Nelson 30-July-2006: Greenpeace activists block the trawl ramp of Belize flagged Chinese bottom trawler Chang Xing in Port Nelson, New Zealand. Two other activists climbed the mast and along with one other attached to the mooring line stopped the vessel from leaving port.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, the Deep Sea
Conservation Coalition (DSCC) urged her government to withdraw
licences from New Zealand-flagged bottom trawlers that fish in
international waters for orange roughy and other deep-sea species.
An interim ban would remain until effective conservation and
management measures are established that protect vulnerable
deep-sea life.
In their letter to Ms Clark, DSCC coordinator, Kelly Rigg, and
policy advisor, Matthew Gianni, said such initiative would
demonstrate strong leadership and New Zealand's commitment to
protect deep-sea life.
"New Zealand is responsible for 90% of the high seas bottom
trawling in the South Pacific region. If New Zealand removes its
bottom trawlers, it will immediately end the biggest source of
damage to deep-sea life in the region, and it would send a positive
message about New Zealand's commitment that would be noticed
worldwide," said DSCC policy advisor Matthew Gianni.
"Helen Clark has just announced she wants New Zealand aiming to
be 'the first country which is truly sustainable'. Ending New
Zealand's part in the destruction of deep sea life in international
waters would be a logical next step," said Mr Gianni.
On November 6, fishing nations from around the world will join
New Zealand, Australia and Chile in Hobart to resume negotiations
agreed last February on a new regional fisheries management
organization to cover the South Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea.
Every day the talks continue, so too does the destruction of
bottom trawling. It's expected to take several years to conclude
the negotiations and then get the new organization running
effectively.
"Deep-sea life in the high seas of the South Pacific and Tasman
Sea can't survive any more years of plunder by New Zealand's bottom
trawl fleet," said Mr. Gianni. "There is no need to wait, because
New Zealand has the authority to act now, on its own, to halt the
destruction".
The DSCC urged the Prime Minister to ensure that her government
plays a leadership role at Hobart and negotiates a temporary ban on
bottom trawling throughout the entire South Pacific, to remain in
place until effective conservation and management measures and
enforcement capability are finally established.
"By announcing its intention to withdraw its high seas bottom
trawling fleet, New Zealand would gain enormous respect for its
commitment to biodiversity protection from the international
community," Mr. Gianni said.
"It would also send a strong signal to nations at the United
Nations General Assembly currently negotiating over how to end
destructive high seas bottom trawling that New Zealand is prepared
to take direct responsibility for protecting deep-sea
biodiversity," he concluded.