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Refuting bottom trawl claptrap

Actress and activist Sigourney Weaver speaks at the UN press briefing held to promote a resolution on high-seas bottom trawling. Enlarge Image

Bottom trawling: the UN decides

This week will be our last chance for the UN to call for a moratorium on bottom trawling. The world is watching as Canada and Spain threaten to scupper what scientists call an "overwhelming" case. Take action now!

Taken by a fisheries observer on board a NZ bottom trawler, this photo shows a large piece of red coral being hoisted out of a bottom trawl net. (Note more coral in the net). Enlarge Image

Bottom trawling: world watches EU, Canada, South Korea and Russia

As the EU, Russia, and South Korea sink a bottom-trawling protection plan at a key meeting in Hobart, we are now focusing our watchful eyes on the UN. In the next few weeks the world’s governments have an opportunity to declare a moratorium on unregulated high seas bottom trawling, or send us towards a future where seafood is gone by 2048.

"Sea Mounties" protest against Canada's failure to support a moratorium on bottom trawling outside the Canadian High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand. Enlarge Image

Canada failing to support moratorium on high-seas bottom trawling

Blame Canada! The Canadian High Commission in various countries got a timely reminder to stop undermining a global moratorium on high seas bottom trawling at the UN. “Sea Mounties” in New Zealand, huge banners in Sydney and protests in Chile marked what many environmental organizations are calling Moratorium Monday.

Actress and activist Sigourney Weaver speaks at the UN press briefing held to promote a resolution on high-seas bottom trawling. Enlarge Image

Sigourney Weaver and the US: calling for an end to bottom trawling

Actress Sigourney Weaver, star of Alien and Ghostbusters, has joined us at the UN in New York calling for a moratorium on high- seas bottom trawling. Adding more weight to Team Ocean Defenders, the US government has also been supportive. George W. Bush himself issued a statement calling for an “end [to] destructive fishing practices, such as unregulated bottom trawling”. This week’s UN meeting may be our last chance for real action to save the “aliens of the deep”.

Nelson 30-July-2006: Greenpeace activists block the trawl ramp of Belize flagged Chinese bottom trawler Chang Xing in Port Nelson, New Zealand. Two other activists climbed the mast and along with one other attached to the mooring line stopped the vessel from leaving port. Enlarge Image

Victory! Australia calls for moratorium on unregulated bottom trawling

Reminiscent of their performance in the World Cup Football, Australia also made a great move in our very own Oceans World Cup and today joined the Deep-Sea Defenders. After receiving over 32,000 emails sent from our Ocean Defenders around the world, Australia is calling on the UN to establish a time-out on destructive high seas bottom trawling. If only the EU Commission would do the same...

Two Greenpeace activists aboard Belize flagged Chinese bottom trawler Chang Xing in Port Nelson, New Zealand. The two activists along with one other attached to the mooring line stopped the vessel from leaving port. Enlarge Image

Bottom trawler protested - NZ

Over the past weekend, Greenpeace activists in New Zealand locked down a high seas bottom trawler stopping it leaving the New Zealand port of Nelson. [Watch the TV footage here] Two activists climbed the mast and made themselves inaccessible and another attached herself to the mooring lines while another team of activists locked metal braces and a large sculpture of a deep-sea coral to the vessel's stern with a banner reading "The Trawl's in your Court NZ" - A clear challenge to the New Zealand Government.

Greenpeace activists use wire cables to tie the trawl doors together on the bottom trawler Ocean Reward (NZ). Enlarge Image

UN: bottom trawling protection “woefully inadequate”

After two years, the UN has finally confirmed what everyone knew already: measures taken to protect deep-sea life from destructive fishing practices such as high seas bottom trawling is “woefully inadequate” and that “urgent action is required now by the international community”. Can we say, “told you so?”

 
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