1.
Current international initiatives
to protect deep sea habitats:
The Deep Sea
Conservation Coalition
Sebastián Losada
Greenpeace

2.
What is the Deep Sea
Conservation Coalition?
The Deep Sea Conservation
Coalition, an alliance of over
40 international organizations,
representing millions of people
in countries around the world,
is calling for a moratorium on
high seas bottom trawling.
For further information
www.savethehighseas.org

3.
Roughy Bonanza
in the Indian Ocean
Fishing News International
May 2000
 “Up to 40 freezers trawlers could be joining in
an orange roughy bonanza now developing on
newly discovered seamounts spreading over a
huge area of the Indian Ocean…”.
 “Catches of up to 100 tonnes a day of orange
roughy and alfonsino are being taken by the
dozens of freezer ships already on the seamounts
which are mostly outside national limits”.
 “Ships from Namibia, New Zealand and South
Africa are already on the grounds, while others
are expected from as far away as Russia and
China ...Spanish freezer trawlers are being offered
for sale to owners seeking to join-in the fishery”.
 “The fishing effort is expected to build up on the
seamounts this month and during June and
July… However, owners working in or planning to
target this fishery are not willing to discuss their
operations”.


4.
Latest ICES advice
on Deep Sea Stocks
“Scientists will recommend that all existing deep-
sea fisheries should be cutback to low levels until
they can demonstrate that they are sustainable.
They will advise zero catch of depleted deep-
sea sharks, and they will recommend that no
new fisheries for deep-sea fish should be
allowed until it can be demonstrated that they
are capable of being sustainable.
For all existing deep-sea fisheries, ICES will
advise that fishing pressure should be reduced
considerably to low levels, and should only be
allowed to expand again very slowly until reliable
assessments indicate that increased harvests are
sustainable. New fisheries on deep-sea fish
should be permitted only when they are
accompanied by programmes to collect data and
should expand very slowly until it can be ICES Press Release
demonstrated that they, too, can be sustainable”. October 2005

5.
Why a moratorium on
High Seas Bottom Trawling?
s 64% of the oceans are outside the
EEZs;
s The fishing industry is expanding
to deep sea areas in response to
depletion of traditional resources.
s Only in a few areas there are
RFMOs with a competence to
regulate bottom trawling.

6.
Why a moratorium on
High Seas Bottom Trawling?
s We simply don't know where
vulnerable ecosystems are found;
s We simply don't know enough
about the biology of deep sea
species and the ecology of deep
sea ecosystems;
s We simply don't have the
institutions to ensure sound
management of deep sea fishing
fleets.

7.
Why a moratorium on
High Seas Bottom Trawling?
s to give us time to assess and
understand the importance and
functioning of deep sea
ecosystems and species;
s to give us time to develop the legal
instruments to guarantee a
sustainable and equitable
exploitation of these ecosystems;

8.
United Nations Ban on the use of
High Seas Driftnets
s Precedent established through the
UN General Assembly Resolutions
44/225, 45/197 and 46/215 on large-
scale driftnet fishing on the high
seas;
s Coordinated international
approach applied consistently
across all high seas areas;
s Based on the wider effects of
fishing on the ecosystem and not
only on the target species.

9.
We don't know enough to
manage deep sea ecosystems
s There are between 30.000 and
100.000 seamounts;
s Between 500.000 and 10 million
species live in the abisal
domain; many are new to
science;
s Over 15% of the species found
in a particular seamount can be
endemic;
s Very little is known yet about the
distribution of cold water corals
in many areas, i.e. NEAFC.

10.
Deep sea ecosystems
are inherently vulnerable
s Late maturity and slow growth of
deep sea species;
s Some comercial species live up to
200 years and reach maturity
when they are 30 years old.
s Low recovery rates or not
recovery at a human scale if
overexploited;
s Some cold water reefs may be as
old as 8.500 years or more.

11.
In February 2004, 1.136
scientists from 69 countries made
a public statement showing deep
concern for the damage caused
by human activities and
particularly bottom trawling to
vulnerable deep sea ecosystems,
and asking for a moratorium on
high seas bottom trawling.

12.
The biggest threat
Bottom Trawling
s Physical damage to slow
growing structures;
s High by-catch rates in deep sea
fisheries;
s Continuous expansion to new
areas;

13.
The biggest threat
Bottom Trawling
s Globally between 100 and 200
vessels are bottom trawling in the
high seas;
s In 2001 HSBT fleets caught
between 170.000 and 215.000 tons,
or 0.25 of the global world catch;
s This year only 11 countries were
responsible for 95% of the HSBT
catches;

14.
Ilegal Unregulated Unreported?

15.
Regularly Failing to
Manage our Oceans
s Very few RFMOs have a
competence to regulate bottom
trawling;
s Those who have have failed to do
so; i.e. in 2005 4 out of 6 species
managed by NAFO were under a
fishing moratorium.
s RFMOs have to be urgently
reformed. They need to address
protection of vulnerable
ecosystems and impose a
moratorium until such protection is
in place.

16.
Relevant International Instruments
for the Protection of High Seas Biodiversity
s UNCLOS.
s 1995 UNFSA.
s FAO Code of Conduct for
Responsible Fisheries.
s The Hague Ministerial Declaration.
s UN World Summit Plan of
Implementation.
s UN FAO IPOA on IUU fishing.

17.
What has happened so far
Recent international resolutions
s The UNGA, UNICPOLOS, the
CBD or IUCN have asked
States to take urgent action
to address the destruction of
biodiversity on the high seas;
s Bottom trawling has been
identified as the biggest
threat to these ecosystems;
s An increasing number of
countries is showing support
for the moratorium.

18.
2006 Agenda
Opportunities for the deep sea
s WG on Protection of
Biodiversity in Areas Beyond
National Jurisdiction
established by the UNGA;
s Review of the UN Fish Stocks
Agreement;
s Review of measures taken by
RFMOs to address
conservation of biodiversity
on the HS;
s UNGA?