In a report Greenpeace described that fishermen are using destructive fishing practices to catch Antarctic toothfish, also known as Chilean seabass. It also said that how the fishing industry is engaged in a “gold-rush” for toothfish in the remote waters of the Southern Ocean. Its report titled ‘Saving the last ocean: How seafood markets can help to save Antarctica’s Ross Sea’.
The organization is urging the seafood buyers, restaurant owners and chefs not to buy any toothfish, and to support efforts to keep the Ross Sea off limits to fishing and industrial activity by designating it a marine reserve. Greenpeace explained that a group of leading Antarctic scientists had begun to refer to the Ross Sea as “the last ocean”. This status is in jeopardy as a result of the fishing industry intrusion into these previously mostly unexploited waters.
Greenpeace said recent scientific studies show that the disappearance of Ross Sea killer whales is linked with the decrease of Antarctica toothfish stocks, which in turn coincides with the industrial fishery of these fish. Casson Trenor, senior markets campaigner from Greenpeace USA, said that United States is the world’s largest market for toothfish, and as such we have caused a tremendous amount of harm to the Southern Ocean.
