Sustainability and the Environment

For all licensed fishing vessels in the world, the activities of illegal, unlicensed and unregulated vessels is a real cause for concern. The effect on stocks of unregulated fishing has caused many around the world to reach critical levels, and the dumping of illegal fish on the market can cause price fluctuations to occur to the detriment of both the buyers and the producers.

CCAMLR, the Convention on the Conservation of Marine Living Resources, set up a documentation procedure for toothfish called a DCD (dissostichus catch document) which traces the importation and movement of toothfish products around the world. As more and more countries have adopted and followed the scheme, accessible markets for illegal toothfish have declined considerably, squeezing many of the operators out of the water.

The Industry has also responded. In 2003 the Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators (COLTO) was established. This organization devised a scheme whereby fishermen working on illegal vessels could claim a reward if providing information which could lead to a conviction of the vessel owners.

The combination of state and private schemes to fight IUU fishing has helped to protect stocks of toothfish and seabirds from the unbridled activities of unregulated fishing.