permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

New Zealand of all countries. I thought they were supposed to be on the front 
line of environmental conservation.
I certainly won't buy any of their produce or lamb in the future. - LL
|||

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | S Pacific to stop bottom-trawling
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6627425.stm   
Last Updated: Saturday, 5 May 2007, 04:52 GMT 05:52 UK
S Pacific to stop bottom-trawling
        
Coral clearance: Bottom-trawling and its bycatch

In pictures
A quarter of the world's oceans will be protected from fishing boats which drag heavy nets across the sea floor, South 
Pacific nations have agreed.

The landmark deal will restrict bottom-trawling, which experts say destroys coral reefs and stirs up clouds of sediment 
that suffocate marine life.

Observers and monitoring systems will ensure vessels remain five nautical 
miles from marine ecosystems at risk.

The South Pacific contains the last

pristine deep-sea marine environment.

It extends from the Equator to the Antarctic and from Australia to the 
western coast of South America.

The high seas encompass all areas not included in the territorial sea or in 
the internal waters of a country.

'Precautionary measures'

The agreement reached in the coastal town of Renaca in Chile will come into 
force on 30 September.

It will close to bottom-trawling areas where vulnerable marine ecosystems are known or are likely to exist, unless a 
prior assessment is undertaken and highly precautionary protective measures are implemented.

Bottom-trawling: How it works

The delegation from New Zealand, whose fishermen are responsible for 90% of bottom-trawling in the South Pacific high 
seas, said the restrictions would "severely constrain" its fishing vessels.

"Because of the cost implications of the necessary research and assessment and observer requirements, it may even have 
the effect of putting an end to bottom-trawling," it said.

The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, an alliance of leading environmental and 
conservation groups, welcomed the agreement.

        
Mackerel (BBC)
Because of the cost implications of the necessary research and assessment and observer requirements, [the agreement] may 
even have the effect of putting an end to bottom-trawling
New Zealand delegation

Sea fish 'gone in 50 years'

"This is a major step forward in the protection of biodiversity on the high seas," Matthew Gianni, a spokesman for the 
group, said.

Mr Gianni said the deal was the first step taken towards implementing a UN resolution passed in December, which urged 
the adoption of unilateral "precautionary measures" to ensure bottom-trawlers do not cause significant damage.

"This is the most significant meeting of fishing nations since the UN General Assembly resolution and it has done what 
the resolution required.

"It can be done, it has been done, and it's time for all countries to do the same 
in all other ocean regions."

In addition to the weighted nets and rollers which crush coral reefs, bottom-trawling targets slow-growing species of 
fish, such as orange roughy, which take decades to reach breeding age.

Such species are especially vulnerable to overfishing because the population 
replenishes itself very slowly.

Last November, leading scientists warned there would be no sea fish left in 
50 years if current practices continued.

Schematic of bottom-trawling. Image: BBC

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SEE ALSO
Ban on 'brutal' fishing blocked
24 Nov 06 |  Science/Nature
Case for trawl ban 'overwhelming'
15 Nov 06 |  Science/Nature
'Only 50 years left' for sea fish
02 Nov 06 |  Science/Nature
Scientists go hi-tech to save coral
20 Oct 06 |  Science/Nature
'Destructive fishing' ban for NZ
21 Feb 06 |  Science/Nature
Call to ban destructive fishing
04 Oct 05 |  Science/Nature
Deep-sea corals protection call
16 Feb 04 |  Science/Nature

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Deep Sea Conservation Coalition
South Pacific Regional Management Organisation
Marine Conservation Society
Greenpeace
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