MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Aust hails agreement on Antarctic fishing.

Australian delegates to a meeting of Antarctic treaty nations are claiming a major success in the fight against patagonian toothfish poachers.

The annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has wound up in Hobart.

After years of debate, all 24 nations have agreed to adopt a central monitoring system for fishing vessels.

Under the new system, boats will be obliged to regularly report their location to the CCAMLR headquarters in Hobart.

Tony Press from the Australian Antarctic Division says the system should be operating in a few months.

"Australia's been working on this for a number of years, along with the United States of America and New Zealand and this year we've managed to get the unanimous support of all members," he said.

"It's a major step forward for the fight against illegal toothfish fishing in the Southern Ocean." (ABC)