Archive News

Archive News

   1    2006

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         1 2006

• BirdLife International, 1 December 2006 -  Albatross deaths prompt action from New Zealand
  "...The New Zealand government is considering imposing a temporary ban on surface longline fishing in the Kermadec Islands  after a fishing vessel was reported to have killed 51 albatrosses in a single trip.  Conservationists hope the ban will give the government time to implement mitigation techniques in the fishery, to reduce levels of seabird bycatch. ..."

• Guardian Unlimited, UK, 15 November 2006 -  Scientists call for deep-sea trawling ban
  "...Scientists have called for a worldwide ban on deep-sea trawling following a major UN-backed report on the damage it is causing to vulnerable deep-sea corals. Scientific evidence has been mounting that deep-sea bottom trawling, which involves dragging nets over the summits of submerged mountains called seamounts, can do long-lasting damage to the ecosystems. But countries such as Spain, Russia, Canada and South Korea have defended the practice, arguing that no one could be sure which areas to avoid. The UK government supports a moratorium...."

• Miami Herald.com, USA, 14 November 2006 -  Chilean seabass wins round in court
  [ARTICLE NO LONGER AVAILABLE]
  "...''At last someone is convicted of piracy,'' said Xavier Pastor, vice president for Europe of the environmental group Oceana. 'For us this means a first step was taken by the U.S. justice system against piracy,'' Pastor said in a telephone interview from Spain. ``The punishment is mild, but it is clearly a first step, and it demonstrates Vidal's guilt.''..."

• Lawfuel, New Zealand, 13 November 2006 -  Uruguayan Company and Corporate Exec Plead Guilty -US Attorney Media Release
  "...According to records in the case, the government seized more than 53,000 pounds of toothfish, valued at wholesale prices of $314,397.30, which arrived in Miami aboard a cargo vessel from the CARRAN catch. This is the first successful federal felony prosecution in the United States for activities involving illegal importation and sale of toothfish. A total of 11 cargo containers of toothfish, with an approximate wholesale value of $3.5 million, from the F/V CARRAN catch was shipped on three separate vessels as part of the effort to import the illegal fish into the United States...."

• The Florida Times-Union, USA, 13 November 2006 -  Spanish businessman pleads guilty in illegal Chilean seabass case
  "...After entering his guilty plea, Antonio Vidal Pego was placed on four years' probation and fined $400,000, and he agreed to have no further involvement with the Chilean seabass business. An Uruguayan company associated with Vidal, Fadilur S.A., also agreed to plead guilty to an obstruction charge and will pay a $100,000 fine, its attorney said... Vidal and the Montevideo-based company pleaded guilty only to the obstruction count, which involved falsification of U.S. fisheries documents in an attempt to interfere with the federal investigation. Three other charges were dismissed..."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 9 November 2006 -  Certified toothfish gradually returning to posh New York
  "...Kim Guynn, an import control officer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a division of the Department of Commerce, which monitors seafood imports into the United States, said that very few illegal fish were coming in to the US now.  “The documentation necessary to bring in the fish has been strengthened,” she said. “We have the tightest controls of any country in the world. We have seized illegal shipments worth millions of dollars. We’ve taken away the financial incentive and the word is out that it isn’t worth it. ”..."

• The New York Times, USA, 8 November 2006 -  Some Chilean Sea Bass is Labeled Sustainable
  "...Since last month, shoppers browsing the seafood counter at Whole Foods markets nationwide have been greeted by banners proclaiming: “Welcome back Chilean sea bass!”...“The response has been incredible,” said David Pilat, the national seafood coordinator for Whole Foods Markets. “Consumers have been pleased to be able to buy it again, and that there is a good resource.”..."

• MEDIA RELEASE, Australian Government, 7 November 2006 -  Success in combating illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean
  "...nations agreed to a binding Conservation Measure placing an interim prohibition on deep-sea gill-netting in the CCAMLR Convention Area, stronger port controls and improvements to the Patagonian toothfish Catch Documentation Scheme...Senator Campbell said that the Commission also agreed to stronger cooperation with nations that are not members of CCAMLR to ensure that fish pirates cannot unload their illegal catches, such as Patagonian toothfish..."

• FISHUpdate.com, United Kingdom, 7 November 2006 -  Retailers must act responsibly says Prince of Wales
  "...During an exclusive interview for TVE’s Earth Report series, The Prince of Wales makes a passionate call for a worldwide effort to save the world’s endangered albatrosses from extinction. He calls on retailers to obtain their fish only from certified stocks..."

• The Australian, Australia, 23 October 2006 -  Call for clampdown on illegal fishers
  "...We'd like to see agreement on greater international collaboration to identify and prosecute the owners of boats who flaunt the rules and regulations put in place to safeguard fish populations and marine ecosystems in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters..."

• WWF International, Switzerland, 23 October 2006 -  Protecting the Southern Ocean's living resources
  "...Twenty-five years on from a global commitment to protect and manage the Southern Ocean, government scientists and decision-makers from more than 30 nations are meeting to decide the future of the ocean’s wildlife and marine resources..."

• Reuters.uk, United Kingdom, 19 October 2006 -  Pirates, vacuum-fishing threaten Antarctic waters
  "...Pirates seeking Chilean sea bass and fishing vessels that vacuum up tiny shrimp-like creatures that are a staple for whales, seals and penguins are menacing Antarctic waters, environmentalists said on Thursday..."

• ABC Online, Australia, 28 September 2006 -  NT fishermen reach buyout deal
  "...Australia's patagonian tooth fishermen have rejected calls to close down the fishery.  This week, two illegal fishermen were fined more than $100,000 for poaching. The Australian Conservation Foundation says the penalty is no deterrent and a worldwide ban on the sale of the toothfish would be more effective..."

• NZHerald.co.nz, 28 September 2006 -  Albatross faces extinction in South Atlantic, say wildlife groups
  "...But man is having a devastating impact too. Unregulated long-line fishing for tuna and the Patagonian toothfish results in the death of vast numbers of birds each year. Many become ensnared on baited hooks hung from 128km-long lines behind boats..."

• ABC Online, Australia, 27 September 2006 -  NT fishermen reach buyout deal
  "...Do you stop exporting sheep because someone's duffing sheep, that's the principle and like I said there's very strong catch documentation which follows all toothfish products around the world, some countries won't import the product unless they've got absolute proof this fish has been taken legally and been taken responsibly..."

• ABC Radio, Australia, 27 September 2006 -  Conservationists want ban on Patagonian Toothfish fishing
  "...For years now it's been clear that it's not possible to effectively police this fishery. We're talking about a ban, it doesn't have to be permanent, but it really does need, we do need some sort of a moratorium in order for the fishery to get its act together and for the countries responsible for management of the fishery to prove that this fishery can be managed effectively and that the product only comes from legal sources. At the moment that's simply not possible..."

• Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, 27 September 2006 -  Toothfish poachers unlikely to pay fines
  "...Since the Taruman, their Cambodian-flagged boat equipped with a fish factory and freezing facilities, was apprehended near Macquarie Island last September, no illegal fishing had been detected in the Southern Ocean..."

• The Australian, Australia, 27 September 2006 -  Judge apologises as he 'fines' illegal fishermen
  "...despite acknowledging earlier this week that there was no "practical way of enforcing the fine" if the men decided to leave the country within 28 days, Judge Norrish apologised to them for their year-long detainment in Australia..."

• BYM News, Spain, 26 September 2006 -  USA Antarctic Chilean Sea Bass fisheries receives Marine Stewardship Council
  "...Whole Foods Market and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) are pleased to announce that the supermarket is the first retailer to offer Patagonian toothfish, commonly known as Chilean sea bass, from an Antarctic fishery that has been certified to the MSC's environmental standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries..."

• Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, 26 September 2006 -  Fishermen fined for catching toothfish
  "...Two Spanish fisherman have been fined for illegally fishing endangered Patagonian toothfish in Australian waters in the Southern Ocean last year...In the District Court in Sydney today, Judge Stephen Norrish fined the two men $65,000 and $53,000 respectively, although the maximum penalties under the law were a fine of $1.375 million..."

• The Australian, Australia, 26 September 2006 -  Poachers fine flaw
  "...Spanish nationals Alfonso Dacruz Amoedo and Enrique Dominguez were convicted last week on charges of breaching the Australian Fisheries Management Act after their ship, the FV Taruman, was caught last year illegally fishing for toothfish in southern waters. NSW District Court judge Stephen Norrish was told yesterday the men - who are likely to receive fines - could not be held in custody until they have paid. Instead, they were likely to be given bridging visas and allowed to leave Australia, the court heard..."

• Yahoo News, 25 September 2006 -  Whole Foods Market(R) Brings Back Patagonian Toothfish (Chilean Sea Bass); Product From Fishery Certified By Marine Stewardship Council
  "...The Patagonian toothfish fishers in South Georgia have worked hard to prove their fishing practices are sustainable, and it's great that they have met the MSC's independent environmental standard. Overfishing and illegal fishing remain a serious global threat to this species in other fisheries, so smart shoppers need to check for the eco-label before they buy..."

• China Post, Taiwan, 24 September 2006 -  Australia welcomes conviction of poachers
  "...The Taruman was carrying 143 tonnes of Patagonian toothfish, also known as Chilean sea bass, when it was boarded south of Tasmania in September last year. The catch was sold this month for A$1.5 million..."

• ABC Regional Online, Australia, 23 September 2006 -  Pair found guilty of illegal capture of patagonian toothfish
  "...The captain and the fishing master of a long-line boat caught south of Tasmania last year have been found guilty of illegally catching patagonian toothfish.  The jury's verdict in Sydney last night ends a 12-month saga.  In September last year, Customs patrol boat Oceanic Viking apprehended the Cambodian flagged FV Taruman in the Southern Ocean, near Macquarie Island, south of Tasmania..."

• BirdLife International, 22 September 2006 -  Toothfish back on the menu
  "...Patagonian toothfish—also known as Chilean sea bass—is back on the menu, provided it comes from South Georgia, whose longline fishery has met the tough standards required to become certified as a sustainable and well-managed fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The certificate has been awarded to the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands..."

• The Age, Australia, 12 September 2006 -  Greens seek US help in toothfish fight
  "...Conservation groups have petitioned the United States to impose sanctions against Spain over illegal and harmful fishing practices involving the Patagonian toothfish in Antarctic waters. The Humane Society International (HSI) and the WWF have accused rogue Spanish operators of illegally plundering the increasingly overfished but valuable toothfish and killing thousands of seabirds in the process..."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 31 August 2006 -  Australia, France to sign Southern Ocean fishing treaty
  "...McGauran said the treaty would allow a French vessel to apprehend an illegal fishing boat caught in Australian waters, and vice versa..."

• Forbes.com, 29 August 2006 -  Australia, France to sign Southern Ocean fishing treaty
  "...Australia and France have agreed to sign a treaty to fight illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean, the waters encircling the continent of Antarctica..."

• Reuters AlertNet, UK, 3 August 2006 -  Australia plans Asian fishermen prison ship
  "...The ship would be used to secure illegal arrivals at sea for two to three days, allowing navy vessels to keep patrolling instead of immediately returning to port with detainees.  "We need a vessel that will be able to hold illegal fishers out at sea so we can round up even more of the boats."..."

• JoonAng Daily, South Korea, 29 July 2006 -  It's no fish story: 255 tons of bass frozen at port
  "It's O.K. to fish for Chilean Sea Bass ― as long as the fish are not in the Antarctic Ocean.  And because 255 tons of the fish were pulled from there, a local court ruled yesterday, the frozen cargo can not leave South Korea. Its fate is not yet known..."

• USA Today, USA, 25 July 2006 -  'A beginning' for conservation
  "...commercial fishing groups, faced with the prospect of restrictions and closures, added their voices to the fray. "When this process started, it was very contentious and polarized," says David Benton, executive director of the Marine Conservation Alliance, a commercial fishing advocacy group. "But we ended up with practical, working solutions. Industry recognized we had to step up to the plate and do the responsible thing."..."

• Reuters AlertNet, UK, 6 July 2006 -  Greens applaud companies halting high-seas trawls
  "...Conservationists welcomed on Thursday the first voluntary halt to high-seas trawling by four major fishing companies in the southern Indian Ocean, saying the move was vital to protect marine ecosystems.  The companies -- Austral Fisheries Pty Ltd of Australia, Bel Ocean II Ltd of Mauritius, Sealord Group of New Zealand and TransNamibia Fishing Pty Ltd of Namibia -- have pledged not to trawl in eleven deep-sea areas of the southern Indian Ocean..."

• ABC Regional Online, Australia, 4 July 2006 -  Conservationists welcome toothfish plan
  "...Conservationists have welcomed the Federal Government's approach to managing the Macquarie Island toothfish fishery, about 1,500 kilometres south of Hobart.  For the first time, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has called for tenders from companies wanting to trawl for the patagonian toothfish around Macquarie Island..."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 29 June 2006 -  Spanish magnate faces US trial for illegal toothfish trade
  "...Vidal pleaded innocent in April to charges he conspired to import and sell illegally caught Chilean sea bass. His lawyer, Milton Hirsch, says his client has nothing to do with the alleged illegality of the fish catch and received news of the problem sitting in Spain. 'I so seldom get to represent people this innocent,' Hirsch said..."

• Miami Herald, USA, 25 June 2006 -  Authorities concerned about Chilean Sea Bass reel in a fishing magnate on poaching charges
  "...Vidal's name is already well-known in environmental protection circles. The dramatic sea chase of one of his ships halfway across Antarctic ice floes on suspicions of poaching sea bass is the subject of the new book Hooked: Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish. Now the criminal charges against Vidal, played out in Miami federal court, are quickly becoming a test case in government efforts to stop illegal fishing threatening the sea bass population..."

• Environment News Service, 20 June 2006 -  Argentine company penalised $335,000 for Chilean Sea Bass trafficking
  "...Estremar SA, an Argentine company formerly known as ASC South America SA, admitted that in March 2002, it knowingly imported into the United States and attempted to sell over 30,000 pounds of Patagonian toothfish.  The company admitted that it reasonably should have known that the toothfish had been harvested and transported in violation of federal law because the amount imported was in excess of the amount it could legally import with the documentation accompanying the shipment..."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 20 June 2006 -  Argentine fishing company pleads guilty
  "...Estremar SA, an Argentine company formerly known as ASC South America SA, last week pleaded guilty to violating federal anti-fish and wildlife trafficking law by importing and attempting to sell Patagonian toothfish, often marketed by the trade name Chilean seabass, without the documentation required to show it was legally harvested..."

• Noticias.info, Spain, 16 June 2006 -  Argentine Company Pleads Guilty to Illegal Dealing in Chilean Sea Bass
  "...Estremar admitted that in March 2002, it knowingly imported into the United States and attempted to sell over 30,000 pounds of Patagonian toothfish. The company admitted that it reasonably should have known that the toothfish had been harvested and transported in violation of federal law because the amount imported was in excess of the amount it could legally import..."

• International Herald Tribune, France, 22 May 2006 -  Philip Bowring : Lessons of the Patagonian Toothfish
  "...Saving the whale and defending the dolphin have, albeit belatedly, become causes for their fellow mammals. But who will save the humphead wrasse, the orange roughy, the leopard grouper and numerous other species from overfishing by interests with regulators in their pocket or by pirates abetted by complacent governments...Alas, until the rich can be persuaded to attach as much emotional importance to the wrasse as to the whale, and poorer ones to take depletion seriously, nothing is likely to change - at least until there are no more fish to fish" ...."

• Independent Online, South Africa, 21 May 2006 -  Fish stocks 'close to extinction'
  "...The report's authors called on the UN to review fishing on the high seas and strengthen the resolve of RFMOs to deal with states that flout agreements. "It's got to stop, we've got to do it quickly," Mr Cripps said. "There is hope, if we can get management put in place." ...."

• Los Angeles Times, USA, 21 May 2006 -  Sea change : A book review
  "...Not only is "Hooked: Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish" a rollicking read, it is a relief. And a wonder. For wrapped up in these red-blooded storytelling ingredients is the account of another assault on our planet's troubled environment. And let's face it, conservation writing has become one of our dreariest forms: The sky is falling, oh dear … fill in the blanks...."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 18 May 2006 -  Uruguay imposes strict controls on foreign flagged fishing vessels
  "...The increased controls and inspections which had already been intensified ... will become effective on all fishing fleets operating from Montevideo including jiggers, trawlers and longliners.  One of the requirements foreign vessels with catches to unload must comply with, is mandatory notification to Uruguay’s fisheries authorities at least 48 hours before their arrival in Montevideo...The measures ... have caused certain unease among local agents and operators..."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 4 May 2006 -  Spanish vessel owner facing 35-year jail term in US
  "...A Spanish fishing vessel owner charged with illegally importing over 26,000 kilos of Chilean sea-bass or Patagonian toothfish pleaded not guilty Thursday in his first appearance in a United States Florida court.  A federal judge set bond at half a million US dollars for Spanish citizen Antonio Vidal Pego. He was indicted along with the Uruguayan company Fadilur SA by a US grand jury last September. Vidal owns a large commercial fishing fleet..."

• Mongabay.com, USA, 4 May 2006 -  History of the Chilean Sea Bass market
  "...The book and the article recount the harrowing 3 week, 4,000-mile pursuit of an illegal fishing boat through icebergs of the South Atlantic Ocean. The Viarsa, loaded with contraband Chilean Sea Bass, was eventually captured by an international team of ships..."

• WebWire, Georgia, 4 May 2006 -  Whole Foods Market continues commitment to seafood sustainability by offering Marine Stewardship Council-Certified Halibut
  "...The sustainable seafood movement is gathering momentum, and Whole Foods Market has been a longtime supporter of this trend and the MSC," said Jim Humphreys, MSC’s Regional Director of the Americas. "Studies suggest that consumers prefer sustainably caught seafood, and Whole Foods Market is offering fresh Pacific halibut at the peak of its season to satisfy that demand..."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 3 May 2006 -  New toothfish season begins in South Georgia
  "...one of the exciting features of the new toothfish season, which had just begun, was that there was a vessel licensed to carry out some trials of pot fishing.  Pot fishing, is a method of fishing for toothfish, which is considered very environmentally friendly in that it involves no hooks and therefore brings with it no risk of incidental seabird mortality..."

• HeraldToday.com, USA, 20 April 2006 -  Spanish fishing magnate appears in U.S. court on seabass charges
  "...Vidal was arrested Wednesday after arriving at Miami International Airport. He had been an international fugitive before that, with authorities on three continents searching for him and a warrant for his arrest circulated on Interpol..."

• Local10.com, USA, 20 April 2006 -  Sea Bass could land man in jail for 35 years
  "...A federal magistrate judge set bond at $500,000 for Antonio Vidal Pego, who was indicted along with the Uruguayan company Fadilur SA by a U.S. grand jury in September. Vidal and Fadilur SA allegedly attempted to import about 53,000 pounds of sea bass valued at nearly $315,000 from Singapore to Miami..."

• Fishupdate.com, 27 March 2006 -  Greenpeace steps up fight on illegal fishing
  "After allegedly witnessing fish being stolen from one of the poorest regions on the world, Greenpeace and the Environmental Justice Foundation, in cooperation with enforcement authorities from Guinea, are from today preparing to arrest pirate-fishing vessels that are laundering their cargo through European ports."

• Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand, 22 March 2006 -  Greenpeace lobbies for marine reserves
  "Greenpeace wants 40 per cent of the world's oceans set aside as marine reserves, with fishing and seabed mining banned...Greenpeace said it would protect vulnerable seamounts, penguins, New Zealand sea lions, minke whales and toothfish from such threats as "bioprospecting" – gathering organisms for commercial exploitation of chemical compounds – tourism, whaling, over-fishing, and invasive marine species from ship hulls"

• ASOC.org, 6 March 2006 -  Communicado de Prensa (Spanish): Los Gobiernos preparan recomendaciones para ayudar a poner fin a la pesca ilegal
  "...El Grupo de Acción identificó seis áreas prioritarias para la implementación de acciones inmediatas: fortalecer la red internacional de seguimiento, control y vigilancia;  establecer un sistema de información a nivel global sobre embarcaciones de pesca en alta mar; promover una mayor participación en tratados multilaterales relativos al manejo de los océanos y las pesquerías; promover una mejor gobernanza de las áreas de alta mar; aprobar y promover directrices sobre el desempeño del Estado del pabellón; y apoyar un mayor uso de medidas comerciales y a nivel portuario..."

• High Seas Task Force, 3 March 2006 -  Media Release: Governments make recommendations to help stop pirate fishing
  "...The task force identified six priority areas for immediate action: strengthen the international monitoring, control, and surveillance network; establish a global information system on high-seas fishing boats; promote broader participation in multilateral treaties governing oceans and fishing; promote better high-seas governance; adopt and promote guidelines on flag state performance; and support greater use of port and trade measures..."

• ABC Asia Pacific, Australia, 5 March 2006 -  Australia to allow fishing for toothfish
  "A new management plan is giving fishing operators the chance to bid for the right to catch valuable toothfish in Australian waters.  Australia's Government has approved the plan to manage trawling around Macquarie Island..."

• Article no longer available: The Weekend Australian, Australia, 4 March 2006 -  Chinese gangs cast nets
  "...Senator Ellison said Russian vessels with Spanish crews had been co-ordinated by Chinese companies in Hong Kong and were selling the toothfish on the international market..."

• ABC News Online, Australia, 3 March 2006 -  Govt unveils toothfish catch plan
  "The Federal Government has signed off on new measures to protect the prized patagonian toothfish in sub-Antarctic waters...The fishery will be divided into two sectors, with the total allowable catch for the financial year set at 380 tonnes for both sectors..."

• Cape Argus, South Africa, 1 March 2006 -  Debating the tidemark left behind by our ocean's plunder
  "...We are fortunate that we are not alone in the fight against this illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, but are joined by international bodies such as CCAMLR (an inter-governmental convention, see www.ccamlr.org), the Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators (Colto, see www. colto.org) and non-government organisations. 
  The annual global landings from IUU fishing were estimated by CCAMLR to be declining. Their estimate was 2 622 tons in 2003/4, with probably not more than 30% of this taken from South African waters..."

• Greenpeace UK, UK, 28 February 2006 -  Make Piracy History
  "...Five years ago governments agreed an International Plan of Action on pirate fishing - what's left to discuss?" said Helene Bours of the Environmental Justice Foundation. "Governments need to stop talking and start acting. Closing ports, markets and prosecuting companies will rid the oceans of pirate fishermen - it is simply a matter of political will, not further debate."

• Dominican Today, Dominican Republic, 28 February 2006 -  Make piracy history: Greenpeace
  "Greenpeace and the Environmental Justice Foundation are working together to expose the pirate fishing fleets that operate without sanction across the globe. Together the international environment and human rights organizations are demanding that governments close ports to ban pirates, deny them access to markets and prosecute companies supporting them..."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 26 February 2006 -  Eight vessels permitted to target Patagonian Toothfish this year
  "Argentina Federal Fishery Council (CFP) decided to preventively set a total allowable catch (TAC) of 2,500 tonnes for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) this year..."

• Cape Argus, South Africa, 17 February 2006 -  Poacher's mammoth catch
  "The perlemoen and Patagonian toothfish poached in South African waters and sold illegally in Asian markets are worth more than the country's entire legal fishing industry..."

• Mail & Guardian online, South Africa, 9 February 2006 -  Nature fund focus on SA fish stocks
  "South Africa's fish stocks are a focal point of the World Wide Fund for Nature in SA's (WWF SA) agenda for this year, the organisation said in Johannesburg on Thursday...Rob Little, head of conservation, told a press conference the WWF SA believed it would get the government to declare Prince Edward island a protected area..."

• ABC Hobart, Australia, 28 January 2006 -  Industry hails decision to sell poached toothfish
  "A decision by Australian fisheries authorities to sell a haul of patagonian toothfish seized from a foreign trawler has been applauded by those in the industry operating legally. The 140 tonnes of fish were found on the MV Taruman in September when the ship's master and fishing master were charged with illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean..."

• Online Opinion, Australia, 24 January 2006 -  Tragedy of the oceans
  "The vessel, the Viarsa, did not have its fishing gear in the water when it was spotted in August 2003 - although it did have 97 tonnes of the prized Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) aboard. Despite a determined effort by Australian authorities to crack down on illegal fishing, the verdict illustrates the difficulty of proving guilt in apparent fisheries violations..."

• OneNews, New Zealand, 18 January 2006 -  Orion makes ice landing
  "The Air Force has landed an Orion aircraft in Antarctica for the first time in an attempt to find out whether surveillance patrols of the Southern Ocean can be extended..."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 4 January 2006 -  South Georgia Toothfish TAC increased for 2006 Season
  "...The TAC (Total Allowable Catch) for Toothfish in the South Georgia Maritime Zone (SGMZ) has been increased by more than 15% for the coming Toothfish season, reports the South Georgia and South Sandwich government office...The increase in TAC is due largely to more accurate stock assessments using a tagging procedure..."

• BYM News, Spain, 3 January 2006 -  Southern Ocean patrol ship exposes Patagonian toothfishing in Antarctic
  "...The armed Australian patrol ship Oceanic Viking has uncovered further evidence of fishing boats operating in Antarctic waters...Senator Macdonald said the Oceanic Viking observed the nine vessels in the BANZARE Bank area, just outside Australia's Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) EEZ..."

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Viarsa (2003-2005)

Maya V (2004)

Apache (2004)

 
         1 2005

• Scoop.co.nz, New Zealand, 16 December 2005 -  Vessels sighted on Antarctic patrol flight
  "...The P3K Orion aircraft, from 5 Squadron, returned on Thursday evening after its twelve hour flight to the edge of the Antarctic sea ice and back. A number of vessels were observed..."

• Travel Daily News International, Greece, 8 December 2005 -  Outcomes of the 2005 World Summit
  "...Substantial increases in illegal fishing, tourism, bio-prospecting, climate change and depletion of the ozone layer continue to pose major challenges to the Antarctic, and governments should continue to make major efforts to secure the area as a natural reserve, according to UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan..."

• Reuters AlertNet, UK, 7 December 2005 -  Australia battles illegal fishing in north, south
  "...A crackdown on illegal fishing by the Australian government has seen 1,760 crew apprehended and their boats destroyed. A total of 432 masters and senior crew have been charged with offences, with lower order crew sent straight back to Indonesia...Australia is not only trying to fight illegal fishing on its doorstop, but also internationally and recently co-sponsored a report that found that illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing was worth around $1.2 billion a year..."

• FULL REPORT : The Changing Nature of High Seas Fishing : How flags of convenience provide cover for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, October 2005.  An independent report funded by Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, International Transport Workers' Union, and WWF International

• Ellsworth American, USA, 30 November 2005 -  Congress considers new legislation to improve fisheries management
  "...The legislation also aims at strengthening international compliance with fishery management and conservation regulations and reducing unreported fishing for seriously threatened species, such as the Patagonian toothfish — sold in high-end restaurants and fish markets as Chilean sea bass..."

• MercoPress, Uruguay, 23 November 2005 -   European satellite protects toothfish in Kerguelen
  "...The satellite has become a watchdog, monitoring the frigid waters, especially in the vicinity of the French Kerguelen Islands to impede illegal vessels from fishing Patagonian toothfish -or deep-sea cod-, a species protected by all international agreements..."

• Falkland Island News Network, Falklands, 22 November 2005 -  Falklands and South Georgia Set a Benchmark for Fisheries Management
  "...It's notable that this year we had a very good performance in terms of compliance at South Georgia and the relatively very low catches of birds that were made in the Long-line fishery for Toothfish and also the patrol fishery for Icefish..."

• The Register, UK, 18 November 2005 -  Satellite radar tracking sees off toothfish pirates
  "The endangered Patagonian toothfish is getting a helping hand from Envisat, one of Europe's research satellites. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), a radar monitoring scheme using data from Envisat and Radarsat-1 has reduced the illegal fishing in one region by around 90 per c