Saturday, September 15th 2012 - 06:27 UTC

Funds from confiscated illegal fish used to combat poachers in Southern Ocean

Funds generated by the sale of fish confiscated from a vessel that had been poaching in the South Georgia and South Sandwich Island’s Fishery Zone (SGFZ) are being put to good use to fight illegal fishing elsewhere in the Southern Ocean.

The conference was held in Cape Town with support from CCAMLR and attended by 16 African countries

A conference, aimed at developing regional capacity to combat illegal fishing in Southern Ocean waters, was held at Cape Town, South Africa in late July. It was funded by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) using proceeds the UK had donated from the sale of fish confiscated from an illegal vessel that had been operating in SGFZ several years ago. The same funds were used to support the conference two years ago and this year’s conference was building upon the progress that followed that first workshop.

The workshop was jointly chaired by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Polar Regions Unit and the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It was attended by representatives from 16 coastal African states, as well as regional organisations, and identified a range of practical controls that states could put in place within their ports to reduce illegal fishing activity.

On hearing of the successful conclusion of the workshop, UK Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham said: “Illegal fishing is a major global problem: estimates suggest that in some areas illegal fishing accounts for up to 40% of all fish landed, and that the illegal fishing industry is worth up to £15 billion annually. This problem can only be tackled by the international community working together. Initiatives such as this workshop play a vital role in facilitating the commitment and collaboration that are needed for an improved deterrence of illegal fishing” (South Georgia News and Events)
 

Published in: Fisheries, Politics, Antarctica, International.
Tags: CCAMLR, Henry Bellingham, ilegal fishing, IUU, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, Southern Ocean.

11 comments Feed

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1 Boovis (#) Sep 15th, 2012 - 09:25 am Report abuse
Any ships caught carrying out this behaviour should just be confiscated, end of.
2 toooldtodieyoung (#) Sep 15th, 2012 - 10:22 am Report abuse
1 Boovis

But then the Argentine fishing industry would collapse when their entire fishing fleet is tied up in Port Stanly harbour............
3 Vulcanbomber (#) Sep 15th, 2012 - 12:20 pm Report abuse
Perhaps thats the way to do it. Then re-appropriate those vessels for the benefit of the falklands people.
4 ChrisR (#) Sep 15th, 2012 - 03:28 pm Report abuse
Do the AGs really risk an approach from the UK Navy?
5 Pirat-Hunter (#) Sep 15th, 2012 - 05:23 pm Report abuse
South America should jump into the protection of the Antarctic fishing as well and profit from illegal fishing to set up their own policy as UK is actively doing, This is aimed at the exploitation of all natural resources in Antarctica as it happens in Malvinas Argentina. Wake up America,No wonder the dollar is in a rot. While USA waste money with wars in the middle east UK carves 13 of the planets natural resources for themselves in Antarctica. There is already a international law for fishing in Antarica, simple

NO fishing!
www.walmart.ca/en?gclid=CIr9-uSLuLICFec-MgodZmQAvw

#4 we know, it's evident. If Brits get away with setting their laws in south America or Antarctica, south America will end up like the middle east or Africa for the next 100 Years.
6 ChrisR (#) Sep 15th, 2012 - 06:12 pm Report abuse
@5

Not the Brits fishing in their own waters, your bunch of thieves fishing in our waters.

If a Royal Navy ship catches them it will be who would have thoght that!

Haven't the Canadians chucked you out yet or are you in BsAs even now?

Ha, ha, ha idiota.
7 briton (#) Sep 15th, 2012 - 07:31 pm Report abuse
now we know who the real pirates are, pirate .
8 Islander1 (#) Sep 15th, 2012 - 10:59 pm Report abuse
Folks- FI Fisheries have indeed sunk an illegal vessel - a few years ago- Its owners would not own up and pay the fines - so the catch was confiscated, all the fishing gear and anything useful off the vessel, all the fule pumped out and confiscated - then the empty hull was taken out to sea and sunk.
Since then there has not been a major problem! - wonder why?
Have no doubt SG fishery would do exactly the same if needed.

PratHunter- Do let me know then why is it that the Fisheries zones around here and SGeorgia are regarded as some of the best managed in the world?
Why is Toothfish (merlo?) from the SouthG. waters with its CCAMLAR certificate so highly sought after worldwide?
9 Lord Ton (#) Sep 16th, 2012 - 02:09 am Report abuse
'Malvinas Argentinas' - isn't that a district in Buenos Aires ?? Are they renowned for their fishing there?? Ot do you mean the stadium - waterloigged is it ?? Or the shopping centre ??

So many 'Malvinas Argentinas' in Argentina - just none in the South Atlantic !
10 British_Kirchnerist (#) Sep 16th, 2012 - 09:31 pm Report abuse
#9 Mainland Argentina is in the South Atlantic!
11 Frank (#) Sep 17th, 2012 - 11:54 am Report abuse
@9 'In' ????
No wonder those peronistas are so wet.........

I thought it was 'in' South America

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