington intercepted – but could not board – three falsely flagged ships catching toothfish in the Ross Sea. It was all go this morning as the Otago left for its turn. The ship …
INTERPOL’s role in combating illegal fishing recognized
INTERPOL’s key role in combating illegal fishing activities worldwide has been recognized by the global fisheries community. At its annual meeting in Australia, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) strongly supported a number of reports highlighting the significant role played by INTERPOL in ongoing global efforts to identify, locate, arrest and prosecute the top offenders …
Sea Shepherd Announces Operation Icefish 2015-16
Second Campaign to Stop Illegal Fishing in the Southern Ocean Following the unprecedented success of Operation Icefish, Sea Shepherd has announced its second campaign to target illegal Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish operators in the Southern Ocean, Operation Icefish 2015-16. Led by returning Captain, Sid Chakravarty, Sea Shepherd will once again focus its attention on defending the pristine waters of Antarctica, with …
Three Customs Officials Transferred After Poacher Ship Escaped from Phuket
Three Customs officials have been transferred off Phuket after a cargo ship carrying an illegal haul of fish valued at millions of dollars secretly upped anchor and escaped from the island, bringing international criticism. Phuketwan understands that the Phuket Customs director, now working in Bangkok, signed the authorisation that enabled the Taishan to refuel. Soon after, the ship took to …
CCAMLR tag-return lottery 2015 – winners announced
The CCAMLR tag-return lottery, sponsored by COLTO, has been drawn and this year’s winner of first prize is the Australian vessel, Antarctic Chieftain. 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 fish were first tagged, and then recovered, are held by the …
INTERPOL-supported investigation into illegal fishing leads to prosecution
The global fight against fisheries crime has scored a major success, with the convictions of three crew members of a vessel subject to an INTERPOL Purple Notice for illegal fishing. A court in Sao Tomé and Principe found the captain, chief engineer and second engineer of the Thunder guilty of various illegal fishing charges. The vessel, which sank off the …
Press Release: Another nail in the coffin for illegal toothfish fishing
14th October 2015 The São Tomé and Príncipe court judgement against the Captain and two senior officers of the illegal toothfish fishing vessel, the Thunder is a welcome, major, blow against IUU fishing for toothfish. It has reinforced the need for operators to work within legal, sustainable, fisheries. Martin Exel, Chair of the Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators, said that …
African Court Convicts Thunder Captain in Illegal Fishing Case
A São Tomé and Príncipe court on Monday convicted the captain of a fishing ship, the Thunder, and two crew members on several charges tied to illegal fishing, a prosecutor in the case said. The verdict was the culmination of a dramatic, 10,000-mile chase from Antarctica to the Gulf of Guinea. The Thunder, which had been on Interpol’s most-wanted list, …
Sao Tome convicts captain, two crew in illegal fishing case
A Sao Tome and Principe court won a key victory against illegal fishing by organised syndicates on Monday when it convicted the captain of a vessel and two crew members on a number of charges, an Interpol official said. Globally, illegal fishing cost at least an estimated $23 billion each year, with one in four fish thought to be caught …
Officers of Thunder sentenced to jail and fined 15m Euros.
On Monday, the Supreme Court of São Tomé and Príncipe found three officers of the notorious toothfish-poaching vessel, Thunder, guilty of forgery, pollution, damages to the environment and recklessness. The three have been sentenced to between 32 and 36 months in jail each for recklessness and forgery, and have been fined 15 million euros for charges relating to pollution and …
U.S. Announces Plans to Combat Illegal Fishing
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced plans on Monday to step up the fight against illegal fishing, pollution and other crimes at sea, including the creation of two new national marine sanctuaries, one in Maryland and the other in Lake Michigan, the first in 15 years. Administration officials also said they intended to expand the use of satellites that track …
Antarctic Toothfish return to McMurdo Sound
A new scientific paper has been released following a study that began in 2013 to monitor toothfish abundance and investigate interactions between Antarctic toothfish, Weddell seals and killer whales in McMurdo Sound. Abstract: A dramatic reduction in catch rates of Antarctic toothfish in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, has led to conclusions that the commercial bottom longline fishery for toothfish in the Ross Sea …
MSC Reports reveal progress for Sustainable Seafood
Two new reports from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) show the progress being made to secure the future of the world’s oceans, and a plentiful supply of seafood for generations to come. With 29 per cent of the world’s oceans currently overfished, the reports show how commitments by seafood producers, retailers and consumers are delivering lasting improvements to the sustainability …
Who allowed poacher ship to flee Phuket?
Accusations continue to fly over the escape from Phuket waters of a pirate cargo ship carrying a valuable load of fish, poached from Antarctic waters. How did the Taishan, formerly the Kunlun, slip away in breach of international law – and who knew that the ageing rustbucket had reloaded plenty of fuel? How has the ancient vessel continued to elude …
Phuket police confirm probe underway into missing Kunlun
Police have finally confirmed that an investigation is underway into the disappearance of the illegal Antarctic trawler Kunlun, also known as the Taishan, which vanished from Phuket waters last week. Details of the missing vessel, its crew and the whereabouts of its multi-million-baht prized cargo of illegal toothfish might be revealed as soon as Monday, The Phuket News has been …
INTERPOL meeting in Singapore gathers fisheries investigators
INTERPOL has brought together investigators from nine countries investigating the operations of a fleet of vessels allegedly illegally fishing for toothfish in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica to share information from ongoing investigations and successful prosecutions. With such investigations not exclusively related to fisheries offences and often including associated frauds or criminal activity, the aim of the INTERPOL meeting (18 …
INTERPOL hold training program for SE Asian ports
Assisting member countries build investigative capacity on illegal fishing and the illegal trade in living marine species was the focus of recent INTERPOL training programmes in Indonesia and the Philippines. During both five-day courses, INTERPOL officials provided training on a range of fisheries and maritime issues including legal frameworks, health and safety in vessel boarding and inspections, verification of vessel …
Leading Benchmark for Toothfish
EstreMar‘s operations began in Argentina in 1992 in the city of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego province, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur. EstreMar has over 20 years of experience in the fishing industry. EstreMar is considered a leading dealer and benchmark for Toothfish and, one of the leading fisheries in the country. The company harvests and processes onboard several species, …
ILLEGAL FISHING OPERATION FINED OVER $2 MILLION
The Australian Government welcomes news that the crew of the illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing vessel Perlon – detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in May this year – has been convicted of offences under the Malaysian Fisheries Act. A Malaysian court has fined the master and the crew of the Perlon approximately AUD $600,000 and ordered forfeiture of the catch valued …
Thunder Captain And Officers Face Justice In The Wake Of Operation Icefish
The Captain, Chief Engineer and Second Mechanic of the notorious poaching vessel, Thunder, have been charged with counts of pollution, reckless driving, forgery and negligence in São Tomé and Príncipe. The charges were handed down in a local court on Friday following a three-month investigation into the events surrounding the sinking of the poaching vessel in the waters off the …
IUU toothfish vessel, Kunlun, could sail with new Captain
The epic pursuit of marine poachers by the Sea Shepherd has taken a new turn in Thailand with the ship that took an illegal haul of toothfish before fleeing from Antarctic waters set to regain its cargo and sail on. The ancient vessel Taishan, at present anchored off Phuket, has a new captain and preparations are being made to depart, …
COLTO toothfish industry-science Workshop – in pictures
Last week saw the first ever COLTO toothfish industry-science workshop in Alesund, Norway, which was generously hosted by Fiskevegn and Mustad Autoline. Below is a gallery of some of the images from the week.
Toothfish fisheries lead the world
The inaugural COLTO industry and science workshop successfully concluded in Alesund, Norway with a unique pathway agreed to enhance collaboration and innovation between fishers, scientists, gear technologists, and marketers. Participants from 12 nations put aside any competitive and professional differences, and created a world-leading partnership on international fisheries resources management and conservation. “The results were astounding”, said the Chair of …
Ross Sea Toothfish catch is managed with science, expert says
The Antarctic toothfish is being sustainably caught in the Ross Sea and the catch is still many years away from reaching the minimum level to safeguard its viability, a leading scientist says. Dr Stuart Hanchet, who works for NIWA, has been researching the high-value species for 15 years. He told 90 people attending a Nelson Science Society event in a …
Govt to sanction Spanish companies and crew for pirate fishing
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MAGRAMA) has agreed to start Operation Sparrow disciplinary process, once the analysis and classification of thousands of documents that have been collected during the development of this operation is completed. This operation, which is unprecedented internationally, was carried out thanks to the reform of the State’s Marine Fisheries Act, adopted in December 2014. …
IUU fishing: Spain announces €11 million penalties against Galicia syndicate
Spanish government last Friday announced penalties that could reach more than €11 million against Spanish nationals, including companies involved in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. An EU coalition of three international NGOs, including Environmental Justice Foundation, Oceana and WWF described the fines as a historic moment in the battle against IUU fishing and are calling on other EU member …
Illegal fishing prosecutions a ‘giant step forward’
Prosecutions against those behind fishing vessels that tangled with the New Zealand navy have been hailed as a “giant step forward” by Foreign Minister Murray McCully. Spanish authorities will bring prosecutions against against those responsible for fishing vessels – the Kunlun, Yongding, Songhua and Tiantai – associated with the Vidal Armadores syndicate. “While it is too early to declare victory, …
The Hunt for the Last Chilean Sea Bass Poachers
It was Feb. 2, on a freezing sea 80 miles from the Antarctic coast. The wind was blowing at a blustery 20 knots, the sky was dark gray, and the sea was full of ice. “It was one of those murky days that don’t make you very happy you’re in Antarctica,” recalled Siddharth Chakravarty, the 32-year-old captain of the Sam …
Inaugural Toothfish Industry-Science Workshop
The Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators (COLTO), are pleased to announce that next week will see the inaugural Toothfish Industry-Science Workshop taking place in Aalesund, Norway. The workshop is being generously sponsored by Norwegian fishing gear suppliers, A.S. Fiskevegn and Mustad Autoline. The workshop will bring together the major players in the toothfish industry, including representatives from 9 of the …
Toothfish vs Colossal squid – clash of the deep-sea titans
Would make some epic calamari (Image: New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries) You wouldn’t want to get caught between these two sea monsters. This pair of massive deep-water foes are waging war in Antarctic waters, and it’s eat or be eaten. Given it weighs up to half a tonne and measures more than 2.5 metres in length without taking into account …
Chile catches entire Patagonian toothfish quota in just four months
Chile’s industrial fleet has caught the total allowable catch (TAC) of Patagonian toothfish for this year in just four months, as industry is calling on local authorities for a quota extension. This year’s TAC for industrial vessels was set at 1,100 metric tons. The fishing season was expected to run from January to May and then from September to December, …
Military police board last two toothfish poachers in Cabo Verde
Military and police have boarded the last two Interpol-wanted toothfish poaching vessels, Songhua and Yongding, in Cabo Verde, an archipelago state off the northwest coast of Africa. The action took place thanks to intelligence provided to international law enforcement by Sea Shepherd, which had been gathered two days prior in a remarkable set of chance circumstances. On Wednesday May 20 at …
Sanford welcomes news of Perlon detention
New Zealand fishing company Sanford is welcoming news that a Nigerian registered vessel has been detained in Malaysia and 330 tons of toothfish confiscated from it. Sanford is one of only two New Zealand companies permitted to source toothfish from the Ross Sea fishery. Sanford Chief Operations Officer, Greg Johansson, says the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living …
Patagonian toothfish: Fighting illegal fishing and protecting albatross
Prince Charles’ letters, released last week, refer to the need to protect Patagonian toothfish. But what is so important about this creature and how have things changed since Prince Charles wrote of its plight to the then environment minister in October 2004? Patagonian toothfish, also known as Chilean sea bass, lives in the cold waters of the Atlantic and sub-Antarctic. …
Open letter to HRH, the Prince of Wales
15th May 2015 His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales Clarence House London, SW1A 1BA UNITED KINGDOM To His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales Open letter Dear Sir, The Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators, who represent over 90% of the world’s toothfish catch, would like to thank you for your concerns raised in October 2004, about Patagonian toothfish fisheries, …
It can be done
It’s not always an easy thing to do but sometimes you have change your mind. I’ve never been a fan of Sea Shepherd. I’ve followed their activities and some of their whackier antics over the years. Fishing News International has described them as eco-pirates; irresponsible extremists who shouldn’t be allowed in charge of a ship, endangering lives and livelihoods, often in pursuit of issues that didn’t need pursuing. …
IUU toothfish vessel, Perlon, nabbed in Malaysia
A Nigeria-registered vessel has been detained and some 330 tonnes of Antarctic toothfish confiscated. The seizure by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, the biggest this year, is believed to be worth more than RM23mil, as the present price of the fish is RM70 per kg. The antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) is a species of cod icefish found in the Southern …
AFMA joins forces with INTERPOL
AFMA and the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) have joined forces to improve control over illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing vessels and to assist countries in South-East Asia to close off their ports to IUU vessels. In February 2015 INTERPOL invited AFMA to participate in training for investigators of fisheries crime in South-East Asia. The training was hosted by the …
Australian Customs nabs notorious illegal toothfish vessel
Australian authorities have pounced on a notorious illegal fishing vessel suspected of illegally fishing for toothfish in the southern oceans. The 67-metre vessel, known as the Perlon, was boarded on Wednesday by officers from Customs and Border Protection and the Australian Defence Force about 2900 nautical miles west of the Australian mainland, in the region west of the Cocos Islands. …
18th April 2015: Pirate fishing ship scuttling a victory
The recent release of a White House action plan on illegal, under-reported, unregulated fishing sets out the need to address this global challenge before it’s too late. The total value of economic losses from IUU fishing is estimated to range from $10 billion to $23.5bn annually. The end last week of the longest pursuit of a poacher in maritime history, surpassing …
16th April 2015: Tides turn against IUU vessels in SE Asia
Siddharth Chakravarty, captain of The Steve Irwin, has been working for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and battling on the frontlines of marine conservation since 2011. Since then, he and his crew have managed to combat Japanese whalers, patrol the Bluefin Tuna fishing season, protect the Whale Sanctuary in the Southern Ocean, save sharks in the South Pacific and more. …
7th April 2015: Footage – IUU Thunder sinks in suspicious circumstances
On 6th April the most notorious toothfish poacher of the all – the FV Thunder – sank inside the EEZ of Sao Tome. Officially, there is now one less toothfish poacher on the CCAMLR IUU vessel blacklist
7th April 2015: Thunder captain cheered as toothfish pirate ship sank
The captain of an alleged pirate ship accused of fishing illegally in Antarctic waters clapped and cheered as his vessel sank off the West African coast overnight, an indication that the ship had been deliberately scuttled, according to Sea Shepherd activists. In what was described as a “weird and surreal” experience, Sea Shepherd crew members have now rescued 40 people …
6th April 2015: Illegal toothfish vessel, Thunder, sinks
All officers and crew have abandoned the THUNDER. Three crew members from the BOB BARKER have boarded the THUNDER. The BOB BARKER boarding party were able to secure and remove a computer, mobile phones and charts from the THUNDER. The logbook seems to have been removed or destroyed. Secured evidence also included a whole toothfish now in the freezer of …
2nd April 2015: Australian agencies stopping illegal fishing
David Carter, CEO of Austral Fisheries, congratulated Australian agencies involved in operations which have led to the apprehension in Malaysia of the illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing boat, the Viking. “I understand the work done by officers from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, the Border Protection Command Service, and the Australian Antarctic Division has been central to actions taken …
2nd April 2015: International cooperation on illegal toothfish fishing reaps benefits
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Senator Richard Colbeck, welcomed action by Malaysian authorities who have detained the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) listed fishing vessel Viking. Senator Colbeck said Australia fully supports Malaysian authorities taking strong action against IUU fishing and offers its support as part of the ongoing investigation. “The vessel has a long history of IUU fishing …
31st March 2015: Recruitment variability in Patagonian toothfish around South Georgia
The Patagonian toothfish, Dissostichus eleginoides, is a deep-water nototheniid fish, endemic to the Southern hemisphere. It supports a valuable fishery within the waters of the UK overseas territory of South Georgia. Relatively little is known about ideal breeding conditions, although there are indications that environmental factors play a key role. Variability in recruitment has been linked to local environmental conditions …
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