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At last some action on bottom trawling
Posted by jossc on 9 May 2008.
Bottom trawling, possibly the most destructive fishing method yet devised by man, is to be regulated across the whole North Atlantic ocean. The process, which involves dragging nets weight down by metal girders across the seabed, is notorious for its wastefulness. Besides legitimate target species such as cod, plaice and sole, vast quantities of corals, sponges and other deep sea creatures are destroyed as bycatch. The devastation caused is so great that Greenpeace has been calling for some time for a moritorium (suspension of activity) on bottom trawling. Now it looks as though some progress may be being made.
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Sustainable seafood breakthough! Sainsbury's move to line-caught fresh cod and haddock
Posted by jossc on 13 April 2007.
In a big boost to our 'sustainable seafood' campaign Sainsbury's, the largest fishmonger in the UK, has announced that from the end of April it will sell only line-caught fresh cod and haddock to its 16 million customers.
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Bottom trawling - deep sea destroyers
Deep sea destroyers
Seamounts and the rich diversity of life they sustain are under threat from one of the world's most destructive fishing practices - bottom trawling.
Iceland sinks UN moratorium on bottom trawling
Posted by jamie on 24 November 2006.
The news that the UN moratorium on bottom trawling has sunk to the metaphorical, erm, bottom is grim enough but when you hear that it was all down to one country, it's just bloody depressing. And the culprit? Step forward Iceland, proud whaling nation and now ocean floor destroyer. Thanks guys.
Deep-sea protection frozen by Iceland
UN negotiations to adopt a moratorium on high-seas bottom trawling were torpedoed today, as a small number of influential fishing nations led by Iceland put the interests of their fishing fleets above other countries, the consensus of the marine scientific community and conservationists.
"The international community should be outraged that Iceland could almost single-handedly sink deep-sea protection, scuttling hopes for what could have been a much needed sea change in international oceans policy," said Sarah Duthie, Greenpeace UK, Oceans Campaigner.
While countries including the UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Island States, the United States, Brazil, India, South Africa and Chile supported strong action at the UN, their drive to win consensus at all costs has resulted in a terribly weak outcome at a critical juncture.
"They should be deeply embarrassed that they did not stand up to them and fight for the future of the oceans. This should be seen as a wake up call given that Iceland has recently flouted the IWC moratorium and killed endangered fin whales. Iceland will undoubtedly lead the way with Japan at the IWC in May, for a full scale resumption of commercial whaling.
"If effective measures are to be agreed to safeguard our oceans, progressive countries like the UK must raise their game or accept defeat," continued Duthie.
Countries that are committed to supporting a moratorium must now seize the opportunity to protect vulnerable habitats from destructive fishing by tightening market access to bottom-trawled fish and pressing for the establishment of a global network of marine reserves across the world's oceans. The UN Fisheries Resolution is due to be adopted by the General Assembly on December 7th.
Images and video footage available.
Contacts:
Greenpeace UK press office: 020 7865 8255
Karen Sack, Greenpeace International Oceans Policy Advisor in New York: +1 202 4155403
Beam trawlers - destroying the seabed
Blame Canada (and Espana) - bottom trawling gets the South Park treatmentPosted by bex on 17 November 2006.Bottom trawling - it's not big and it's not clever. An upcoming UN vote could see a moratorium on this fishing method which is destroying life on the ocean bed, but Canada and Spain are opposing it. If the video below doesn't inspire you to take action, you've misplaced your funny bone. Tags:
Bottom trawling - strip-mining the seasPosted by darren on 7 June 2006.
Greenpeace calls for global marine reserves on World Oceans Day As the kick-off to the football world cup approaches, how's this for a key pre-match statistic? Every four seconds, marine life in an area of ocean floor the size of ten football fields is wiped out by high seas bottom trawlers. Read more »Tags:
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