The Rainbow Warrior located the Amaltal Voyager, Westbay, and
Corsair around 350 miles off the coast of New Zealand on the
Northwest Challenger Plateau.
While Greenpeace activists documented the fishing activities on
the high seas, a Greenpeace delegation began talks at the United
Nations to secure a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling.
(1)
Greenpeace campaigner, Carmen Gravatt, aboard the Rainbow
Warrior acknowledged the pressure the New Zealand Government would
now be under. "The New Zealand Government has yet to say whether it
will support or oppose a moratorium but they must be feeling the
heat in New York at the moment."
"Unregulated high seas bottom trawling is destroying the rich
biodiversity of the deep sea. These vessels are fishing without
regard for the consequences of their actions."
Greenpeace pointed out that one of the fishing boats fishing on
the high seas was the Amaltal Fishing Company, which is a
shareholder of the Orange Roughy Management Company (ORMC). Early
last week, George Clements, the Chief Executive of the ORMC denied
on a Radio New Zealand interview that any of its members operated
in international waters. (2)
More than a thousand scientists are supporting the call for a
moratorium on high seas bottom trawling, because of the vast amount
of marine life that is destroyed by this fishing technique. Many
species have not even been described or discovered before they are
fished out, while ancient corals and sponges are decimated, with
little chance of recovery.
"There are only a small number of nations responsible for this
environmental devastation," said Karen Sack, Greenpeace
International Oceans Policy Advisor, at the United Nations. "While
they reap rich rewards, the biodiversity of the least protected
area of this planet is being wiped out. That is why the United
Nations must impose an immediate moratorium on bottom
trawling."
Notes to Editor:
(1) The 5th meeting of the United Nations Informal Consultation
on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (UNICPOLOS) is being held at the
United Nations in New York. It ends on Friday 11th June. The focus
of the meeting is on the conservation and management of the
biological diversity of the seabed in areas beyond national
jurisdiction.
(2) Radio New Zealand, "Morning Report" 7-9am, Tuesday 1 June
2004. "What they're talking about is about a moratorium outside our
200 mile zone in international waters. Our company doesn't operate
there. We only operate within New Zealand's (exclusive economic
zone)...", George Clements, Orange Roughy Management Company.
(3) Greenpeace's demands to protect the high seas are also
echoed by an international environmental alliance, the Deep Sea
Conservation Coalition, which is also present in New York.