MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

MSC's toothfish certification proposal criticised

Antarctic toothfish stocks and biology remain largely unknown to scientists.

Scientists and environmental groups criticised the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) last week for proposing the certification of Ross Sea Antarctic toothfish. The certification is being recommended by UK-based Moody Marine, the organisation chosen by Ross Sea fishers and accepted by the MSC.

The council’s report ignores the arguments of several Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) member organisations and 40 marine scientists from seven countries who have worked in the Ross Sea for decades.

“The Ross Sea Toothfish fishery is 'exploratory' under the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) 4 rules due to the lack of scientific data and a reliable stock assessment,” said marine scientist David Ainley, who has been studying the Ross Sea for 35 years for the US Antarctic programme.

Toothfish populations and their biology remain largely unknown to scientists. This makes it “completely inappropriate” for the MSC to even consider certifying the fishery, according to independent expert on fish population dynamics Dr Sidney Holt.

A 2008 independent analysis of human impacts on the world's oceans published in the journal Science found the Ross Sea to be the least affected oceanic ecosystem. Awarding this stock the MSC seal of approval would thwart conservation efforts.

ASOC, Greenpeace, and others may appeal the certification to Moody Marine; they must file it by 11 December, said ASOC Executive Director Jim Barnes.

Concerns about the Ross Sea Antarctic toothfish fishery include:

- Little knowledge about the fish’s life cycle, such as when and where it spawns and its habitat in early life stages

- Toothfish are particularly vulnerable to overfishing because they are long-lived (50 years or more) and breeding doesn't begin until around 16 years of age

- Stock assessments are based on tagging fish – and just two of seven vessels in Moody Marine's assessment met the size tagging standard

- CCAMLR has not adopted any indicators to monitor broader ecosystem changes from the projected removal of about 50 per cent of the spawning toothfish population in the Ross Sea under the 'exploratory fishery' plan, although it is supposedly a CCAMLR requirement

- During the past decade, the reported catch was 16,219 tonnes of toothfish in Area 88.1 and 2,037 tonnes in Area 88.2, and the current catch limit is 2,850 tonnes in Area 88.1 and 575 tonnes in Area 88.2. This fishery also catches the complete range of benthic species that make up Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VME), including stony corals, black corals and gorgonians, most of which are thousands of years old. (FIS)