Victory! Australia calls for moratorium on unregulated bottom trawling

Following three years of calls for urgent action, the United Nations General Assembly will finally begin negotiating measures to protect marine life in the deep-sea on 4-5 October leading to a formal adoption in November. A number of countries have already voiced their support for a UN Moratorium including Brazil, Chile, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu in the Pacific.

Wiping out unknown worlds

Bottom trawling is widely recognized as the most destructive of fishing methods.  Heavily weighted bottom trawls are indiscriminate and scour and devour everything in their path  including species that are not even known to science. It's like  driving a huge bulldozer through an unexplored, lush and richly  populated forest and being left with a flat, featureless desert.

Countries, scientists, Ocean Defenders, and the UN

In addition to Ocean Defenders,  the many countries calling for a  moratorium, other non-government organisations, over 1500 scientists,  and the UN itself have expressed the need for a moratorium on this  practice before it's too late.  Here's the play by play:



High seas bottom trawling represents only one percent of the world's annual  global fishery catch. The European Union represents around 60 percent of the  300 or so vessels engaged in bottom trawling worldwide: Spain has the largest fleet.

What's the EU position? Good question.

While the European Commission dosen't qualify for a "national team" they seem to be acting as a bad referee kicking the ball to the Destroyers team which is lead by Spain. Our EU Marine Policy Director, Saskia Richartz, explains who's still  on the side of the Deep-Sea Destroyers:

"Spain and the European Commission, are still siding with a small  sector of the industry that supports this fishing method and holding the EU position hostage. It is time for them to protect  the interest of the oceans and the environment instead of the vested interests of a handful of fishing fleets. They must urgently agree a common position to support the call for a UN moratorium."

With Australia's strong move, eyes are turning towards New Zealand.   Our Oceans Campaigner in New Zealand, Mike Hagler, hopes that New Zealand will follow Australia's lead. "Greenpeace expects that New Zealand will join Palau, Australia and the rest of the countries of the Pacific in leading the world to a strong policy outcome at the UN next month," he said.