Canada May Be Partially to Blame as Illegal Fishing Continues to Threaten "Chilean Sea Bass"

A study released today by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring program of World Wildlife Fund and IUCN – World Conservation Union reports that the popular white, flaky fish faces over-harvesting due to illegal activities and poor regulation.

Although marketed as “Chilean sea bass” in North America, it is not a member of the seabass family, but rather is the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides). Large-scale fishing of the Patagonian toothfish began in the early 1990s as stocks of other white-fleshed fish such as orange roughy and black cod declined. In 2000, Canada imported some 1,143 tonnes of Patagonian toothfish worth over $US 4 million, following only the United States, Japan and the European Community in consumption of the fish. The highly valuable fishery, concentrated in the Southern Ocean, has come under increased pressure from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in recent years.

TRAFFIC’s report, entitled Patagonian Toothfish: Are Conservation and Trade Measures Working?, reveals that IUU fishing is blatantly undermining the effectiveness of conservation and management of the species which is led by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). “Even a conservative estimate by TRAFFIC find that the IUU catch accounts for half of the Patagonian toothfish traded last year,” said Ernie Cooper of World Wildlife Fund Canada, the Canadian National Representative of TRAFFIC North America. Because the Patagonian Toothfish is a slow-growing, slow-reproducing fish it is highly susceptible to over-harvesting (it can live for more than 50 years and reach over seven feet in length).

The study notes that since officially acknowledging the threat of IUU fishing in 1997, CCAMLR has introduced a number of measures to address the problem. These include an automated satellite-linked vessel monitoring system, blacklisting of vessels known to be engaged in IUU fishing, and the Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) which was introduced in May 2000 to monitor the international trade in Patagonian toothfish. The CDS requires importers of toothfish to verify that they obtained the fish legally. It is hoped that the Catch Documentation Scheme will help reduce illegal harvest of toothfish and prevent further declines of the species.

“However, it is clear that these measures did not stem the tide of IUU fishing last year and it is already apparent this year that the problem continues,” Cooper said. “All countries involved in the trading of Patagonian toothfish need to show more commitment to cooperating with CCAMLR’s attempts to eliminate IUU fishing.”

Canada has yet to implement the Catch Documentation Scheme. “When Canadians order toothfish in a restaurant or buy it in a store they have no way of knowing whether it was legally harvested,” said Cooper. “Canada’s reluctance to implement the Catch Documentation Scheme indicates a lack of commitment to the conservation of the Patagonian toothfish, and to the long-term viability of an economically important fishery”.

“The introduction of the Catch Documentation Scheme has been a very positive step by CCAMLR, however this report indicates that there is no room for complacency,” Cooper said. “The scheme is undermined if not all countries participate. No single measure will be successful in addressing IUU fishing. Instead, all possible avenues must be explored to urgently bring the Patagonian toothfish fishery under effective management. Otherwise, strong market demand and high prices will continue to attract illegal fishing operations to the long term detriment of the Patagonian toothfish stocks.”

The study identified 11 countries that have been involved in IUU fishing in recent years. This involvement includes countries allowing the landing of fish without confirming that it has not been taken illegally, and countries that refuse to take action against their nationals who are involved in IUU fishing. A particular problem has resulted from countries that register fishing vessels of other nations to operate under their flag while taking no responsibility for the activities of those vessels, a practice known as Flags of Convenience.

As recently as this past April, Australian troops seized a ship off the coast of South Africa after a two-week, 6,100-kilometre chase across the Southern Ocean, accusing its crew of poaching $1 million worth of endangered fish in Australian waters. Australian fisheries officers estimated that the ship had more than 100 tons of Patagonian toothfish on board.

Many uncertainties surround the trade information regarding Patagonian toothfish, making an analysis of the available data difficult. There are problems interpreting some trade data due to the lack of specific trade codes for Patagonian toothfish and the potential for double-counting as a result of re-exporting. The accuracy of the trade statistics are further challenged by Patagonian toothfish being traded under a variety of names, such as “bacalao de profundidad” in Chile, “butterfish” in Mauritius, “Chilean sea bass” in the United States and Canada, and “mero” in Japan.

“Even though there remains some uncertainty about the total catch of Patagonian toothfish, what is certain is that current management regimes have not been effective in ensuring the conservation of Patagonian toothfish stocks,” Cooper added.

The study urges Patagonian toothfish fishing nations to apply the precautionary principle in assessing their current catch levels, taking into account the uncertainty that surrounds total catch and stock status. Also, the role of complementary mechanisms implemented under the auspices of other conventions, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora must be considered.

A copy of the full report may be downloaded as a PDF file from TRAFFIC web site at www.traffic.org/patagonian toothfish.