Patagonian Toothfish - Legal Fishing

Legal Fishing

The Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators, Inc. (COLTO) is a toothfish fishing industry body whose members represent over 84% of the legal toothfish catch worldwide. Four of the fisheries that are fished by COLTO members are now independently certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as sustainable and well managed fisheries, and a further two fisheries are currently undergoing full assessment against the independent MSC standards. Commercial fishing of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish is managed by CCAMLR around most of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic regions, however the fisheries that lie within a nation’s Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) are managed by those nations, taking into account management recommendations and approaches by CCAMLR.

In 2004, the South Georgia toothfish fishery (CCAMLR Statistical Division 48.3) was the first toothfish fishery to be MSC certified, and was recertified in 2009, as all MSC certified fisheries must be audited annually, and fully reassessed every five years. Currently, the South Georgia Total Allowable Catch (TAC) is 3,000t, and there are 6 longline vessels being operated by 5 companies in this fishery, who are managed by the UK overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The Ross Sea fishery (CCAMLR Statistical Division 88.1 and 88.2) was the second toothfish fishery to be independently evaluated and certified by the MSC as sustainable and well managed (in 2010). This fishery catches mainly Antarctic toothfish, a close relative to the Patagonian toothfish.

The Heard Island & McDonald Islands fishery (CCAMLR Statistical Division 58.5.2) was certified as a sustainable and well managed fishery by the MSC in March 2012 and is operated under Australian jurisdiction in a manner consistent with CCAMLR regulations. There are 3 vessels operated by 2 Australian companies (Austral Fisheries and Australian Longline). The CCAMLR determined TAC is 2,730t of toothfish for the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons.

The Macquarie Island toothfish fishery is within the Australian EEZ, and is situated outside the CCAMLR Convention Area within FAO Statistical Area 81, though is managed in a complementary way with the conservation measures adopted by CCAMLR. In May 2012, this was the fourth toothfish fishery to gain MSC certification. There are 2 Australian companies that are allocated to catch 455t of toothfish in 2012/13.

Combined, over 30% of all legally harvested toothfish is independently assessed and certified by the MSC as being from sustainable and well managed fisheries. Currently, several other toothfish fisheries are in the process of independent review for MSC certification.

France regulates Patagonian toothfish in the waters surrounding the French islands in the South Indian Ocean. These are the Crozet Islands (CCAMLR Statistical Division 58.6) and Kerguelen Islands (CCAMLR Statistical Division 58.5.1), with scientific oversight from the National Museum of Natural History. Fishing authorizations have been granted to 6 fishing companies based out of Reunion Island (before 1998, there had been agreements with other countries authorizing their ships to fish in these waters). The current TAC for Crozet is 800t, while at Kerguelen the TAC is 5,000t. Both French fisheries are currently under full assessment by the MSC.

The Falkland Islands, a self-governing British Overseas Territory (sometimes called Isles Malvinas) also has a toothfish fishery and is the most recent to have announced it is under full assessment by the MSC. The Falklands do not fall in the CCAMLR Convention area, though regulations on fishing methods, science and management mirror CCAMLR requirements. The TAC is currently 1,200t and is caught by a sole longline vessel.

The Chilean toothfish fishery is separated into two separate fleets. The artisanal fleet of small boats which operates in the region north of 47°S inside the Chilean EEZ and 11 vessels from the ‘industrial fleet’ who operate south of 47°S inside the Chilean EEZ as well as on the high seas both within and outside CCAMLR waters. The TAC for the industrial fleet is determined each year by the Chilean Government based on biological studies carried out by both public and private scientific bodies. The current Chilean TAC for the industrial fleet is 3,090t that is caught by 11 vessels from 4 companies. Since 2006, artisanal fleet catches have fluctuated between 2,091t and 1,558t per annum.

Argentina has a toothfish fishery off its coastline that is managed by the Argentine Federal Fisheries Council under recommendations from the National Fisheries Research Institute. This season the Argentine TAC is 3,500t that is caught by 7 vessels from 4 companies.

The Prince Edward and Marion Islands toothfish fishery is managed and regulated by Branch Fisheries, part of the South African Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing. The South African Marine Resource Authorities fully supports and follows all CCAMLR Conservation Measures. The current TAC is 320t and is fished by 2 vessels belonging to 2 fishing companies/cooperatives, with catches restricted significantly following excessive IUU fishing in those waters in the late 1990s.

The total allowable catch of toothfish worldwide is around 23,500t in 2011/12, with 84% of this coming from COLTO members, and 31% of the total catch (7,272 tonnes) now being independently certified as coming from sustainable and well managed fisheries by the Marine Stewardship Council (with three other fisheries totalling 7,000 tonnes under full MSC assessment).

It is estimated by CCAMLR that around 6% of the worldwide toothfish catch is taken by IUU operators, and that product does not have the current Catch Documentation System evidence trail associated with it, so cannot be sold legally into major markets including USA, EU, and Japan.