*NEWS*S.PACIFIC TO STOP BOTTOM TRAWLING

[Anonymous]

S.Pacific to stop bottom trawling
A
quarter of the world’s oceans will be protected from fishing boats
which drag heavy nets across the sea floor, South Pacific nations have
agreed.The landmark deal will restrict bottom trawling, which experts
say destroys coral reefs and stirs up clouds of sediment that suffocate
marine life.Observers and monitoring systems will ensure vessels remain
five nautical miles from marine ecosystems at risk.The South Pacific
contains the last pristine deep-sea marine environment.It extends from
the Equator to the Antarctic and from Australia to the western coast of
South America.The high seas encompass all areas not included in the
territorial sea or in the internal waters of a country.

‘Precautionary measures’
The
agreement reached in the coastal town of Renaca in Chile will come into
force on 30 September.It will close to bottom trawling areas where
vulnerable marine ecosystems are known or are likely to exist, unless a
prior assessment is undertaken and highly precautionary protective
measures are implemented.The delegation from New Zealand, whose
fishermen are responsible for 90% of bottom trawling in the South
Pacific high seas, said the restrictions would “severely constrain” its
fishing vessels.”Because of the cost implications of the necessary
research and assessment and observer requirements, it may even have the
effect of putting an end to bottom trawling,” it said.The Deep Sea
Conservation Coalition, an alliance of leading environmental and
conservation groups, welcomed the agreement.

Because of the cost
implications of the necessary research and assessment and observer
requirements, [the agreement] may even have the effect of putting an
end to bottom trawling New Zealand delegation”This is a major step
forward in the protection of biodiversity on the high seas,” Matthew
Gianni, a spokesman for the group, said.Mr Gianni said the deal was the
first step taken towards implementing a UN resolution passed in
December, which urged the adoption of unilateral “precautionary
measures” to ensure bottom-trawlers do not cause significant
damage.”This is the most significant meeting of fishing nations since
the UN General Assembly resolution and it has done what the resolution
required.””It can be done, it has been done, and it’s time for all
countries to do the same in all other ocean regions.”In addition to the
weighted nets and rollers which crush coral reefs, bottom trawling
targets slow-growing species of fish, such as orange roughy, which take
decades to reach breeding age.Such species are especially vulnerable to
overfishing because the population replenishes itself very slowly.Last
month, leading scientists warned there would be no sea fish left in 50
years if current practices continued. 

[Author]

May 7, 2007 at 10:53 AM