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Fishery: Ross Sea Toothfish Longline Fishery (Dissostichus mawsoni)
Status:
The certification body, Moody Marine, has announced the release of the draft Performance Indicators and Scoring Guideposts (PI&SGs) that will be used to evaluate the Ross Sea Toothfish Longline Fishery against the MSC Principles and Criteria.
Interested parties are invited to contact Dr Andrew Hough by 5pm GMT, 10th April 2008 if they wish to comment.
Moody Marine has also announced that the fishery is now entering the information gathering phase of the assessment. The primary objective of this stage is to collect information on the fishery and in particular to speak to representatives of the fishery, fishery management bodies and other stakeholders of the fishery. Although the official 'site visit' will be held in the UK in July 2008, Moody Marine has arranged a series of meetings in Wellington, New Zealand and will be able to meet with stakeholders on the morning of 28th March 2008.
Any stakeholder with information on this fishery that should be considered in the assessment, or who wishes to meet with Moody Marine should contact Dr Andrew Hough, no later than 18th March 2008.
Please refer to the downloads section for further information.
Last updated: 04 March 2008
Location:
Ross Sea (CCAMLR Subareas 88.1 and 88.2)
Fishing Method:
Longline
Management:
The fishery operates in two Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCMALR) Subareas; 88.1 and 88.2. The fishery has consistently been managed as an ‘Exploratory Fishery’ although this categorisation is seen as a means of ensuring information is provided from fishing vessels and allowing a more precautionary TAC to be set. The fishery is an Olympic style fishery with access allowed to any appropriate vessels from CCAMLR member countries. The fishery closes annually when the catch (or by-catch) levels are reached.
The fishery is managed under the CCMALR framework. Setting of TACs and monitoring of catches, together with setting any technical (conservation) regulations are carried out by CCAMALR. The enforcement of regulations and licensing of vessels to take part in the fishery is the responsibility of the flag state, or in the case of Argos vessels (flag state Ascension), via the UK Government.
The fishery takes place in international waters. Whilst licensed vessels are regulated by the respective flag states, there is the potential for IUU fishing to take place.
IUU is restricted, firstly by the seasonal ice cover of the Ross Sea and the difficult climate. During the austral summer, the presence of fishing vessels and fly-overs by the New Zealand air force can detect presence of IUU vessels. CCAMLR estimated IUU catches in 2004/05 were 144t (4.5% of total catch) in 88.1 and (consistently) 0 in 88.2.
In the 2006/07 season, the fishery comprised 15 vessels from 8 countries. The 88.1 TAC was 3032 t and 102% of the TAC was taken, the season extended from 1 December 2006 until 2 February 2007. In Subarea 88.2, there were 7 vessels from 5 countries, over the season, from 1 Dec 2006 to 30 March 2007, 347 t were caught from a limit of 547 t (63%).
Main Commercial market:
USA and Asia
Assessment process:
The assessment process is expected to take 12 months. Please see the download section for a detailed assessment timeline.
Client:
Argos Georgia Ltd, Sanford Ltd and New Zealand Long Line Ltd
Contact: Peter Thomson
Argos Georgia Ltd
Phoenix Court
Bartholomew Street
Newbury
Berks. RG14 5QA
T: 01635 31525
F: 01635 31520
E: argos@argonaut.co.uk
Certification body:
Moody Marine Ltd
Moody International Certification
Merlin House
Stanier Way
The Wyvern Business Park
Derby DE21 6BF
UK
Tel (Direct): +44 (0) 1633 401092
(Office): +44 (0) 8707 529002
Fax: + 44 (1332) 675 152
Contact: Dr Andrew Hough
E-mail: ahough@moodymarine.com
www.moodymarine.com |
