16 Apr 2008
- Gland, Switzerland: Pervasive and hugely
profitable illegal fishing for Atlantic
cod and Alaska pollock in the Arctic threatens
the health of these globally important fisheries
and their resilience to climate change,
a new WWF report shows.
According to Norwegian
government figures, more than 100,000 tonnes
of illegal cod, valued at €225 million ($US350
million), was caught in the Barents Sea
in 2005. Concerted efforts by industry,
government and NGOs to clamp down on this
illegal activity has seen illegal landings
cut by 50 per cent, but illegal fishing
for Alaska pollock in the Russian Far-East
remains a problem.
While investigation
into illegal fishing in the Russian Far-East
is less exhaustive than in the Barents Sea,
the new report, Illegal Fishing in Arctic
Waters, shows that in the Sea of Okhotsk
alone, illegal landings of Alaska pollock
can reach a value of more than €45 million
($US70 million) annually. The economic loss
to the legitimate fishing industry and public
purse is estimated at €210 million ($US327
million).
“Illegal fishing in
the Arctic is a serious transnational crime
crossing European, African, Asian and American
borders.” said Dr Neil Hamilton, Director
of WWF International’s Arctic Programme.
“Cheats are putting short-term profits ahead
of the long-term survival of Arctic fisheries.”
About 70 per cent of
the world’s white fish supply comes from
the Arctic, with the world’s last large
cod stock found in the Barents Sea. The
Russian Alaska pollock and Barents Sea cod
catches analyzed in the report together
account for about a quarter of the world’s
white fish supply.
Barents Sea cod is taken
mainly by Norwegian, Russian and EU fishers,
while the bulk of the Alaska pollock catch,
fished mainly in the Western Bering Sea
and Sea of Okhotsk, is taken by Russian
fleets with China the largest buyer. With
markets spread across the globe, the distribution
of black market cod and pollock is a global
problem.
“If you’re enjoying
bacalhau in Brazil, fish and chips in the
UK, or frozen fillets in Germany you could
be unwittingly supporting black-market cod,”
said Maren Esmark, Marine Director at WWF-Norway.
“Progress in tackling illegal fishing for
cod in the Barents Sea should be applauded,
but the positive trend may not continue
as illegal products can find new ways to
international markets.”
WWF is heavily involved in efforts to increase
the traceability of fish from catch to consumer,
and also to improve the level and reliability
of information for end consumers. These
efforts also reach into the Arctic, where
significant elements of the US Pacific cod
and walleye (Alaska) pollock fisheries have
achieved Marine Stewardship Council certification
as sustainable fisheries.
WWF is concerned about the ability of Arctic
fish to cope with climate change, with illegal
fishing being an added stress that can reduce
the capacity of fish populations to adapt
and survive.
WWF is also alarmed
that several EU member states are opposing
the current European Commission proposal
to address illegal fishing, and the EU risks
losing a key opportunity to tackle this
problem.
“We urge all EU countries
to support the commission’s proposal to
deal with illegal fishing, and appeal to
processors, retailers and consumers to not
support criminality in fishing,” said Esmark,
“Companies should not trade with vessels
known to fish illegally, and consumers should
demand the seafood they buy comes from a
sustainable, legal source.”
