Antarctic fishing pirates named and shamed

An international fishing company caught supporting Southern Ocean illegal fishing can now be named and shamed after an attempt in the High Court to gag the government failed, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton said today.

“Illegal fishing is a serious threat to global fisheries and this case shines a light on the problem of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Southern Ocean,” Mr Anderton said.

"The Namibian-flagged fishing vessel Paloma V wanted to unload toothfish in Auckland in May. Its owner, Omunkete Fishing Limited took the government to court because it wanted to stop us reporting it to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), and recommending its vessel be put on the illegal fishing blacklist," said Mr Peters.

"A blacklisting would prevent it in future from entering the ports of the 34 countries that have signed the CCAMLR convention."

"The boat was examined by Fishery officers and information was found linking it to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.  The boat’s computer records revealed that it had contact with known illegal fishing vessels and had re-supplied them at sea," said Mr Anderton.

The Omunkete case claimed the in-port vessel search process was flawed but the High Court found in the government’s favour.  As soon as the High Court released its decision, the government filed its CCAMLR report and the recommendation to blacklist Paloma V will be considered at CCAMLR’s annual meeting in October.

“We need to stamp out pirate fishing.  It is wreaking havoc with fish stock sustainability and damaging the environment.  These pirates take no safeguards and cause the indiscriminate death and suffering of many species including seabirds such as albatross and petrels," said Mr Anderton.

“We have reason to believe these fishing pirates pillaging the Southern Ocean have their eye on the Ross Sea, reinforced by the sighting of the Triton 1 by an RNZAF Orion there earlier this year,” Mr Peters said.

 “New Zealand is at the forefront of global efforts to combat illegal fishing, including recent participation in UN negotiations to develop a binding international agreement on measures to prevent, deter and eliminate pirate fishing."

“The outcome of the case confirms the strength of New Zealand’s inspection regime and should send a strong signal to any foreign vessel intending to make use of New Zealand ports for illegal fishing," said Mr Anderton.

“We have a robust framework which protects our fisheries, and in turn helps protect global fisheries – the illegal fishers tested it and came off second best. 

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Ministry of Fisheries have been working together and with our Pacific neighbours to co-ordinate the fight against pirate fishers who undermine the sustainability of fisheries and international management measures,” Mr Anderton said.

“This week’s decision confirms there is no place for illegal fishing activity in the Southern Ocean or waters around New Zealand,” Mr Peters said.