Indian Ocean

29 July, 2016

A LOT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS BUT WE CANNOT GIVE UP UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE.

A new report out today, reviewing ten years of international commitment to conserve biodiversity in the deep sea, finds significant improvements in our ability to prevent damage from destructive fishing practices over the last decade, but concludes that implementation of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) landmark Resolutions falls short and leaves vast parts of the ocean unprotected from destruction by deep-sea bottom trawling.

Continue reading Implementation of United Nations Landmark Resolutions To Protect The Deep Sea Is Inadequate

6 July, 2006

The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition today said the decision by Australian fishing company Austral to be part of an industry proposal to close parts of the Southern Indian Ocean from bottom trawl fishing shows they are aware of the need to protect deep-sea life from the destruction caused by bottom trawling, but warned this alone will not solve the problem. “It sounds like a large area but it is a tiny fraction of the South Indian Ocean – maybe as little as 2 per cent” said Lyn Goldsworthy, Australian representative of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition. “It’s effectiveness in addressing deep sea destruction will depend on significance of the areas involved. It could be areas already fished out. It may cover areas that are unfishable. And it may not cover all the areas under threat – particularly fishable seamounts.

Continue reading Trawl ban a drop in the ocean

5 July, 2006

Download this press release (pdf) The proposal by New Zealand high seas fishing company Sealord, together with three other fishing companies, to voluntarily refrain from deep-sea fishing in limited areas of the international waters of the Indian Ocean, falls woefully short of the action needed to protect deep-sea corals, seamounts and other unique marine ecosystems in the region.

Continue reading The southern Indian Ocean needs real protection, not voluntary half measures

29 April, 2005

Responding to the Spanish Fisheries Ministry’s position statement on a proposed UN General Assembly moratorium on high seas bottom trawling, the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) welcomed Spain’s recognition that bottom trawling is a destructive fishing practice which needs to be addressed, but rejected their proposal for doing so as a stalling tactic.

Continue reading Response to Spanish Position On High Seas Bottom Trawling Moratorium