Lighthouse Foundation Issues of Sustainability in the Southern Ocean Fisheries – the Case of the Patagonian Toothfish Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) © CSIRO Marine Research Liza D. Fallon and Elaine Stratford School of Geography and Environmental Studies University of Tasmania Australia March 2003 © University of Tasmania 2003 This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 or by individuals for study purposes, no part of this document may be reproduced without permission. In all cases the source of the material must be acknowledged when reproducing or quoting any part of this work. The Consultants and any individuals involved in the collection or presentation of data, or its interpretation, agree that it is the responsibility of users to make their own assessments of the suitability of this report, and the results presented herein, and that advice, opinions or information supplied within this report are used at their own risk. Fallon and Stratford: Issues of Sustainability in the Southern Ocean Fisheries Contents Figures ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Tables ........................................................................................................................................ 3 Plates ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Acronyms and Abbreviations.................................................................................................. 4 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 The Southern Ocean................................................................................................ 6 1.2 Antarctic Convergence ............................................................................................ 7 1.3 Bathymetry of the Southern Ocean ...................................................................... 7 1.4 Current systems in the Southern Ocean .............................................................. 7 1.5 Weather and climate in the Southern Ocean ...................................................... 8 1.6 Biological zonation in the Southern Ocean .......................................................... 9 2 Southern Ocean marine resources............................................................................. 10 2.1 The discovery of Southern Ocean marine resources........................................ 10 2.2 Largescale commercial marine harvesting......................................................... 15 3 Management of the Southern Ocean resources....................................................... 19 3.1 Antarctic Treaty System (ATS)............................................................................. 19 3.2 Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources........ 20 3.3 CCAMLR Commission............................................................................................. 22 3.4 CCAMLR managed fisheries.................................................................................. 23 3.5 Issues for the Antarctic Treaty System and CCAMLR ...................................... 24 4 Fishing techniques ........................................................................................................ 25 4.1 Trawling................................................................................................................... 25 4.2 Longlining................................................................................................................ 27 5 The case of the Patagonian toothfish........................................................................ 30 5.1 Ecology of the Patagonian toothfish ................................................................... 31 5.2 Uncertainty in assessing Patagonian toothfish stocks...................................... 31 5.3 Commercial exploitation of Patagonian toothfish ............................................. 32 6 Pressures on Patagonian toothfish fisheries............................................................. 33 6.1 Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing ...................................................... 33 6.2 Incidental mortality of nontarget species........................................................... 37 7 Trade in Patagonian toothfish..................................................................................... 38 7.1 Patagonian toothfish markets .............................................................................. 38 7.2 Illegal trade of Patagonian toothfish................................................................... 39 7.3 Responsibility of consumers................................................................................. 40 1 Fallon and Stratford: Issues of Sustainability in the Southern Ocean Fisheries 8 International actors of influence................................................................................. 41 8.1 CCAMLR State Parties............................................................................................ 41 8.2 Commercial fishers ................................................................................................ 41 8.3 Nongovernment organisations............................................................................. 42 8.4 International scientific community ...................................................................... 43 8.5 Interests of international actors .......................................................................... 43 9 Challenges for Patagonian toothfish management and conservation .................. 48 10 Global sustainability imperatives – some conclusions............................................. 49 Acknowledgements................................................................................................................ 51 References .............................................................................................................................. 52 Biography of authors............................................................................................................. 60 2 Fallon and Stratford: Issues of Sustainability in the Southern Ocean Fisheries Figures Figure 2.1 Commercial exploitation of Southern Ocean marine resources…. 11 Figure 3.1 CCAMLR statistical reporting areas in the Southern Ocean………. 21 Figure 3.2 CCAMLR logo………………………………………………………………………. 22 Figure 4.1 Areas where Dissostichus spp trawling and longlining activities are take place……………………………………………………………………… 26 Figure 4.2 Demersal longlining employing the Spanish method……………….. 28 Figure 4.3 Demersal longlining employing the autolining/Mustad method…. 28 Figure 6.1 Estimated catches of Dissostichus spp 1983/84 - 2001/02………. 36 Figure 7.1 Principal Patagonian toothfish fishing grounds……………………….. 39 Figure 8.1 ISOFISH logo……………………………………………………………………… 42 Tables Table 2.1 The main marine species harvested in the Southern Ocean……… 15 Table 3.1 CCAMLR fisheries and TAC limits set by the CCAMLR Commission for the 2002/03 season……………………………………… 23 Table 4.1 Fisheries in CCAMLR statistical areas 48, 58 and 88………………… 25 Table 6.1 Identified past or current involvement in IUU fishing or landing operations………………………………………………………………………….. 34 Table 6.2 Total CCAMLR estimated catch (tonnes) of Patagonian toothfish by regulated and IUU operations 1996/97 – 2001/02……………… 35 Table 6.3 Estimated total potential seabird bycatch associated with IUU fishing for Patagonian toothfish in the CCAMLR Area………………. 37 Table 8.1 Development of the main CCAMLR observation and conservation measures in the Dissostichus spp. longline fisheries……………………………………………………………………………… 45 Plates Plate 1.1 The Southern Ocean……………………………………………………………. 8 Plate 2.1 Weddell seal……………………………………………………………………….. 12 Plate 2.2 Heard Island……………………………………………………………………….. 13 Plate 2.3 Japanese scientific whale factory ship in Antarctic waters………… 13 Plate 2.4 Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides)……………………… 19 Plate 3.1 Antarctica…………………………………………………………………………… 20 Plate 4.1 Wandering albatross hooked and drowned on a longline…………. 29 Plate 5.1 Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni)…………………………….. 30 Plate 6.1 Three of the four Glacial longliners moored together………………. 33 Plate 10.1 Intrinsic values of the Southern Ocean………………………………….. 49 3 Fallon and Stratford: Issues of Sustainability in the Southern Ocean Fisheries Acronyms and Abbreviations AAD – Australian Antarctic Division AFMA – Australian Fisheries Management Authority ASOC – Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition ATCP – Antarctic Treaty Consultative Party ATS – Antarctic Treaty System BIOMASS – Biological Investigation of Antarctic Systems and Stocks BSD – Bluefin Tuna Statistical Document Program CCAMLR – Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources CCAS – Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals CDS – Catch Documentation Scheme CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CQFE – Centre for Quantitative Fisheries Ecology CRAMRA – Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities CSIRO – Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation EEZ – Exclusive Economic Zone FAO – Food and Agriculture Organisation HCDCS – Harmonized Commodity Description