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LOUIS, MAURITIUS - March 30 - Greenpeace welcomed statements by the Mauritian Government and Parliament which
pointed to a new policy for Mauritian ports against illegally fishing vessels.
However, the international environmental group will continue its campaign to
stop pirate fishing and will remain in contact with the Mauritius authorities
and CCAMLR countries to help ensure that Mauritius
becomes a pirate free port.
"We hope that the Mauritius Government will promptly turn words into
action, and maintain Mauritius' international reputation", said Denise Boyd
of Greenpeace. "Other countries must also get tough on pirates seeking to
use their ports to land illegally caught fish".
The Greenpeace ship MV Arctic Sunrise left Mauritius on Monday evening after
a 16-day chase across the Southern Ocean and north to Mauritius to document the
illegal fishing activities of the Salvora, a Belize-registered vessel fishing
for Patagonian toothfish.
Following Greenpeace calls to seize and inspect the pirate fishing vessel, a
Mauritian inspection team found about 170 tons of toothfish onboard. Mauritius
is yet to release the report from the investigation, however it appears that the
team's finding's will show irregularities regarding the Salvora's log book and
the fishing areas it claimed to be fishing in.
"The Salvora case demonstrates that CCAMLR countries do not effectively
enforce agreed management and conservation resources, with the exception of
vessel arrests within sub-Antarctic Economic Exclusive Zones (EEZs) and some
surveillance by regional states", said Boyd "As a result, illegal
fishing continues unabated across the Southern Ocean"
In some areas, up to 90% of the total Patagonian toothfish catch is taken by
illegal and unregulated longliners. Scientists believe Patagonian toothfish will
be commercially extinct within three years if illegal fishing is not stopped,
but this destructive practice continues to be driven by the high value of
toothfish in markets, including those of CCAMLR Member States.
CCAMLR countries will be meeting in Brussels next month to discuss measures
to end the trade in illegally caught toothfish.
"We will be following this meeting very closely. If ports and markets
are not closed to pirates worldwide, the plunder will continue, the toothfish
will disappear and we will witness the tragic extinction of already endangered
albatross species", concluded Boyd.
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